Direct printed lightweight panel

1. A direct printed panel comprising:

an MDF or LDF carrier board with a density of ≦750 kg/m 3 ;

a decor layer directly printed onto the carrier board with transparent inks such that surface structures and/or optical characteristics of the carrier board remain at least partially visible; and

a transparent protective coating;

whereby surface structures and/or optical characteristics of the carrier board are at least partially visible and thereby incorporated into the design of the decor layer, and

wherein the transparent protective coating is a polymer coating provided with a hardness gradient, such that the hardness of the polymer coating substantially continuously decreases with increasing depth viewed from the surface of the coating.

2. A direct printed panel according to claim 1 , wherein the panel further comprises an adhesive promoting primer provided on the carrier board to improve the adhesion and/or quality of the decor layer.

3. A direct printed panel according to claim 1 , wherein the transparent protective coating essentially consists of an acrylate.

4. A direct printed panel according to claim 1 , wherein the density of the carrier board is ≦730 kg/m 3 .

5. A direct printed panel according to claim 1 , wherein no paper layers are provided on the side of the carrier board where the decor layer is provided.

6. A direct printed panel according to claim 1 , wherein the carrier board is provided with integrated coupling means in form of groove and tongue such that two such panels can be coupled with each other.

7. A direct printed panel according to claim 1 , wherein the transparent protective coating comprises abrasion-resistant particles.

8. A direct printed panel according to claim 1 , wherein the decor layer is a real wood imitation, a stone imitation or a ceramic imitation.