Practice Makes Perfect!

In December of 2019, Village Carpentry and Landscaping erected a test frame panel in order to wrap their heads around hempcrete - a new construction material and methodology for the crew.

HempStone was on site to teach the techniques of hempcrete mixing, installation, and to consult on all aspects of hempcrete construction, from formwork to the creation of specialized tools to install hempcrete in hard-to-reach places.

The installation also provided a way to test our preferred binder mix - a combination of Vicat and local lime for use in the future build. Mixing was conducted in a bucket mixer attached to a skid steer. This was a new piece of equipment for the company and proved viable with some modification.

Once formed, this wall sat out in snow, freezing weather, sun, and wind for four months, uncovered, before being relocated to Catalyst’s home for additional testing. Despite the exposure, the hempcrete is in impeccable shape

Now that it's found a new home with Catalyst in Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts, we will continue to put the wall through its paces as we test a variety of lime plaster mixes.

Hempcrete installation begins May 4th on the actual build! Stay tuned!