Mixing mortar on a plank keeps my joints even now

I swear I spent two years fighting with mortar that dried out too fast on hot days around Austin. Last month I tried this trick a foreman mentioned, mixing smaller batches on a damp plywood plank instead of a metal board. The wood holds moisture way longer, so I get maybe 15 more minutes of workable time per mix. That was enough for me to stop rushing and keep my lines straight on a 40 foot wall. Anyone else use a plank or is it just a regional habit?

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blair_webb3d ago

That tracks with something I read a while back about masonry in humid climates. The article said damp wood pulls some of the water out of the mix slower than metal, which just sits there and lets the heat cook the mortar from the bottom up. I tried it on a small retaining wall last fall and noticed the same thing, maybe not 15 minutes but definitely a solid 10 extra minutes before it started to crust. The other thing that helped me was keeping the plank in the shade and throwing a wet burlap sack over the pile between loads. Took a while to get used to the board flexing a little under the wheelbarrow, but once you get the hang of it, the moisture control is worth it. Your results might vary if you are mixing on a really windy day, that dries things out no matter what surface you use.