Shuttering - The Hempcrete Topic: Designing and Building with Hemp-lime - page 314

Shuttering and casting around ancient timber frames, such as in this Tudor
barn, can be a slow business.
Bear in mind that in historic work the casting of hempcrete is likely to be a slower and
more intricate process, with lots of existing wall structures that get in the way of casting
and very much need to be 'worked around' rather than removed. The final wall thickness,
if determined by the historic frame, is often a lot thinner than in a new build, which makes
it a more fiddly business to spread hempcrete evenly in the void. For this reason the wall
may be cast in smaller lifts, and the height of each shuttering board needs to be adapted
accordingly.
For more information on the use of hempcrete in historic buildings, see Chapter 20 .
Plastic shuttering
Contractors may be tempted to invest in one of the modular reusable formwork systems
that are used for casting concrete. These are often made from recycled plastic, and are
available in a range of designs, including rounded pieces for casting columns.