Design fundamentals - The Hempcrete Topic: Designing and Building with Hemp-lime - page 515

A plywood gusset used to replace a metal angle bracket
as a frame fixing.
Of course the safest option is to try to substitute metal fixings as far as possible with timber.
It would be very difficult in mainstream construction to remove the need for nails and
screws entirely - even within a traditional pegged oak structure, a stud frame within the
main timber frame to provide a key for the hempcrete will still need fabricating. However,
with the right detailing it is quite possible to replace some of the multitude of hangers and
brackets that are used in modern timber-framing construction. These elements are more
vulnerable in their level of exposure to the hempcrete than screws, as the larger part of a
screw is buried in the timber of the frame. For example, timber gussets can replace angle
brackets in some situations (see photo opposite, bottom right). Likewise, instead of using
joist hangers, joists can sit on top of the wall plate with heavy-duty screws fixing them;
and to replace rafter hangers the rafters can sit with a bird's mouth joint over the wall plate,
again fixed from above (see photo above), and if necessary be coupled with a plywood
gusset plate to provide extra rigidity.