Building A Structure With Hemp

[brahmburgers]

I found this interesting URL which hails from Australia. Of course, none of us can legally grow hemp in Thailand, because the Thais copy the US note for note on drug laws (more correctly: the US mandates that Thailand adhere to US drug laws). However, other dry plant material could be used to similar effect. Perhaps rice straw, which is burnt all over Thailand - not even composted - though in fairness a tiny proportion is used as mulch for other plants.

Take a look at the photos of structures made from hemp. Amazing. There's even a 300 year old attractive building in Japan. Besides structures around the world, some of the structures are large warehouses. One photo on the site gives a peek at how to make walls. It looks like they build a sturdy wood frame (box) and place the pulverized hemp mixed with white limey cement in there and tamp it down - like rammed earth.

Anyone reading this have any experience with rammed earth structures? As a builder, I can picture how it's done, but haven't yet tried it myself. Similarly, has anyone built a straw bale house here?

[IsaanAussie]

Cow manure and rice straw would seem to be the way here. Seem to remember a house made with bamboo structure, thatched or reed roof and adobe walls here some time ago. Try a web search. Attached is a picture of what I would make in that style.

Isaan Aussie

[brahmburgers]

That bamboo house looks awesome.

[brahmburgers]

That bamboo house looks awesome.

[yotspeed]

I thought growing 'Sun Hemp' in Thailand was legal, if not actively encouraged; Sun Hemp Thread

These guys are building 'Earthworks' earthbag-eco-type houses and structures on Koh Phangan and hold regular workshops & seminars; Phangan Earthworks Last seminars held in March & July 2010, next one Feb. 2011. Also notice they are running a permaculture seminar in March 2011. Interesting stuff.

[gotlost]

OK I just have to do it. I hope I'm down wind when that structure made from hemp does a Cheech and Chong.

[brahmburgers]

I thought growing 'Sun Hemp' in Thailand was legal, if not actively encouraged; Sun Hemp Thread

These guys are building 'Earthworks' earthbag-eco-type houses and structures on Koh Phangan and hold regular workshops & seminars; Phangan Earthworks Last seminars held in March & July 2010, next one Feb. 2011. Also notice they are running a permaculture seminar in March 2011. Interesting stuff.

Sun hemp is different than hemp. It's like the difference between a horned toad (really a lizard) and a toad.

I've grown sun hemp - it's fast growing, nice yellow flowers, good for animal fodder and other things.

I looked at the the URL for phanganearthworks.com and was impressed with what they're doing! However, didn't see a mention of what they put in the bags. I'm going to try something like that on a smaller scale. There's a place on one of my properties where two truck-sized limestone rocks are about 2 meters apart. Well-suited for an unusual shaped storage shed (for climbing equipment for the park I'm developing in C.Rai). I'll put in a floor and door frame, then place filled bags for the walls. Am thinking of filling the bags with dry concrete mix - and when they get wet, they'll solidify. Not as hard as pre-mixed, but hard enough for the purpose. I've seen that style for small dams. For the ceiling, I'll put in a temporary bamboo frame (like a large upside-down basket) which will support red bricks. Over top of that, put bamboo sheathing, a bamboo grid (in place of rebar) and top with a waterproof cement mix. The top will be strong enough to walk on, with a max span of only 7 ft or so.

I would try putting hemp in the mix, but there's no hemp in Thailand. Could possibly try some other fibrous weed, to add strength.

[IsaanAussie]

I thought growing 'Sun Hemp' in Thailand was legal, if not actively encouraged; Sun Hemp Thread

These guys are building 'Earthworks' earthbag-eco-type houses and structures on Koh Phangan and hold regular workshops & seminars; Phangan Earthworks Last seminars held in March & July 2010, next one Feb. 2011. Also notice they are running a permaculture seminar in March 2011. Interesting stuff.

Sun hemp is different than hemp. It's like the difference between a horned toad (really a lizard) and a toad.

I've grown sun hemp - it's fast growing, nice yellow flowers, good for animal fodder and other things.

I looked at the the URL for phanganearthworks.com and was impressed with what they're doing! However, didn't see a mention of what they put in the bags. I'm going to try something like that on a smaller scale. There's a place on one of my properties where two truck-sized limestone rocks are about 2 meters apart. Well-suited for an unusual shaped storage shed (for climbing equipment for the park I'm developing in C.Rai). I'll put in a floor and door frame, then place filled bags for the walls. Am thinking of filling the bags with dry concrete mix - and when they get wet, they'll solidify. Not as hard as pre-mixed, but hard enough for the purpose. I've seen that style for small dams. For the ceiling, I'll put in a temporary bamboo frame (like a large upside-down basket) which will support red bricks. Over top of that, put bamboo sheathing, a bamboo grid (in place of rebar) and top with a waterproof cement mix. The top will be strong enough to walk on, with a max span of only 7 ft or so.

I would try putting hemp in the mix, but there's no hemp in Thailand. Could possibly try some other fibrous weed, to add strength.

BB,

It is common practice here to use strips of bambo inlieu of rebar or mesh in concrete. Perhaps that could be used for your shed roof. You could anchor the strips to the framework as well. Easy enough to form to usual shapes as well.

It is my understanding that the bags are filled with earth. Since the dirt around me sets like concrete when dry it would yield a giant adobe brick with the bag being along for the ride, mixing the soil with some straw would add a bit of strength. Equally you could drive bamboo spears down through the bags to hold everything together.

Isaan Aussie