A combined slide-slot coating die, with the slide coating on top, was designed and built to investigate the double-layer coating of poly(vinyl-alcohol) solutions. The operating coating windows were examined as a function of flow rates and viscosities of the two coating layers. The top coating layer could be made much thinner as compared to the double-layer coating so long as a stable thin film could be formed on the slide. A minimum wet thickness of the top layer was found to be as thin as 5 mu m or less. A large viscosity ratio of the two layer solutions appears to be helpful in expanding the coating windows. Addition of a small quantity of polymer, such as carboxymethyl cellulose, can further enhance the coating speed and reduce the top layer thickness. A flow visualization technique was employed to observe the coating bead region. It was found to be easier to change the flow direction in the slide-slot coating die than the doublelayer slot die, resulting in a more stable coating flow and much thinner top layer.