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How Hempcrete is made

Hempcrete is made using the wood-like core of the industrial hemp, called the hurd, mixed with a lime-based binding material. This core is high in silica content making it able to bind very well with lime, a rare quality among plant-based material. This results in a lightweight cementitious material weighing 1/8th of concrete and capable of floating in water! 

The use of the hemp stalk is desirable because many other parts of the hemp plant, like seeds, are grown for use in so many other applications that the stalk is forgotten and discarded as a waste product. This means that as hemp production increases for other uses (e.g., USDA certified organic hemp oil, food, etc.), the availability of hemp stalks increases while costs decrease.

How Hempcrete is used

Currently, hempcrete is carving out a niche as a building material, particular with respect to walls. Hempcrete technology has not reached the point where it is as strong as traditional concrete, but it can be used to infill or otherwise coat the walls of structures ranging from commercial buildings to residential homes. Essentially, hempcrete is typically either formed into blocks then used to build, or, more commonly, blown into or otherwise placed into forms where it dries in place. 

How Hempcrete is valuable

Learn more about HempCrete as a building material Now!

Hempcrete’s Unique Promise and Properties. 

Did you know that construction accounts for nearly 40 percent of global energy consumption? Forty percent! That’s massive. It also means construction offers an equally massive opportunity to make a difference in terms of sustainability. 

A fascinating application of industrial hemp is its versatility as a building material. Known for its extremely long fibers and woody stalk, the hemp plant provides base materials that can be converted into numerous building products. 

For this article, we focus on one tantalizing industrial hemp product: hempcrete.
As the name implies, hemp can be used as substitute to concrete. Yet, hempcrete does not (yet) function as an exact 1:1 alternative so perhaps it should be best viewed as a complementary material which enhances structures and eliminates unneeded materials. While hempcrete does not perform every function of traditional concrete, it does offers properties concrete does not. 

How Hempcrete is made

Hempcrete is made using the wood-like core of the industrial hemp, called the hurd, mixed with a lime-based binding material. This core is high in silica content making it able to bind very well with lime, a rare quality among plant-based material. This results in a lightweight cementitious material weighing 1/8th of concrete and capable of floating in water! 

The use of the hemp stalk is desirable because many other parts of the hemp plant, like seeds, are grown for use in so many other applications that the stalk is forgotten and discarded as a waste product. This means that as hemp production increases for other uses (e.g., USDA certified organic hemp oil, food, etc.), the availability of hemp stalks increases while costs decrease.

How Hempcrete is used

Currently, hempcrete is carving out a niche as a building material, particular with respect to walls. Hempcrete technology has not reached the point where it is as strong as traditional concrete, but it can be used to infill or otherwise coat the walls of structures ranging from commercial buildings to residential homes. Essentially, hempcrete is typically either formed into blocks then used to build, or, more commonly, blown into or otherwise placed into forms where it dries in place. 

How Hempcrete is valuable 

Here’s where the fun begins. Hempcrete offers extremely unique and valuable properties builders are beginning to recognize.

Fireproof

The National Fire Protection Association reported that between 2014-2018, on average, 353,100 home structure fires occurred per year. This resulted in 2,620 deaths, 11,030 injuries, and $7.2billion in direct property damage per year. The emotional harm is likely not calculable. Guess what doesn’t burn? Hempcrete. And we mean really doesn’t burn. One group submitted hempcrete for ASTM E84 testing—what regulatory bodies in the U.S. rely on to declare whether a material is fireproof. Hempcrete scored a 0 on the Flamespread Index, a scale from 0 to 450. Scoring a 0 is hempcrete’s way of saying, “I aced this.” 

Insulation qualities 

Hempcrete’s ability to insulate has people very excited (and comfortable). Now let’s get more technical as to why that is the case: Hemp’s U-value (a measure of overall heat gain or loss through a structure) is 0.40. The closer to 0.0, the better. For reference, this means hemp outperforms materials like wool or cotton. Hemp’s R-value (a material’s resistance to the heat flow, commonly used to identify a building material’s insulation ability) is roughly R2.5/inch. Given that hempcrete walls are frequently 12 inches thick, this means a wall of R25! Typical walls in American homes have R-values ranging from R13-R21.
One European researcher concluded an in-depth study as follows: “When taking into account the whole package, hempcrete can provide high thermal inertia, no thermal bridges and the overall thermal transmittance with the recommended thickness. It cannot be denied that it has a great potential as a thermal insulation material.” Hempcrete’s extremely favorable insulation qualities are dramatically enhanced by another feature of hempcrete, discussed next.

Breathability 

Hempcrete is known to be a “breathable” material insofar is it absorbs and releases water vapour well. This breathability is another way of saying hemp has a favorable vapor permeability. This results in hempcrete’s fantastic property of stabilizing temperature inside a building. This occurs through the effects of evaporation and condensation within pores of the hempcrete material thus taking advantage of latent heat effects. Remember, sweat cools you off because the water evaporates. This principle applied to hempcrete provides the upshot of increased comfort and efficiency.

Water Proof 

Hempcrete is (or at least can be made) water proof and rot resistant. This obviously presents significant value because many natural fibers fail in the face of water exposure. Given that hempcrete incorporates lime, its pH is high causing antimicrobial and antifungal properties.

Waste Control/CO2 Sequestration

If hempcrete is used for walls, drywall and fiberglass insulation is dramatically reduced. The waste and material elimination does not end there—hempcrete actually eliminates a substantial amount of CO2, making it an extremely “green” product. Not only does the industrial hemp plant absorb carbon dioxide during its quick growth cycle, but the actual hempcrete product itself absorbs CO2, some estimate between 307.26kg to 470.3kg per m3 of lime hemp concrete can be absorbed and locked up, making its carbon footprint tiny. 

Sound Proof 

Hate to hear the AC kick on in the middle of the night? Or that teenager peeling out while trying to impress friends? Hempcrete is noted for its ability to act as a barrier to noise pollution. As one research paper concluded: “Buildings and rooms built using hemp concrete enable exposure of high sound absorbing surfaces, and hence low reverberation times, with a reduced need for additional acoustic treatment.

Structural advantages 

A 2×4 or 2×6 wall with insulation and drywall is weaker than a wall infilled with hempcrete. As mentioned, hempcrete alone is not used as a pure structural material—though this can change as hempcrete brick are perfected. However, infilling walls with hempcrete can significantly strengthen the existing structural elements. Hempcrete is 3 times more elastic than concrete, making it a fantastic material in the face of earthquakes. The earthquake produces micro-cracks in the wall which then bind themselves when moisture contacts free lime. One study determined that “it was found that high density hempcrete (715 kg/m3) not only prevents weak-axis buckling of columns but also carries some direct load. Low density hempcrete was also successful in preventing weak-axis buckling of the infilled walls.” 

CONCLUSION

Hempcrete solves problems and provides unique advantages as building material. It makes our world more sustainable and just, frankly, better. Imagine a future where you reside within your foot-thick hempcrete walls. The big bad wolf is outside huffing and puffing but unable to blow your house down. Thankfully, you remain serene inside, unable to even hear his futile attempts. Instead, you break into a small smile as you notice how perfect the temperature always seems to be inside your wonderful hemp home while still being incredibly sustainable. You go to bed peacefully, untroubled by any thought your home might catch fire or crumble in the face of an earthquake. When you wake, you realize none of it was a dream, but simply a future made present by industrial hemp.

RESOURCES

Fireproof
Home Structure Fires report | NFPA
In US, Hempcrete Isn’t Fireproof… (hempitecture.com)
Insulation
A review of the properties of hemp concrete for green building applications – ScienceDirect
U Value vs. R Value – ~ (stanekwindows.com)
Vapor permeability
(PDF) Study of a hempcrete wall exposed to outdoor climate: Effects of the coating (researchgate.net)
Water https://www.researchgate.net/publication/312173948_Study_of_a_hempcrete_wall_exposed_to_outdoor_climate_Effects_of_the_coating
Carbon sequestration
(PDF) Assessment of Carbon Sequestration of Hemp Concrete (researchgate.net)
Sound
(PDF) Acoustic absorption of hemp-lime construction (researchgate.net)
Structural
Structural benefits of hempcrete infill in timber stud walls | Request PDF (researchgate.net)

You thought we only had three amazing, little known uses of hemp!? Below are three more astonishing uses of industrial hemp:

Soil conditioning

Industrial hemp cleans soil. And we mean really cleans soil. Known as phytoremediation, the industrial hemp plant possesses the ability to draw out harmful contaminants from soils. The “contaminated” hemp plants can then be cut down, removed, and the process repeated. Hemp’s cleaning abilities were put to the test in the 1990s as scientists planted hemp in fields near the heavily contaminated site of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster. German scientists confirmed the Chernobyl experiments by demonstrating hemp could extract lead, cadmium, and nickel from soils. Note to self: be careful ingesting hemp products unless you know it is grown cleanly.

Biofortification

You are what you eat. There is a micro-nutrient deficiency in many developing countries. As explained above, hemp’s phytoremediation properties make it phenomenal at absorbing various particles in soils. This means that hemp can actually be used to absorb good nutrients from soils resulting in crops fortified with essential nutrients. A recent study demonstrated that hemp could absorb selenium from soils. Selenium is necessary for numerous physiological functions such as thyroid function, immune system response, fertility, and antioxidant function. Hemp therefore presents an extremely promising manner to feed and nourish on a large scale.

Legal and historical documents

You may have heard that at least one of the drafts of the Declaration of Independence was written on hemp paper. While this claim is hotly contested, the truth is that a massive percentage of the paper used in the world was, in fact, made from hemp fiber. Some conservatively estimate that 75% of the paper derived from hemp by the late 1800s. We do know Thomas Jefferson authored the final product on parchment, but many other historically significant documents were written on hemp paper including: Magna Carta, King James Bible, Thomas Paine’s Common Sense, Mark Twain’s works, Lewis Carrol’s Alice in Wonderland, and many more.

Industrial hemp is amazing. It is the plant that gives and keeps on giving. Check out these three amazing, but little known uses of industrial hemp.

Art.

Hemp helped humanity’s artistic drive. Hemp was widely used in canvases for painting. In fact, the word “canvas” can be traced to the Anglo-French word “canevaz” and ultimately the Latin word “cannapaceus” which means “made of hemp.” Given hemp’s almost limitless utility, we think the phrase “blank canvas” is particularly fitting. Hemp not only can provide the canvas, it can provide the paint as well. This unique paint is ecofriendly and natural using hemp oil as the main ingredient instead of harsh chemicals or heavy metals.

Shipbuilding.

Many people have heard of hemp rope. But the hemp plant contributed to historical ship construction and operation in a far more comprehensive manner. The canvas used for sails relied on hemp. Caulking the wooden hulls of the ships involved hemp. Ships frequently, if not always, carried stores of hemp seed. Over 100,000 pounds of hemp went into the construction of America’s oldest naval ship, Old Ironsides, launched in 1797 and still a fully commissioned Navy ship with a crew of 60 officers and sailors.

Car building.

There is a famous photograph of an old Ford being hit with a hammer to demonstrate the astonishing strength of the car’s body built from—you guessed it—industrial hemp. Yet, few realize that automotive bioplastics is a growing aspect of car building. Recent data shows that 20% of an average car’s weight is composed of plastics. BMW, Mercedes, Audi, and Volkswagen make use of hemp in door panels, dashboards, and other components. Hemp is poised to be an even more important part in car building’s future.

Ever since the industrial hemp legalization process began to gain global momentum, much has been said about its medicinal and therapeutic potential.  Hemp is a subspecies of the cannabis plant; it lacks most of marijuana’s psychoactive effects, but can be used as raw material for several industries -such as textile and construction. In fact, industrial sales are expected to triple in the next 7 years, rising from $4.71 billion in 2019 to $15.26 billion in 2027.

Reducing The Carbon Footprint

Steve DeAngelo, one of the most recognized cannabis activists of the last decades, says that hemp has the ability to replace virtually any petroleum product.

“Hemp can be grown without pesticides. Captures 22 tons of atmospheric carbon per hectare. It is a powerful phytoremediator that extracts industrial poisons from contaminated soil. And, likewise, it is a powerful tool to control erosion and remedy unproductive or marginally productive lands,” says DeAngelo. And adds: “We are only now harnessing the industrial hemp plant’s potential as a rotating crop with regenerative agriculture qualities.”

The Textile Industry

Hemp fabric has been around for a long time, from Rembrandt’s canvases to the sails in Columbus’s caravels. Now, the textile industry is strongly experiencing hemp’s disruption, especially as a replacement for cotton.

The material can be processed to be lightweight, soft, breathable, and durable, replacing most cotton applications in the textile industry. Considering that cotton represents 43% of all fibers used for clothing and textiles worldwide, hemp has huge possibilities ahead.

For instance, iconic jeans company Levi’s recently announced a pilot project to replace 27% of its denim’s cotton with hemp, as part of an overall sustainability push. Why? Cotton requires much more water, pesticides, and soil to be grown than hemp.

It is estimated that cotton accounts for 10% of pesticide use and 25% of insecticides globally, while hemp, due to its resilience, requires very few chemicals to grow. To be precise, one hectare of hemp can produce three times more clothing than one of cotton. This is because the industrial use fibers are extracted from the stem of the hemp plant, which is thin and grows tall, allowing growers to have about 15 plants per square meter.

Numerous luxury hotel chains have also joined the hemp frenzy, and hemp fashion brands have partnered with influencers like Bella Thorne to further spread their vision.

Patagonia, the premium mountain clothing brand, launched a line of garments made of hemp as part of its sustainable efforts as well.

Construction and Plastics

Hempcrete, concrete made with hemp and lime, is lighter and more resistant to fire, mold, and moisture than regular concrete. “It can be made as strong as ordinary concrete and captures atmospheric carbon as it dries,” adds DeAngelo. Furthermore, it can be used without structural purposes, as a thermal and acoustic insulator.

Hemp is not only useful, it is strong. “Its fibers are stronger than steel,” says Bruce Linton, co-founder and former CEO of Canadian cannabis giant Canopy. The executive recently created Collective Growth, a “blank check company” that raised $150 million in less than two months and debuted on Nasdaq in May with the goal of creating a global industrial hempire.

BMW also uses hemp plastics in several of its electric car models, including the i3 and i8, but they are not pioneers: in 1941, Henry Ford presented a car model whose body was built entirely from hemp plastic and ran on cannabis biofuel.

Hemp plastic has endless uses, including bags, boxes and, unlike synthetic plastics, it is produced from renewable and biodegradable materials. Packaging industry giants such as Sonoco Products, Constantia Flexibles, O. Berk, Klöckner Pentaplast and MG America have already declared their interest in the material.

Biofuel

In the 1930s, Ford had a whole facility destined to extract biodiesel from hemp biomass. The reason? Biofuel made from pressed hemp seed can be used in any conventional diesel engine. Using this method, hemp can produce approximately 780 liters of oil per hectare, about 4 times more than soybeans.

In addition, the rest of the hemp biomass can be used to produce ethanol, a key alcohol in the creation of biofuels, which is traditionally extracted from corn or sugar cane. A 2010 study from the University of Connecticut showed that hemp oil has a 97% conversion rate to diesel.

Although it takes approximately 50% more biofuel to generate the same energy as that produced by petroleum, hemp fuel is a renewable alternative and doesn’t harm the environment. Thus, with the development of a large-scale production chain, the costs of hemp biofuel production will definitely exceed those of oil. However, the latter’s availability inevitably tends to be scarce.

Article originally published here by Natán Ponieman and Javier Hasse

The sports world was on tilt this last week as Mike Tyson “boxed” Roy Jones Jr. in a four round exhibition match. Many loved it, some hated it. Millions watched.
Regardless of your view on the match, one thing is clear: Mike Tyson looked to be in phenomenal shape at age 54 weighing in at a trim 220lbs.
It was reported that Tyson lost 100lbs in preparation for the bout!
How did Tyson, who stands 5’10” and weighed around 220 pounds in his prime, balloon above 300lbs? Tyson, as we all know, experienced some dark times during and after his professional career.
During a 2019 interview, Iron Mike explained that he got hooked on prescription pain medications. It is understandable that someone with the aches and pains would seek relief. For Tyson, these prescription medications caused behavioral changes and ultimately a stint in rehab.
He let himself go, consumed by addiction and the other stresses of life. His weight reflected his underlying issues. But then something changed:
CBDs.
Tyson reported that he began to use CBDs and called it “almost like a miracle drug” which helped address his pain. But Tyson went further.
He explained that CBDs also had a profound effect on his mental health. Tyson explained how CBD helped him (and helped others) who had traumatic experiences such as head trauma from years of boxing.
Tyson summed it by saying it, CBD, “turned out to be magnificent.”
Fast forward to 2020. Tyson shed 100lbs and appeared in peak physical condition in his bout against Roy Jones Jr. which ended in a draw—though many believe he won.
While not everyone can claim the rare physical prowess of Iron Mike Tyson, his experience with CBD is something certainly not limited to him.
That is because quality CBDs interact with the body’s parasympathetic nervous system and endocannabinoid system. Research shows these systems regulate or otherwise impact a person’s mental and physical health, from stress to pain to sleep and many stops in between.
If you think CBDs are worth a try, be sure to purchase only the highest quality product that you know is clean, USDA certified organic, domestically grown, and presenting the full spectrum of cannabinoids. Did we mention that’s exactly the quality level of the CBD oil offered by Hemp.com?
Give it a try here: Hemp.com’s Full Spectrum CBD

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To define “organic CBD,” we need to go all the way back to the origins of CBD — hemp. The hemp plant contains hundreds of compounds. The primary compound is “cannabidiol,” or CBD. After it’s extracted, CBD is processed into a wide array of health products, the most popular is organic CBD oil (organic hemp oil).

We’ve identified what CBD is — but how does the term “organic” relate to CBD?

According to the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), the term “organic” refers to any item that is grown or produced without the use of genetically modified organisms, pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, sewage sludge or ionizing radiation. The term “USDA certified organic” means that a government-approved certifier has inspected the growing and processing conditions to ensure they meet official standards.

To this end, “organically-grown hemp” refers to hemp that has been grown under these stringent conditions. Therefore, “organic CBD oil” (or organic hemp oil) is CBD oil that’s organic on two levels — it’s extracted from organically-grown hemp and then it’s processed with no synthetic chemical additives.

Interestingly, more and more farmers across the US are recognizing the value of producing organically-grown hemp, with some experts claiming that organic hemp farming promises to be something of an upcoming “gold rush” for America’s produce growers.

In addition, many of today’s most conscientious growers are now participating in “regenerative organic” practices — organic farming methods that emphasize soil health and maintenance, while conserving soils and pastures so that the land will continue to be sustainable for generations to come.

Is organic CBD oil better? The best way to decide this is to look at the facts. Due to the phytoremediation properties of hemp and thanks to pristine growing conditions, organic hemp is “cleaner” because it’s free from synthetic-chemical pesticides and fertilizers, hasn’t been genetically modified or exposed to chemical toxins. As a result, organic CBD oil is a more-natural product.

From a nutritional standpoint, chemical pesticides and fertilizers can drain the soil of its natural nutrients. In addition, studies have shown that fruits and vegetables treated by certain pesticides can cause allergic reactions in some people. It’s important to note that there’s still some debate as to whether or not pesticides actually trigger these reactions or whether other forms of food allergies are the cause; but many people are convinced that organically-grown products are a safer alternative.

Likewise, numerous studies over the years have determined that chemical pesticides and fertilizers can also have a devastating effect on the environment, harming both air and water quality, as well as killing wildlife.

If you’re purchasing products infused with other ingredients like Coconut MCT Oil, Beeswax etc, ideally those are certified organic as well.

Purchasing organic CBD oil assures you ingest products free of synthetic chemicals and that it was cultivated, harvested and processed without exposure to any toxic agents or additives.

To understand the different types of organic CBD, it’s a good idea to first take a look at exactly what CBD is — and what it does, and doesn’t, contain.

The story of CBD starts with hemp, which is a variety of the cannabis sativa plant. Another variety of this same plant is marijuana — and therein lies all the confusion.

Although hemp and marijuana are both varieties of the cannabis sativa plant, there’s one major difference between the two. Marijuana contains the compound tetrahydrocannabinol or THC. This is what causes the psychoactive effect — or the buzz. Hemp, however, contains only 0.3 percent (or less) of THC — an amount so minuscule as to have no effect. This means that hemp-derived CBD products are essentially THC-free, and produce no psychoactive effect whatsoever.

Here’s a quick overview of popular organic CBD products available on today’s market:

• Organic CBD Isolate: The singular compound, typically 98-99 percent pure, used as-is, added to liquids or fatty products like butter.
• Organic CBD Wax: This concentrate is like a thick balm and can produce almost instant effects. Either CBD isolate or full spectrum.
• Organic CBD Topicals: Includes soaps, lotions, salves/ointments and shampoos enhanced with CBD.
• Organic CBD Edibles: Typically marketed as baked goods or candies.
• Organic CBD Vapes: Pure CBD liquids processed for vaping.
• Organic CBD Pills and Capsules: Early research shows promising nueroprotection, anti-anxiety and pain reducing properties.

Organic full spectrum hemp CBD oil refers to a pure, organic oil containing all the cannabinoids, vitamins, minerals, proteins and terpenes. Extracting from hemp guarantees it is non-psychoactive. And because it’s full spectrum, it may provide a wider array of benefits. The entourage effect can maximize the therapeutic benefits of CBD oil.
To learn more about the benefits of organic CBD oil read CBD oil and your health, 10 reasons to use CBD, Should I use a Full-Spectrum CBD or an CBD Isolate and more articles on the topic of CBD‘s

Hemp oil can refer to a full-spectrum oil (CBD and other compounds)from the Hemp plant or hemp seed oil, which is oil that comes from just the seeds of the hemp plant.

There is very little risk of intoxication from hemp oil as all forms of hemp oil come from food-grain strains of hemp. The authors of a study in the journal Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research note that food-grain strains of hemp must contain less than 0.3 percent tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). THC is the compound that causes the so-called “high” of marijuana.

Hemp oil is not the same as cannabidiol (CBD) oil. The production of CBD oil uses the stalks, leaves, and flowers of the hemp plant, which contain a higher concentration of CBD, another potentially beneficial compound in the plant.

Hemp seed oil comes from the small seeds of the Hemp plant. The seeds do not contain the same levels of compounds as the plant itself, but they still have a rich profile of nutrients, fatty acids, and useful bioactive compounds.

Full-spectrum hemp oil that also contains plant matter may add other effective compounds, which may help with certain health issues, such as inflammation.

Learn more about CBD tinctures, full spectrum CBD vs isolate, CBD in general and the important entourage effect on our site!

Want to get started but still not convinced, Check out the 10 most common uses of CBD?  Ready to try CBD? Try our USDA Certified Organic Hemp CBD Oil available in our store! Shop Now!b

Hemp Oil For you Health

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Composite Building Material

A composite material (also called a composition material or shortened to composite, which is the common name) is a material made from two or more constituent materials with significantly different physical or chemical properties that, when combined, produce a material with characteristics different from the individual components. The individual components remain separate and distinct within the finished structure, differentiating composites from mixtures and solid solutions.

Hemp Composites

The use of hemp fibers as reinforcement in composite materials has increased in recent years as a response to the increasing demand for developing biodegradable, sustainable, and recyclable materials. Hemp fibers are found in the stem of the plant which makes them strong and stiff, a primary requirement for the reinforcement of composite materials. The mechanical properties of hemp fibers are comparable to those of glass fibers. However their biggest disadvantage is the variability in their properties. Composites made of hemp fibers with thermoplastic, thermoset, and biodegradable matrices have exhibited good mechanical properties. A number of hemp fiber surface treatments, used to improve the fiber/matrix interfacial bonding, have resulted in considerable improvements in the composites’ mechanical properties.

In 1941, hemp fibers (and flax) were used in resin matrix composites for the bodywork of a Henry Ford car which was able to withstand ten-times the impact on an equivalent metal panel. Unfortunately the car did not make into general production due to economic limitations at the time.