Composite films of montmorillonite clay (MMT) dispersed in a crosslinked poly(vinyl alcohol) matrix exhibit unusually favorable mechanical, flame-retarding and oxygen-barrier properties. For example, the oxygen permeability of a 22-micrometer PET film can be reduced by a factor of ~200 by adding a 0.6-micrometer coating. To optimize the processing and properties of these coatings we are examining factors that control the ordering of the clay nanoplates that are responsible for the favorable properties mentioned above. Among these factors are (1) the shear-stress magnitude and history during the coating process and (2) the interaction of the clay with the substrate, each other and the polymer "glue." Bench-scale coating processes considered in this study were dip, spin and doctor-blade coating. For ultra-low shear stress, Meyer bar coating was examined. Considering the clay platelets as isolated disks, these processes can give Péclet numbers from ~1 to several hundred. All but the spin coating can be used for continuous processing.