Finishes for hempcrete - The Hempcrete Topic: Designing and Building with Hemp-lime - page 392

Training courses in the basics of lime plastering are now to be found all over the UK.
These are usually taught by local craftsmen, and often hosted by local colleges or or-
ganizations, as part of a programme of sustainable or heritage building skills.
People who have never done any gypsum plastering work often find it easier to pick up
the techniques involved in lime plastering, as they are not having to 'unlearn' gypsum
techniques.
Although the application of fine finishes using lime is a skilled business, a 'rougher'
finish can also be attractive, and performs just the same function. Self-builders may de-
cide that they are happy enough with such a finish and prefer to teach themselves the
necessary skills rather than going to the expense of hiring a specialist lime plasterer.
A 'rough' lime plaster applied by a novice can still be an
attractive finish.
Finishes for hempcrete walls can be divided into two broad categories: wet-applied fin-
ishes and cladding. The majority of this chapter is devoted to wet-applied finishes, while
cladding and also floor finishes are outlined at the end.
For simplicity, and since the application methods are more or less identical, the term
'plaster' is used throughout this chapter to describe both plaster and render finishes. The
exceptions are 'clay plaster', which is not usually suitable for an external finish, and spe-
cific references to render.