The invention is a radiation curable coating containing an antimicrobial agent, where upon irradiation with UV light, the radiation curable coating rapidly cures to a polymeric coating. The polymeric coating has durable antimicrobial properties, being especially effective at preventing the growth of Staphylococcus aureaus and Kleibsella pneumoniae on wood flooring and furniture. The major components in the radiation curable coating are a urethane acrylic oligomer, a radiation cure package, an antimicrobial agent, a cross-linking agent, and optionally, an additive package. The radiation curable urethane oligomer is a relatively short chain backbone urethane polymer that is end capped with a radiation curable moiety, where the moiety is an acrylic. The cross-linking agent is one or more monomers used to lower the viscosity and promote cross-linking, and include acrylate esters of mono-, di-, tri-, or tetrafunctional alcohols. The radiation cure package contains at least one photoinitiator.