Finishes for hempcrete - The Hempcrete Topic: Designing and Building with Hemp-lime - page 427

completely dry before laying the finish, since only the top is open to the air and this is
therefore the only side to which the hempcrete can dry.
Binder manufacturers may give their own details for the application of finishes to hemp-
crete floor slabs constructed using their binder, and where they do, these should always be
observed. Available finish options include the following.
Timber:
This should be solid timber, not laminate.
Timber boards can be fixed to battens sunk flush into the hempcrete floor.
Timber should be protected with natural waxes or resins, not varnish, in order to pre-
serve the breathability.
Underfloor heating can be set in a lime screed between the hempcrete slab and the
floorboards using counter-battens above the screed. Make sure that the floorboards are
suitable for use with underfloor heating.
Natural flagstones set on lime mortar:
Flagstones are laid in much the same way as for a patio, on a continuous bed of mortar,
of a suitable thickness, bearing in mind that underfloor heating pipes can be included
within this mortar.
Mortar-filled joints between the flagstones can be slightly wider than normal to in-
crease breathability.
Where the type of stone used requires it, the floor can be finished with natural oils.
A lime screed (of around 75mm depth), topped with one of a range of
finishes:
The lime screed is used to level the hempcrete and provide a surface for the chosen fin-
ish.
Finishes include thin natural floor tiles, a natural carpet, or simply another layer of
screed, polished to a finish.
Advice on the application of lime screeds can be obtained from natural and traditional
building suppliers, who may even have their own proprietary system.