Mortar cement is a hydraulic cement similar to masonry cement in use and function, introduced to enhance one or more of the latter's properties, such as workability, durability, and water retention. In addition, mortar cement must have lower air content, and it has minimum flexural bond strength requirements. In response to fulfilling these needs, a new family of water soluble polymers has been developed. The new polymer additives are designed to optimize air void distribution and rheology of wet mortar, allowing improved workability with low air content. Furthermore, these polymers impart high water retention to the mortar, and allow the production of mortar with enhanced board life and flexural bond strength.