Finishes for hempcrete - The Hempcrete Topic: Designing and Building with Hemp-lime - page 391

render, plaster or screed, but there is also a range of other options, including a vari-
ety of natural cladding materials for the exterior or, less commonly, the interior.
In choosing exactly which finishes to use, and how to apply them, people without exper-
ience in using natural finishes are advised to stick to the advice of the hempcrete manu-
facturer or supplier when it comes to specifying and applying a finish. For those who are
well versed in the use and performance of natural finishes, however, a wider choice ex-
ists. Hempcrete provides an ideal background over which to apply many different natural
finishes. This chapter explores the peculiarities of hempcrete as a substrate compared with
other common backgrounds, and describes how to apply an example finish appropriate to
each building element.
The application of plaster and render finishes, especially when using lime and clay, is a
skilled trade, and it is beyond the scope of this topic to provide instruction in all the tech-
niques necessary to achieve a fine finish with these materials. Nor is it possible here to
give in-depth information about all the other possible finishes for hempcrete and how to
apply them; instead, we aim to list appropriate finishes and describe any specific adjust-
ments required by the hempcrete substrate. We strongly advise further research in this area
for anyone building, specifying or designing with hempcrete.
For those who wish to learn more about a range of natural finishes, including lime and clay,
we heartily recommend Using Natural Finishes: A step-by-step guide by Adam Weismann
and Katy Bryce, and for a more in-depth introduction to the techniques involved in build-
ing with lime, including plasters and renders, we suggest Building with Lime: A practical
introduction by Stafford Holmes and Michael Wingate. Information on a range of natural
paints and other finishes, including some DIY recipes, is given in The Natural Paint Book
by Lynn Edwards and Julia Lawless (see Bibliography for details of all three publications).
This is by no means an exhaustive list of the literature on natural finishes, and many other
useful sources can be found, both in print and online.
As noted in Chapter 5 , the application techniques and knowledge required for lime plasters
differ significantly from those used in gypsum plastering, which is the more commonly
used finish in conventional construction. Employing a gypsum plasterer to apply lime fin-
ishes to your building is advisable only if they have specifically gained skills in both tech-
niques. If you are not sure, ask to see examples of their lime work.
Self-builders may be interested to note that: