Finishes for hempcrete - The Hempcrete Topic: Designing and Building with Hemp-lime - page 416

Another solution is to use an exposed timber at the corner: if done decoratively in a nice
hardwood, this could provide an attractive feature. This approach could be employed in
high-use areas such as corridors (where more frequent knocks are expected) or in commer-
cial premises where heavy knocks are expected.
Sealing beads
Seals are required to tightly connect the render to window frames and other elements in
order to prevent water ingress and improve airtightness.
This can be achieved with a render stop bead, again made from stainless steel or PVC and
glass-fibre mesh, and a sealant. The mesh is rendered into the basecoat and stops the render
shrinking away from the PVC bead. The bead is then sealed to the window frame and the
underside of the windowsill with an appropriate sealant.
Window frame seal beads come with expandable sticky tape ready attached, and also a
guard to stop you scratching the frame with your trowel. The bead is stuck to the frame
prior to rendering, which makes it very easy to accurately line it up with the window. The
guard is either ripped off and taped to the frame (it too has sticky tape attached) or left at-
tached to the bead and ripped off after the render has set. You may also require a sealant at
the corners where the beads meet.