Abstract: In a process for hardening phenol-formaldehyde resol resins, comprising conducting the hardening of the resins with an acidic solution of water and/or an organic solvent having dissolved therein an aromatic sulphonic acid and/or concentrated sulphuric acid, the improvement comprising the hardening in the presence of aniline added to the phenolic resin beforehand in a quantity of between about 0.5 and 2% relative to the weight of the phenolic resin whereby the pot life is extended and the cure time is satisfactory, the resultant products being especially useful as prepegs.