Abstract: Disclosed herein is a process for coating a fiber mat with a pigmented coating prior to subjecting the mat to heat and pressure treatment to form a composition board having a smooth, embossed or textured surface. The coating contains a mixture of an acrylic, hydroxyl or carboxyl functional vehicle, a melamine-based coating crosslinking agent for the vehicle, a high-melting wax, and a platelet form of talc. By employing this process, composition board products are obtained which have superior surfaces and surface finishes. In addition, these finishes inhibit composition board extractive migration which causes the formation of discolored spots on the finished composition board's surface.