Laura assessing first binder trial on the outside test wall .
when John became interested and curiosity led them down a road of research , trial and errors .
You would find them both late at night , in their shed , making ' sweet ' hemp bricks , trying to find the secret binder recipe .
Laura and John decided to retro fit an existing structure . Not a new build . Which means removing the existing walls and installing the hempcrete using a shuttering system , either one side or both sides .
Building a test wall outside proved to be helpful as they tested their recipes in the elements . Voila ! A recipe worked ! They decided to invest in a larger experimental project , retrofitting the shed walls with this glorious material . 900kg of hemp hurd was ordered from The Hemp Farm . And , over a tonne of lime and pozzolan additives were delivered to their door , just in time for lockdown 2020 .
Laura and John got to work with their humble concrete mixer , using a garden hoe to help mix the hempcrete as it rotated . Mix after mix , batch after batch , they slowly completed the project in a year . The 7 x 4-meter shed has been transformed into a warm , cosy studio space with french doors , that open out to the garden .
It is still a work in progress as the exterior needs to be lime plastered - a whole other learning journey ! The inside will either be lime plastered or sealed with Sodium
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