What Does Hempcrete Mean?
Hempcrete, a spinoff of the word concrete and sometimes referred to as hemplime, is a building material made from hemp plants. More specifically, hempcrete is made from hemp hurds and lime. It resembles concrete, but is not as brittle and does not require expansion joints.
Hempcrete is available around the world in several brands, including Hempcrete, Canobiote, Canosmose, Limecrete and Isochanvre, but is most popular in North America and Europe (UK and France specifically).
Hempcrete has a variety of uses but it is mainly used as a lightweight insulating material. It weighs about a seventh of the weight of concrete, and is only about 15 per cent as dense as regular concrete.
Maximum Yield Explains Hempcrete
In cannabis cultivation, hemp is a variety of cannabis that is grown for its fiber and seeds, not it's psychoactive properties. Hemp has a variety of industrial uses in textiles, paper, ropes, beauty products, and the food industry, for example, in addition to being used as a building material when mixed with lime.
Industrial hemp is the only type of hemp used to make hempcrete. Industrial hemp is grown by certified commercial growers so the crop can be certified to be very low in THC.
The use of hempcrete dates back to the 6th century where it was first developed in France. Since then it has seen a resurgence in use. Hempcrete is a bio-composite building material. It is made of the inner woody core of the hemp plant and a lime-based binder. It is the hemp's higher silica value that allows it to bind well with lime. Throughout the building process, hempcrete should remain as dry as possible, but its lime content makes it a good moisture regulator.
It is believed that hempcrete is a durable building material because buildings that feature it are still standing from hundreds of years ago. However, it is important to note that hempcrete is only considered as an infill product for insulating walls. It is not a structurally sound product because it is too lightweight. Hempcrete must be supported by internal frames, such as wooden frames. It's also so lightweight that it will float in water.
