If you’re mixing up a large quantity of one of these hypertufa recipes, divide the mixture into smaller batches to make it easier to blend.
Measure the dry ingredients into a large container such as a wheelbarrow. Use a shovel, concrete trowel, garden hand trowel or similar for mixing.
Make sure all ingredients are thoroughly blended before adding water. Mix and blend more than you think you need to!
Water … Add Slowly …
How Much Water Is Enough … Or Not Enough?
Add The Water Slowly … You Can Always Add More
How do you know what is enough or not enough water? There is a pretty good test you can do and I’ll get to that in a second. I just want to mention this for your benefit:
There are many variables that will affect the amount of water needed for each hypertufa recipe. It might be that the peat moss you’re using on a current project is much drier than what you used on a previous project. The humidity may be much lower/higher than the last time you did a project.
The APPROXIMATE amount of water needed MAY or MAY NOT be 1 to 1-1/2 parts water (in relation to the dry ingredients “parts”). Be on the safe side, slowly add your water to your thoroughly blended dry mix. Add water until you have a damp mixture. One that is not crumbly but also not oozing with water.
Next, take a 10 minute break from the whole mixing process. Let the water “soak in” a bit. This is an invaluable suggestion … so do it!
After your 10 minute break, begin to blend and stir everything again. Make sure your hypertufa recipe is equally moistened.