Two commercially available epoxy-fluorinated monomers, 3-(perfluorooctyl)-1,2-propenoxide and 3-(1H, 1H, 9H-hexadecafluorononyloxyl)-1,2 propenoxide, were used as modifying additives for UV curable systems. These two fluorinated monomers were mixed, in small amounts (less than 1% w/w) with a hydrogenated epoxy monomer 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol-diglycidyl ether. The mixtures were coated on glass substrate and UV-cured, giving rise to transparent films. Notwithstanding their very low concentrations, the fluorinated monomers caused a change in the surface properties of the films, without changing their curing conditions and their bulk properties. The air side of the coatings became highly hydrophobic, while the substrate side was unmodified. As shown by XPS measurements, the fluorinated monomers were able to concentrate selectively on the air side of the films, forming a fluorinated layer. (C) 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.