Abstract: A method for coating paper, wherein a coating composition containing coating particles is applied to the surface of a paper web containing lignocellulosic fibers to produce a coated paper web having coating particles bound to the paper web, and the coated web is dried. According to the method the surface area of the interface between the paper web and the coating particles is increased in order to enhance hydrogen bonding between the coating particles and the fibers of the web. The surface area can be increased by using a coating composition comprising fine fibrous material or by abrading the surface of the paper or paperboard web or both. The invention will improve the smoothness of the surface without addition of foreign polymer binding agents to the web.