How long a two-pack coating stays sprayable and able to cure properly once the base and curing agent are mixed. Pot life shrinks sharply with heat, with many epoxies losing about half for every 10 C rise. Material past its pot life may still look liquid but will not bond or cure right, so inspectors check mix times and reject overage kits.
Mixed that kit at 10 and it's 90 degrees out, so pot life is up by 11:30 whether it looks good or not.
Also heard as
- working life
- usable life
Do not mix it up with
- Sweat-in: Sweat-in is the wait after mixing before you start applying; pot life is the deadline for finishing.
Related terms
Sweat-in
Painter slang for the induction time a freshly mixed epoxy must stand before it is applied.
Amine blush
Waxy, greasy film on curing amine epoxies in cold or damp conditions that blocks adhesion of the next coat.
Dew point
Temperature at which moisture condenses from air; specs keep steel at least 3 C above it for blasting and painting.