Hemp Concrete Walls (R30 + Fireproof) - You Won't Believe How They Built This House!

[@D_SQ]

The guy is really brilliant. That answer about why the hemp doesn't rot, is just so succinct, it's brilliant. The man knows his stuff and can talk about it, I love it.

[@aryanprivilege9651]

He’s a dick, anyone that says “special ingredient” is a con and thief of other’s work. I share discoveries not meant to be used by others to gouge working folks. Overpriced underpaid profiteering. He put it in a bag, didn’t grow or harvest make it? He’s a thief and exploiting people childish fads and fashionability weak ego. Carbon and weed maaaan!

[@aryanprivilege9651]

Concrete lime making is using tons of fuel, caused the destruction of whole world of Mayans. Apocalypse sick starved ruined water cycle cannibalism and rain forest destroyed.

[@kelvinstirbys6714]

Hempcrete is fireproof, bugproof, rat and rodent proof, moderates humidity levels. Therefore has museum quality air that provides an environment where you can store papers, books, material, metal without degrading. Great wall material to live in, grow in, and store in. I plan on using it as an infill for a geodesic dome, which is more of a suspension building, that will not be taken down by hurricanes. Try to blow this one down you crazy old wolf! lol Good luck to everyone in their endeavors.

[@kevindarroch7332]

Good day, thank you for your information. I need to read, and learn more about this. Any suggestions? Ciao.

[@assog5737]

I'm sure it is cost proof also. To where the average joe would not be able to afford for many decades to come. I've seen many videos on how this hemp product that they were using is produced. And there is 2 methods. And they are both long drawn out processes. One method is using a hammer mill. Which I didn't like. The finish product looks dirty and inferior to the other method. Which is what I think the guys in the video used. Nice and clean and white.

[@kraft_mo1245]

@@assog5737 they have companies making blocks out of it now. Still greenflation prone but its really nice.

[@khavafis]

@@kraft_mo1245 Greenflation prone... that was hoot! lol. Very accurate.

[@khavafis]

@@assog5737 I'm thinking that maybe this can be substituted with coarse wood dust/saw dust for cost savings. For one this hemp base product is a boutique material not something I can go to Home Depot and load up like dimensional lumber. Much less in the rest of the Americas. It may be decades before it scales up to a commodity. Just look at the unique Architecture of this show house with 500 y.o. timber... doesn't look like money is a problem when it comes to choosing hempcrete. There's a guy in youtube that used said wood chips to fill in his cabin walls with "dust-crete", his term, and it looks like it could work as the poor man's hempcrete, something I'd like to try some day.

[@Ang.0910]

When my dad’s house burnt down in 2018 from the camp fire in NorCal (thanks PG&E) I told them to look into HempCrete when they rebuild. It’s an awesome material! Also fire resistant! Love to see this catching on. Edit: I would love to see the finished house! Hopefully Matt could go back and take a tour of the finish house to show people what a finished HempCrete house looks like.

[@PhillipDavis830]

PG&E was prevented from clearing around their lines by state environmental regulations.

[@MrJramirex]

No, PG&E was not stopped by regulations. They were stopped by the lack of money going into maintenance and instead going to their pockets. It is why they plead guilty, again (San Bruno explosion).

[@bassntruck]

PG&E Did NOT cause that fire. Some morons doing a "gender reveal" party started that fire. And ironically 2 large fires have been caused by "gender reveals" parties and one of them blew up a family member.

[@someguy851]

@@PhillipDavis830 PG&E was prevented in one instance, because they couldn't contact a private property owner to get permission to go on his property and mitigate debris.

[@tysleight]

It's great to have a fire proof house BUT many people can't move back to burned areas because the infrastructure is cooked, literally. My neighbors house was standing they just had zero services and they say it will be years before they get them. So he is worse than the homes that got burned ( he still lost most of his stuff due to smoke and heat).

[@cjgh4348]

I liked that he was friendly as well as being very informative about his product. Some of the interviewees are so focused on their product they don't crack a smile.

[@garyjones101]

I think the various forms of hempcrete construction has a lot of promise. Use it for exterior walls and add a metal roof and your house will resist fire and likely drop your insurance quite a bit. I'd like to see something on the interlocking block form of it too - as what I've seen goes together quickly and has holes cut for running conduit to reduce EMF radiation in a home and protect the wiring. Thanks for this video, Matt!

[@Гуччинормпатрик]

0

[@dustinbrandel59]

Interlocking blocks r great cause they r more seismic resistant!

[@kevindarroch7332]

Thank you.

[@Krunch2020]

EMF? I drive electric. It’s a rolling EMF generator!

[@Godshole]

Helped retro insulate a 'living' room in a traditional built Scottish cottage with this two years ago here in Scotland. the owner ripped out all the old plasterboard, back to bare wall, which here is a two foot thick rough stone affair held together with limecrete. Made a frame with 1x2, all it has to do is hold the shuttering till the hempcrete sets, then we all set to with an electric cement mixer and mix and fill, mix and fill. About 5 inches thick and right up against the stone wall. Learned that you do not need to pack it down hard, that takes away the air spaces you need for insulation. Also that best to leave shuttering on for a day or two so the stuff firms up well. It sets pretty hard after a week and there is good advice all over the internet. With a breathable plaster and then paint from lakeland paints here in the uk it totally transformed the room. No more 'bit chilly damp' feeling and the hempcrete retains like a reservoir the heat you put in the room, evening out the heat cycles from the log burner in there. It's a lot of work and I dont know the finance aspect, not my project, but for end comfort and to use 'natural' products its gets an A*

[@stevepailet8258]

For those who do not know. Shuttering is the board (mentioned 3/4 osb) used as the forms to hold the hempcrete. One thing not mentioned.. the more you tamp the hempcrete the more you will destroy its ability to insulate. So denser packing is why he said r2 ..

[@CNormanHocker]

Matt, is it bug resistant?

[@w8stral]

So, NOT hemp, just cellulose. Could do this with nothing but the cellulose insulation found in the attic and walls of every house in the USA... PS: Hemp is the outter fiber of the plant. This is the interior of the plant(waste product) This is nothing but corn stalks in reality and you could use corn stalks just as well. Seems like a whole lot of wasted effort. Just buy rockwool.

[@stevepailet8258]

@@w8stral the hemp shiv has a lot of silica. this makes it different than cellulose. rockwool is another way to insulate. Every product has it pros and cons. Shiv is the woody interior of the stalk.. not the outside fiber. your concept of hemp is pretty much inaccurate. Corn stalks are NOTHING like hemp. due to the minerals in the stalks.

[@w8stral]

@@stevepailet8258 Way to prove 1) you cannot read) and 2) proved my point as you pointed out EXACTLY what I did. COrn is NOT its stalks just as the hemp fiber(its bark) is NOT the Hemp plant stalks. And 3) The so called "silica" is laughably absurd. What you are calling "hemp" shiv is in fact Cellulose. Now you can whine about mineral uptake difference between plants.... > but it is the PORTLAND CEMENT which makes this fireproof and the mineral content of said cellulose is minimally different between plants. This is like claiming wood soaked in salt water is not wood... Yea, it burns greeen sparks... Why? It absorbed some minerals out of the salt water. Does it burn at exactly same rate? Yup, it does.

[@coilinotoole6124]

I've been using hempcrete in Ireland for the last five years. Very sustainable system, and cost effective too.

[@fredfrond6148]

Coilin O'Toole do you need to add vapour barrier? I am concerned that in freezing temperatures in a humidified house vapour migration from the inside would freeze and damage the outside walls.

[@RunningCordoroy]

@@fredfrond6148 of course

[@fredfrond6148]

iwasdropped then how do you maintain the nice looking finish if you have to put a vapour barrier on?

[@Tactical-Black]

@@fredfrond6148 he said it will have a plaster that is vapor proof

[@josephpadula2283]

No, he said it is vapor Permeable. That is not a vapor barrier. This is hill country Texas so it is not as important. Also the vapor barrier many of us learned had been discredited. Look up Building Science Corporation for details or watch more of these videos.

[@namAehT]

Please keep looking into more green and alternative housing solutions. I'd love to see a video on straw bale construction. EDIT: Hijacking my comment to talk about something in the video. The guy says that the lime mix absorbs CO2 which makes it greener. This is partially true, lime does pull CO2 out of the air to form calcium carbonate BUT all commercial lime starts out as from limestone (calcium carbonate) that is baked at high temperatures. When used lime might be considered carbon-neutral (reabsorbing its previous carbon emissions), but only if you don't take into account the large amount of energy that goes into baking limestone to form lime. This method of building is still very eco-friendly.

[@Joshleslie871]

YES IM SO GLAD MATT LIKED THIS COMMENT IT MEANS HE MIGHT!

[@t1n4444]

@@Joshleslie871 If you into "green" building then suggest you have a search on YT ... no need at all to wait for your man to do a video. And, where straw bales not readily available some of your fellow compatriots have been building "alternative" housing for years using rammed earth and clay and timber. (However it must be said some of your local buildings authorities didn't quite know what to make of them. I gather they ticked all the boxes but not in the conventional sense.) A modern take on adobe, sort of, but not in bricks so to speak. "Cob" is another way of using earth which can be formed into all sorts, including niches in the walls to form shelves. Slightly ironic as this green way of building is several thousand years old. If interested have a squint at earth/mud/clay construction in Yemen or Mali to name only two. Or even have a squint at the earth covered buildings in Japan. I gather with passive heating, together with feet of earth as insulation, these buildings are among the greenest on the planet. Sometimes literally as the roof is covered in grasses or low growing shrubs. In UK we have some buildings built into hillsides, "cut and cover" style which resemble a house in Hobbiton. If we in the West thought we knew about green technology then it may be we are thousands of years behind the rest of the alleged third world 😂.

[@Joshleslie871]

Ross Kneebone yeah I watch a lot of that but what there isn’t a lot of is American contractors talking about the straw bale and how it would be possible within the context of typical American building code which is why I think it would be cool to hear Matt speak on the subject

[@t1n4444]

@@Joshleslie871 Ref your compatriots building stuff out of clay I believe they started off "experimenting" with build techniques/design until they became proficient ... and complied with code ... sort of. So it might be a case of having to watch a few hours of videos, make a lot of notes, then apply to straw bales and see how you go from there. With enough hands and bales to hand some of the single storey structures were up in a day! Plenty of videos on YT and books on Amazon. I gather the term is "building brown" if you are searching. Just had a quick squint on YT at what has been built and to use one of "your" expressions it's "awesome", well I thought so. And of course the videos are by the folks who build them so wouldn't need an interpretive explanation. And the R values are in the hundreds ... maybe even higher ... And it's green and cheap. Somehow I don't believe you'll be bored.

[@sinisterdesign]

Yes! I was actually about to make this same comment. I'd really love to hear Matt's thoughts on straw bale construction.

[@denveraspen]

By far, the best episode that I have ever seen on this important subject.

[@phoenixrising43258]

This is one of my all time favorites

[@trentbh1]

Awesome to see you do a video on this! It has becoming more popular in Canada over the last 5 years

[@acchaladka]

Was wondering how this does in deep cold eg minus thirty for a week. How does moisture do? What about using mineral wool with it? A metal roof? Etc

[@rooster_saucer]

these two look like they could really nerd out over some building techniques. lol guy was very knowledgeable about everything. also, holy cow what an incredible build! 😳

[@petergambier]

Nice one Matt, definitely a great construction that would benefit the world. Farmers should be growing hemp because there are so many uses for it. I slake my own lime mortars & plasters and keep my 300 year old, 3 foot thick, cob walled structure maintained with the lime putty mortar. It absorbs CO2, is warm in the winter, cool in the summer and has better acoustics than cement products and will last another 300 years hopefully. The house was built without foundations, has a straw roof and no guttering, all the rain water drips into a French drain which surrounds the base of the cottage and is taken away from the building to soak away into the surrounding fields or could have gone into a tank for the garden or to flush into a septic tank which is emptied every 2 years.

[@barbl8801]

Sounds heavenly...

[@Sagittarius-A-Star]

I like this kind of stuff where people who know everything about their job talk about it. (It is unbelievable how many people don't know anything about what they are doing - probably for their whole life.)

[@ProfessorToadstool]

like someone who tells you how honest they are, watch out for someone who tells you how long they have been doing something

[@onebylandtwoifbysearunifby5475]

Ahhh, you may want to consult an engineer with experience in straw structures before trying this. There are a couple glaring mistakes you will not enjoy with this method.

[@tracy419]

​@@onebylandtwoifbysearunifby5475 Why make such a vague comment, it serves zero purpose? If you are worried about it not adding structural value because it's chopped, vs how straw is left whole, he mentioned the hemp isn't structural, the wood and steel are.

[@onebylandtwoifbysearunifby5475]

@@tracy419 You should consult a relevant specialist before choosing this method (which is not vague in the least). Choosing to chop these fibers is one glaring error showing this method is not thought through properly, yes. Materials like straw have insulating properties due to the hollow core of the fibers. If these fibers are chopped cross-ways that's not great but OK. However, if they are chopped axially (in half lengthwise) the pockets are destroyed and the Adobe or Cob mix becomes *conductive* , not insulative. Also: it's not structural once the straw is mangled into shards. The tubular structure, and length of fibers, both contribute to structural reinforcement. There's no advantage to destroying this internal material strength, and only disadvantages. For simple evidence, consider a long-fiber straw bale is R-30. If it is chopped into short segments, it is not allowed under International Building Code for straw bale structures. And loses significant insulative capacity. Yet, that is chopped by segments, not axially into mulch, which is far worse on both counts. I would recommended in the strongest terms you consult with an engineer, or research straw building techniques, for appropriate use of this material.

[@tracy419]

@@onebylandtwoifbysearunifby5475 @onebylandtwoifbysearunifby5475 it was vague because, unlike this response to me, you provided zero reasons for why someone would need to contact a specialist. Although I'll likely never own one, I'm very much into strawbale homes. I've been on Andrew Morrison's email list for years because I used to binge his stuff. Very cool stuff and wish I could own one, but just because it's great doesn't mean there's no value to these hempcrete homes. The video says it's not structural, so nothing misleading there. And this isn't packed tight like an adobe or, while less so, a cob home would be, it's loose on the inside and only slightly compact on the outside with an air barrier on the outer surfaces which is what seals the air inside. Is it as good as strawbale in that sense? Maybe not, but it's still worlds better than many currently traditional methods. There's many ways to build a more sustainable world, why trash this one when they aren't being misleading?

[@drs9489]

This is such a beautiful house. I wish I could see the finished product.

[@nickrct]

Hemp guy knows his stuff.

[@Cameron-ur2tk]

Probably the most professional interview to date on the build show.

[@robertmccammon9024]

I would have loved to heard some pricing. It comes across as a high end product only affordable by people that build with 300 year old lumber shipped from Japan.

[@JimYeats]

Don’t forget the team of Japanese carpenters who assembled the wood with hand tools.

[@stevepailet8258]

it is the shipping that is the killer.. I priced it.. 2100 sq foot house around $12000 for the materials and double that for the shipping, perhaps another $20000. Remember getting tons of the hemp and the Lime is heavy like portland. Plus it is labor intense to install. As a DIY it becomes affordable.. if you can source it domestically. More States have legalized the planting of industrial hemp.. This should help

[@robertmccammon9024]

@@JimYeats I didn't, it just seemed like rubbing salt in the wound.

[@ArthurDentZaphodBeeb]

Exactly. For all the green hype, it's extremely labor-inten$ive. This is virtue-signalling run amok

[@ArthurDentZaphodBeeb]

@@JimYeats last house I saw that done was Larry Ellison's home. Built in Japan without nails, and reassembled in Woodside Ca - billionaire's row...

[@praiseandworship_com]

3d HempCrete Homes are the future! They are printed fast and super cool designs.

[@suziperret468]

Hemp can save us and the world!

[@rossmcleod7983]

Many thanks for this Matt. As someone with a near evangelical enthusiasm for this unique material, I really appreciated your open engagement with it.

[@hugh5356]

So cool. So glad you covered this Matt. So much potential.

[@w8stral]

So, NOT hemp, just cellulose. Could do this with nothing but the cellulose insulation found in the attic and walls of every house in the USA... PS: Hemp is the outter fiber of the plant. This is nothing but corn stalks in reality and you could use corn stalks just as well. Seems like a whole lot of wasted effort. Just buy rockwool.

[@thomaspayne6866]

w8stral -- Yea but liberal manipulation is fun

[@tomshahriari6602]

Love it! R30, carbon sequestration, fireproof. Incredible.

[@williamfox9523]

"Sober cousin" that's the best I've heard! Love it!

[@kansascityjimi2531]

I'm a Masonry Contractor in Tucson and have been working with a supplier back east and love the compatibility with masonry, recycled styrofoam, haybail and other alternative building materials .

[@aheadatime]

This was awesome Matt!! Thank you for showing us new and innovative stuff! Keep the interesting and new stuff coming! Hey is there any way you could cover kind of how house building has changed over the last century here in the states? Sheathing/insulation/finishing? I've seen double-bricked houses, straight 2by as the sheathing, plywood before OSB was invented, etc. It'd be great to have someone with your expertise and first hand experience sort of walk through the decades with mock-ups and explain how house building has changed over the years, pros cons of each build style, monetary incentives perhaps, etc. You're the man. Love the show.

[@stevepailet8258]

not sure how well a double brick wall works for r value.. but grew up in a house that had walls like that. Seemed to stay ok. but I know I changed out and added an extra 2 tons of AC to that house. Currently am in a house with 1 x 4 heart pine t &G, that the entire house is sheathed (inside walls) walls and ceilings. Pre osb and yes pre ply wood. There is much to be said about many newer building products some good some not so much

[@stevenunua2118]

As a life time drywaller wish I was younger and could be a part of this so exciting industry.

[@scottperezfox]

Thank you for showcasing Hemp construction materials! I think this will help raise awareness for an entirely attractive approach to building.

[@debsylvester2012]

I am overjoyed that someone else sees the value of Hemp. Go for it man! 👍

[@douglascegelis190]

There is a hemp built home here in Asheville, a woman, Erica, built it all herself with friends from what I understand. It's a very small home, but beautiful. She did an incredible job. My love met Erica and was brought to tears when she saw the home, she loves it so much, so I'm here researching building a home for us this way.

[@mikerawley2650]

You cannot believe the applications of Hemp. They are almost endless.

[@mgrey9066]

Please return when this is done so we can see how beautiful it will be

[@909sickle]

"There's nothing here you smoke or get high on" I guess no building material is perfect

[@liquidminds]

What they did not tell you is, that you'd smoke the flowery, while they make paper and fabrics and hempcrete from leaves and stems (fibers). so you can get high with your new house together ;-)

[@godblessamericamyhomesweet1094]

🤣🤣

[@venusreena2532]

But ignorant fed gov had hemp illegal for decades

[@h7opolo]

i'm not an arsonist, i'm a drug addict.

[@southerneruk]

@@liquidminds close, they make paper pulp, rope etc by the woody stems under the bark of the plant, the skin and leaves will have the crystals that you smoke, but the flowery part is where most of the crystals are.

[@larryinfl80]

People suffering from property loss due to these wildfires should definitely consider rebuilding with this.

[@auggied6760]

At long last, an intelligent host asking intelligent questions. Great segment.

[@bennybodash855]

Great video Mat! Can you go back and show us the finished product so people can see it after its done? We would love that, thank you!

[@Cormyre]

No doubt, would love to see this structure in finished form!

[@MeetKevin]

My favorite notifications

[@buildshow]

Always appreciate your support Kevin! Still hoping for that collaboration!

[@MeetKevin]

@@buildshow Can't wait!!

[@FreekHoekstra]

Make it happen gents! :)

[@tubulartuber]

@@buildshow found yourself a bro who loves you enough to emoji you

[@tylerferrell2959]

funny i’m subscribed to both of you

[@CottonFarmer11]

Industrial hemp currently being grown out here in West Texas.

[@Moon___man]

about damn time. such an easy plant to grow, and so useful.. good source of potential income for many small farms

[@zulemaflores1234]

I was raised closed to Lubbock, Texas. Fabulous!

[@SilvaDreams]

@@Moon___man Industrial Hemp has been grown in the US for a long time, but it has to sit for 2 years before it can be used to ensure no THC is present (not that industrial hemp has been bred to produce much THC anyways unlike it's siblings that have been bred for higher and higher THC amounts)

[@danhard8440]

we use to produce a lot of hemp here in Murica till the lumber industry payed off some politicians to ban it because it was bad for THEIR business

[@andrewhewes4010]

Also recently made legal in New Mexico. Thanks, Gov. Luján-Grisham.

[@arlenesmith5143]

One of the best construction tools for the future.

[@lprice5583]

Matt. We need a series on hempcrete construction details! Door, window, framing, roofing details.

[@whitelotus_zero]

Good to see more people discovering the different usages of hemp. You don't have to be a pothead to realise how incredible this plant is. And there are more innovations in the construction field. "Justbiofiber" in Canada is doing hemp blocks like LEGOs!

[@marcus6425]

For everyone only commenting on what was seen here, there are companies here stateside that sell hemp-blocks, which are sort of Pre-cured and fit together like lego blocks or what you see from ICF builds. It cuts the labor down on-site considerably. But like all new markets for the US, it takes patience and a willingness to try said products. The construction industry isn’t well suited to new things in the US though smaller firms are trying these things all the time. I believe the first recorded house built with it was here in North Carolina in Ashville. And yes, hemp is hemp. It was not and never was marijuana. Again, more greed and misunderstanding to keep a product from competing viably with cotton, etc. Far more versatile and generally simpler to farm. Most of the rest of the world doesn’t have the stigma we do here in the US around it and therefore much further along in its applications.

[@WhiteFox011]

A link to that company would be really helpful! :-)

[@darkson1969]

What he said...

[@RianneCtenVeen]

Indeed, that's what I used to retrofit/ insulate my home from 1847 in NL, almost as simple like stacking Lego blocks. Minor imperfections from my (total newbie to building) 'gluing' them together in my view add to the character of my old home.

[@RianneCtenVeen]

@ATS599 interior (due to roof having no overhang and house already being on property line); indeed plastered it afterwards w earth variation (more for looks than additional insulation)

[@jamesray9009]

I been waiting to see this in Texas :) so much love for this .. just think someday you can grow your home... and these fibers are basically the left overs from using the rest of it .. so in theory the more the other parts are used in other products and the more this needs to be discarded the cheaper it will be to source..

[@michaelchelette9488]

Great podcast! We're planning hemphome communities in Florida Hurricane, fire proof are 2 big reasons. Too many more benefits to cover here. Hemp the new green revolution!

[@ondrejjuricek]

Oh vow, so new, much innovation. My house is 80 years old, built in central Europe, using the very same technique. But Im happy to see the simple tech being used once again.

[@Eric998765]

This is pretty cool, but I think I would avoid for the same reason I don't ever want a house on a slab...repairing plumbing/electrical would be a pain in the butt.

[@ivermec-tin666]

Simple fix, use conduit for all of your encased wire runs, and run your plumbing in interior walls rather than exterior ones (which you will want to do in any case in order to maintain optimal continuous r value on the exterior).

[@drivesanoldcar]

Finally going back to what worked for low rise dwelling for centuries.

[@andreycham4797]

only good for those who still live under a rock . Mix styrofoam beads with cement and it will be cheaper and better product

[@t1n4444]

@@andreycham4797 You might be right but the object these days, in UK, is to build "green" so to speak. Concrete is avoided as much as possible in this type of build, only in footings perhaps. Concrete now considered environmentally hazardous as in producing a lot of CO2 in its manufacture, as in greenhouse gases etc. Ergo hempcrete ticks the green boxes as a natural plant material which "captures" said CO2. Some UK builds use straw bales (2' X 2' X 1'). Held together with long wooden pins. Easily hacked into whatever size, angled reveals, whatever. Double glazed timber framed window fixed with pins. Membrane and a cover material to exterior, lime plaster to interior. Sort of a building material with no need for extra insulation. Timber frame on top to support roof structure. Obviously a "bit" more involved than my description but plenty of videos online if you interested to look. One of the main "appeals" is it is a fast way of building. Some other green builds have gone back to a timber wattle as an armature and mud/clay/chopped straw daub. Layers built up as necessary. As for reducing the use of concrete, Norway now designing high rise timber buildings and Japan planning one 70 storeys high (and considered to be a lot more earthquake proof than concrete in that it flexes). And of course your northern neighbours have already built one.

[@matthewrivera5484]

This was super interesting. Good video matt

[@AntKardano]

@@t1n4444 concrete scare in the UK is a huge fad. Making that "Limestone binding agent" used for binding the hemp most likely has exactly the same CO2 impact cement has.

[@t1n4444]

@@AntKardano 😂😂😂 Have a look at the chemistry. The carbon dioxide is cooked out of the calcium carbonate. Plenty of info online if interested. The limestone still contains the CO2.

[@qigongfire5456]

Awesome. Thanks for sharing 💫 One could also use "Lego-Style" hempcrete bricks. Can't wait to build my first little hemp house in Germany 💗

[@brettbarager9101]

There are leggo style blocks that go together amazingly. Too bad this is so expensive!

[@jennoaks1934]

Watching your video's I get SO encouraged! This video and this home are awesome!

[@colinbateman8233]

I’m glad to see this come to light I believe our future we will see more of this and the use of hemp products

[@GridIndustries]

I'd like to see a kind of ready mixed product us lowly plebs could use. Or at least bulk materials delivered on site that could be mixed and poured, not manually packed after mixing. Availability and affordability are the name of the game for those of us that can't afford to import 400 year old Japanese firewood.

[@HistoricHomePlans]

I'm thinking in terms of a very simplified post & beam, a 4x4 post either side of each door/window opening, to double as door/window bucks, intermediate posts where necessary to keep the top plate span reasonable, and finally some Simpson Strongwalls to provide lateral resistance. Then the whole disappears inside the hemp wall.

[@adriennevanrossum9412]

Finally going mainstream on “natural” building materials. I wouldn’t call it as natural as cob but at least it’s a start. It is about time people start reverting back to building materials and techniques that last 400+ years such as quality timber framing techniques and natural infill such as cob or strawbale. These techniques and materials have stood the test of time in most past Europe and middle eastern nations.

[@t1n4444]

Spot on AvR! In UK we are (re)trying all sorts of techniques from history. Cob being but one; cut and cover subterranean homes but with an entire triple glazed wall for passive heating. Straw bales covered in clayey mud are perhaps my favourite as cheap materials and cheap labour if you enrol friends and family. Some commenters might be amazed but some truly excellent buildings built from straw bales and mud right there in US. Some US builders into rammed earth technology, using old tyres as an armature. Walls about 3 or 4 ft thick, so presumably R numbers in the millions. Just a case of doing a search of YT to find plenty of videos. No problems with using hemp at all but why bother? You must have the odd straw bale or two knocking about following a harvest. In fact American readers might care to have a squint at "Solarwise" in Colorado. Their site provides construction costs for comparison purposes. However, typing from UK, cost comparisons of stuff in US don't mean a lot here as you might suppose Might be worth a squint, might not.

[@hamishwheatley7505]

100% !!!!

[@armandonunez9005]

This guy is a legit expert. He knows his stuff. Great interview Matt!

[@RobertViani]

I love, love, love this and the many benefits of hemp AFT !

[@bloombledotcom]

The future of construction in our eyes

[@MikeKobb]

One question I’m left with - how do they finish the top lift of the material? For all the lower lifts, they can come in from above and tamp down against the form, as shown, but once they reach the point that the form work goes all the way up to the ceiling level, ...?

[@TomofAllTrades]

I was wanting to see that. Good question.

[@robp5451]

I believe they have the form open on one side and tamp the final portion horizontally

[@aebemacgill]

Just tamp it from below. yup....

[@ScottGrow117]

I wonder if typically they wait to put the roof on until after the hempcrete walls are in place,m

[@amiracleone2803]

@@robp5451 that's my assumption on how to do the top.

[@TRUE_GR1T]

With the price of lumber these days I wonder if this will become more common to build with. Some of the new subdivisions where I live are "zero lot line" and the houses are 4 feet apart. If there is a fire in one it usually jumps to at least the houses right next door. This seems like it would be ideal to use in those neighbourhoods.

[@jameshalleron7484]

Matt, Thank you so much for showing alternative building materials. This was really interesting and the Rep was very informative and knew what he was doing. I really hope this takes off in the trades. Thanks again.

[@LavenderLori406]

Yay Hempitecture! I just finished insulating my Workshop/Boutique with hemp wool batting insulation.

[@dionysusnow]

That was my favorite episode yet.

[@A2Z1Two3]

There is now a structural LEGO preformed Hemp and Lime Mortar brick that you just stack , no skill, no drying time required , and they are pre drilled so when stacked the holes always line up so you can run cables down the wall internals . Great sounding product.

[@mistereearly1141]

Saw that but trying to figure out how they do window lintels with hempblocks

[@donjack4932]

I’d like to see a comparison show between hempcrete and rammed earth

[@RobVespa]

@@zlmdragon. - Well, rammed earth is also used as insulation (well, more cited as such while also being used as support), although, from my understanding, it's often not as efficient as other materials - I say this just because some people misrepresent it.

[@nextdevelopments8833]

Thanks for the push down this rabbit hole Mat. I'm now part way into a hemp masonry course with hands one classes starting next month. This stuff is amazing and so well suited to our climate down here in Tasmania.

[@laurielegrand3162]

This is a fantastic interview. BUT for all the people who get nervous over the cost and specialist add-on parts, this house is the equivalent of the hempcrete cadillac :) don't worry folks, you can get the equivalent of a hempcrete bicycle too.. you still travel well and the price is way lower.. :) On the other hand, I'm glad to see big money spent on environmentally friendly, craftsmen supporting projects rather than stupid flashy rubbish, money will be spent so, might as well spent is as beautifully as here.. ;) Thank you Matt for this fantastic interview, I keep coming back to your channel, it has been very useful on my house restoration project!

[@ergbudster3333]

The posts and the beams here are fantastic.

[@bruceoldemeyer545]

We import hemp products from 30 countries. Man, that pisses me off.

[@TheBushdoctor68]

No worries dude, I export hemp products *to* 30 countries.

[@coreyihler]

@@TheBushdoctor68 what??

[@ariloves10]

Lol nice

[@samiamm5764]

@@TheBushdoctor68 u r a true patriot and a man worthy of respect. I salute u bruddah

[@WN_Byers]

Kentucky does okay

[@TheJiminiflix]

I wish people and governments would free the mass growing of hemp and save cutting down trees. Ford revolutionised hemp/ resin panels, nearly indestructible. They could smash it with hammer and it wouldn't dent.

[@JavierRodriguez-mc5fj]

Over the span of 5-10 years the hemp and limestone will be rock solid, literally transforming into a stone!

[@jeffanderson1653]

Pretty labor intensive process. I can’t see this for the masses, only the rich folk. Beautiful home!

[@auntitchyreadstellsyouasto3765]

Superior Colorado needs you. Near Marshall , in Superior Colorado had a catastrophic fire event. Please get to them.

[@kathyging9253]

Colorado Governor about a year ago met with hemp promoters to talk about cladding millions of homes with hemplime aka hempcrete as some insurance companies not insuring cabins, homes in fire prone areas. Other areas that have had huge conflagrations ditto.

[@reijerlincoln]

I do believe how they built that. It's a great building material. There are several good TED-talks about hempcrete and industrial hemp.

[@ArthurDentZaphodBeeb]

Lots of talk, but nobody ever discusses cost. Even deep-pockets would think twice...

[@BenFenner]

18:20 - "Yah, so, really the easiest way to incorporate plant-based building materials into your home is probably using hemp wool." Wood: "Am I a joke to you?"

[@dbillionaer]

Trees take decades to grow This is on a cycle of months So it still stands

[@danhard8440]

we use to produce a lot of hemp here in Murica till the lumber industry payed off some politicians to ban it because it was bad for THEIR business

[@tommysanfilippo3165]

Plastics industry. DuPont to be exact.

[@dbillionaer]

@@tommysanfilippo3165 plastics paper rope and gasoline actually All took shots at hemp because it would replace all of them

[@Jay_Schmidt]

This seams much easier than rammed earth. I should do this on my next project instead

[@rossmcleod7983]

Jay Schmidt I know of rammed earth builders that have switched to hempcrete because it ticks many more boxes.

[@stipcrane]

Rammed earth does not need to be plastered, so the beauty you pay for is something you get to keep.

[@HappyBeeHoney]

Watching Matt's rammed earth video was pretty discouraging as far as that technique went. They used enough lumber just framing the forms to build 3 houses.

[@Lappmogel]

@@HappyBeeHoney Yeah but then the farming material can be reused. I agree that the rammed earth video looked like way to much work but imagine what you could if you had like a few different kinds of well built easy to work with steel forms and then used a lot more machines. The client can mix and match between the 10 different forms (windows, doors etc) and then you can reuse the forms. No more building a new wooden form every single time.

[@HappyBeeHoney]

@@Lappmogel oh yeah I see how that can work in an adapted market where it's done frequently, but as far as what I'll be able to do myself within the next 10 years, I could see hempcrete but I think rammed earth will still be a long way from affordable.

[@josephsurina5367]

I absolutely support this. I'm sure this would make great and cheap sound insulation for apartments!

[@MCbusiness2]

What a great video. I loved the detailed answers and scientific explanations

[@timothykeith1367]

Hemp also grows well on marginal cropland. Seems like hemp fibers could be mixed with rock wool.

[@w8stral]

Not True as Canada studied and found out back in the late 90's. Its like saying wheat, corn etc can be grown on marginal land... Well yes, they all can be grown on marginal land, but the crop yield tanks(less than 1/3 via Canada study) making the expense of planting/harvesting far outweigh the cost of selling the product. Likewise it literally cannot be grown in heavy clay soils. Plants literally rot in place. Also hemp must be babied when it is young unlike corn/soybeans, but once it gets established requires much less water. So, like everything, has good points, has bad points.

[@timothykeith1367]

@@w8stral Tilling in lime can improve clay soils

[@andrewhewes4010]

Just keep asbestos out of rock wool.

[@jamieclemons1526]

There is another product called Timbercrete that uses sawdust instead of hemp that has the same fire resistance and insulating values and virtually the same properties as hempcrete. These types of materials are going to be a lot more popular after the out of control fires out west.

[@boetienafimanenghishoongel4643]

Thanks for sharing mate.

[@amgtowmonk2915]

Ya but timber takes decades to mature vs several harvests per yr on hemp.

[@aebemacgill]

@@amgtowmonk2915 A lot of that wood fiber could come from salvage logging, but treehuggers sue to prevent cleaning up the woods for any reason. The west side of the Warner mountains in NE California is carpeted with dead fir trees, killed by not thinning them properly.

[@jack-wl8uj]

There's also papercrete made from shredded office scrap.

[@quiksilver1j]

How is this possible ? The reason hempcrete works is because of it's extremely high silica content that reacts with the lime... Wood doesn't have the same silica content ..

[@BurritoBandito140]

can hempcrete be formed into boards or sheets and used like dry wall? also, what are its structural specs? how much sheer, crush and impact forces can it sustain?

[@donready119]

You should check out a similar product called Durisol, made from cement and modified wood chips and cast in blocks. I have used it on several builds. Mike Holmes and friends built a subdivision out of Durisol in Meaford, Ontario. You stack it like cement blocks and can fill it with rebar and concrete. Roxul insulation is available already installed as well, up to R28. Parge it after and you are done. It has been around for a long time; my friend's dad built a cottage with it in Goderich, Ontario in the 1950's. It cuts with a saw and you can put screws in it. I farm as well so I love the idea of using hemp. The method in the video is very similar to mud straw walls with timberframe I worked on. They are all good but the Durisol is much quicker and easier.

[@marcob1729]

As someone who owns a concrete block house, I don't envy the person that has to get access to the framing or utilities embedded in that wall

[@bernadineseven]

Utility channels are embedded in the walls for any maintenance access. Just as in brick walls - if there is a need though - it can be cut into and then patched up.

[@huntera123]

Hmmmm All of that amazing fire resistance in the walls, and cedar shakes for the roof? Very interesting.

[@10lauset]

Cedar is very good for fires......and lights up fast.

[@Upliftyourbrothers]

Edward Nelson going for the nice aroma. Smells nice when it burns! Lol

[@MRIsomewhaereguy]

Yeah, saw the title and expected a metal roof.

[@TXH1138]

yep, should have gone with traditional tile roof.

[@davidgeorgiades7308]

That house surrounded by all those trees. The walls will be the only thing left after a fire. Kinda sensitive about fires right now since I live on the west coast

[@DasAlbatross]

This house is worth more money than I will ever have.

[@richardlundin8774]

I really enjoy your segments on alternative building styles. This Hemp concrete walls, and Benson wood, completely different approaches. Cost per square foot of wall is an important piece of the story.

[@jopperdepopper]

Beautiful house and build! Nice to see hempcrete given some TLC... 👍👌🌟

[@CathyGoes]

Really neat building material.

[@chriszbodula1894]

Matt, I really wish you showed how they finished the insulation to the top since you can’t tamp from the top. Would also like to have know the weight of the material. In other words, if they formed a 2’ x 2’ x 4’ block, what would be the weight. Then would be nice to see how you anchor things to the wall such as a flat panel TV mount.

[@ichbinthor]

You have to creatively pack it from the side. Experts would have pointed this out. :-)

[@Rick-the-Swift]

It's possible to downward tamp and leave the top section open, let the walls cure, then place pre-cured blocks in the open sections. Mounting heavy things to the walls will be a no go, unless you get lucky or have it designed where it lands on lumber or steel framing etc. within the wall. I'm guessing that finding those structure points will turn out difficult as well, and that typical "stud finders" may be nearly useless. I think you'd really have to be on your design game and get everything right the first time, as re-decorating/remodeling will have it's own set of challenges.

[@Financial_Awareness]

Great video, @Matt Risinger ! Would love to see a follow up video on the topic of HEMP-BLOCKS. Much more applicable, weigh approx 15-18 lbs or so, easy to grip & use, and now have structural components embedded within the hemp…like Legos.

[@RobVespa]

I'd love to see more videos from you on eco-friendly/smart methodologies/materials. A lot of "green"/energy efficient practices are misrepresented. Pros and cons.

[@Rick-the-Swift]

I agree, anything that's labeled as "green tech" has me on full alert for bias propaganda. Knowing the simplicity of the materials and their characteristics, I'm wondering how this product will hold up to fluctuations in humidity/dryness that many places have as part of their climate. If I'm guessing, I'd say both the interior and exterior "plaster" finishes will be a high maintenance issue, and depending on the materials applied, there will be substantial cracking and spalling in areas where wind, sun, rain, frost, and dry cycles will wreak havoc on the organic earthen materials.

[@bdennisv]

You would never feel better in any other house. Go hempcrete - stay healthy!

[@salahuddinmuhammad3251]

I would love to build a residence and dojo. I have tons of custom Japanese decor. This seems like the best solution.

[@sgtrickards5683]

Hemp does not get you high, people.. Wow. This is why the aliens won't come

[@aaronsvoboda5897]

Lmao yeah, aliens don't even want to invade us because we're so unintelligent we would probably lower their average IQ.

[@mitchdenner9743]

What good is a wall if you can't smoke it. What next, concrete brownies?

[@GehresWeed]

Henry Ford build an entire care in the 50's from hemp

[@HyPex808-2]

Wonder how high those walls are? 😂

[@MikeBMuller]

That’s dope.

[@umpqua-4freedom436]

OSU has researched HEMPCRETE and is selling it to developers. Need more advertising!! It’s GREAT!!

[@shanek6582]

Looks like I can just mix a little cement in with what comes out of my wood chipper and make a wall.

[@ianrobinson476]

Normal wood doesn't react the same way hemp does. Think of the hemp as more of a spongy material then normal dense wood. When the lime mixes with hemp it can pack better and harden better then normal wood.

[@timothykeith1367]

I think you could do that.

[@timh.6872]

Dried sapwood might work, and Timbercrete is a thing. I wonder if finely chopped straw would work as a bulk insulator as well...

[@timothykeith1367]

@@timh.6872 I think wood would work. I know that shredded plastics are good as well. EPS foam (styrofoam) is used in some commercial products. Matt recently mentioned a new product called The Perfect Block kzbin.info/www/bejne/l6PIYpZ-r96YjdU DIY builders have experimented with this material, you mix the cement and shredded foam dry before adding water, or you have a heck of a time preventing the foam from floating.

[@aebemacgill]

Try adding some fiber into the mix, you can add tensile and compressive strength to the wall. Sawdust has been used in the past, but not for any structural use.

[@gracilism]

Cool material, but I imagine only specialized subs will ever touch it. Hard for the material to be widely adopted due to the heavy manual labor component.

[@RianneCtenVeen]

not heavy if you buy the ready made blocks and 'glue' those together w lime mortar (like I did) ... and I'm no builder

[@ztrguy]

Calling hemp "marijuana" does a disservice to all the positive work hemp advocates have done. Come on Matt !

[@buildshow]

Agreed. It was click-baity. I won’t do that again

[@KevinSmith-qi5yn]

But why do so many hemp advocates seem like the same guy you would buy marijuana from?

[@replynotificationsdisabled]

Well it is marijuana. Go back to your cave

[@HappyBeeHoney]

If you lack the mental to distinguish between industrial hemp and marijuana bud, you probably aren't watching Matt's videos.

[@davekauffman8727]

@@replynotificationsdisabled Catnip is in the same plant family as cannabis, just as hemp is, but smoking either of those plants will not give a person the high that they seek. A person would die of smoke inhalation before smoking enough marijuana to kill them. Come out of your cave and do some research.

[@johnmcnulty4425]

Combining hempcrete with earthship, off grid building techniques seem like a great combination.

[@MrBlindsey81]

your production value has really improved over the last few years.