Hempcrete & construction
What is hempcrete?
Direct answer
Hempcrete is hemp hurd (shiv) bound with lime and water into a lightweight, vapor-permeable wall material. It insulates and encloses buildings around a structural frame — it does not replace reinforced concrete.
Hempcrete is the construction-facing name for a hemp-lime bio-composite. The woody core of the hemp stalk — hurd — is mixed with a mineral lime binder and water, then placed in wall cavities.
Unlike portland-cement concrete, it is low density (~300–500 kg/m³ in place) and low compressive strength (often under 1 MPa). That is intentional: it keeps walls warm, quiet, and vapor-open while a frame carries structural loads.
For the full farm-to-retail chain, performance table, and code politics, read the Hempcrete Guide pillar.
Your next steps
- Three ingredients: graded hurd, lime binder, water.
- Also called hemp-lime or hemp lime concrete.
- Non-structural — designed for insulation, mass, and breathability.
- Installed wet in forms, spray-applied, or as pre-cured blocks.