Thetypical construction method of hempcrete involves pouring hempcrete on the job site. There are many advantages to using pre-cast hempcrete panels over casting on site. Contact: zach@sativapanel.com
I like the ones that fit together like leggo blocks ! Awesome ! Cannot be burned . No VOC's . Build it where you want ! 1/5th the weight of concrete ...just win win win win win !
Make them 8 ft x what ever is needed for a given wall. Such as 8x12. Its light so its easier to handle than regular concrete. No need for wood framing. Channeling for electric wiring can be preset so pulling wire and setting boxes can be done on site. Placed to accommodate the specific design.
Hi Sharon, I do have some videos demonstrating the actual construction methods. This video here shows how the Z panels are placed: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-SVMItBhc3vA.html This video here shows how all of the panels come together to construct walls: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-1C9g3ofp9nE.html
Can you talk about these blocks ballistic performance? Like for example, most CMU or concrete blocks can stop your average handgun bullets, even .44 Magnums...
Hempcrete blocks seem like a great idea to me, but if you are just stuffing them into stud walls then shy not just stuff fiberglass or any other insulation? The advantage to in-situ casting of Hempcrete is that it reduces thermal bridging and when done properly results in a monolithic wall with not cracks or gaps. For the self-builder drying time is not a big deal. I am also pretty confident that site mixed product is cheaper than blocks manufactured off site.
curioushooter great questions, I appreciate it. Cast in situ does have some benefits as you mentioned. It forms a monolithic structure without any air gaps. However with the Z Panel there would be no more thermal bridging than with cast in situ, because both methods still require timber framing. With the Z panel air gaps are minimal, and if desired could be eliminated with a small amount of foam insulation. Preformed block panels are not really comparable to fiberglass insulation for a few reasons. First, they won’t mold and allow for greater breathability. Second, the block panel actually takes the place of insulation, sheeting, vapor barrier, and exterior sheathing. It’s not just an insulation replacement. In terms of build times, some people building their own homes may not care about time, but many people do. The Z Panel also requires much less equipment for the DIY home builder. Related to costs, yes cast in situ is cheaper in materials, but only in materials. Cast in situ is much more labor intensive, and for someone who has hired help, labor costs can be substantial. Lastly, with block panels you just get a more consistent build. There isn’t as much concern about weather and drying times and the R value is consistent throughout the walls. With cast in situ these variables come into play to a greater extent. Great questions. Again, I appreciate it and I hope that helps!
@@sativabuildingsystems3796 I’m trying to figure out how to keep weight down for a tiny house on wheels. Is there any way to work around the thermal bridging of light gauge steel framing with the hempcrete? How heavy would hempcrete be compared to the combined weights of all those traditional materials you mentioned? How would the costs compare as well? Thank you in advance for your reply!
Great idea! Best wishes in the expansion of your product. Question, for a project that wants to use hempcrete what material would be best suitable for framing the house since (to my knowledge) hempcrete isn’t old bearing.
Hello Chris! The Z Panels are designed to be used with the most common lumber components. So, you can use standard 2x4 or 2x6 lumber for framing. Either one works. LVL studs tend to be ideal because of their near perfect straightness, however conventional lumber does work as well.
Can I live inside a home while I hempcrete the walls? And do I need to wait 6-8weeks for it to dry before adding another layer? Or can I cast a full exterior wall while the bottom layers are still in their “drying” phase?
Cool video man. I saw your video with the Z Panels as well. My question to you is, what exactly can this material be used for in the construction process of a home or any sort of building? Pure curiosity from a civil engineering student.
Hello and thanks! Our initial target will be for Z Panels to be used in the exterior walls of residential home construction. It is the exterior walls where the properties of hempcrete provide the most value. The goal is to eventually move into commercial construction.
As an Apprentice Carpenter I was involved in all steps from footing layout and forming the walls ( cribbing ) to roofing and drywall and plumbing rough in’s and finish work. My JM and the boss told me, “Here we do it all, you can learn or you can leave”
Great product, congrats! The greenhouse you built with the panels, how did you plaster the interior walls? I'd be concerned that a greenhouse would be a high humidity environment and therefore not suitable for hempcrete unless something like a Tadelakt plaster was applied?
Thanks! The interior walls were finished with 1/4" paneling to give it a shiplap look. The exterior was finished with a lime stucco. I am not too concerned about humidity because the lime stucco is breathable and the gaps in the paneling allow for breathability on the inside. One of the first hempcrete homes built in the US was actually built in Florida, which is obviously very humid. It worked out well.
Right now the use of Z Panels depends on the approval of the local building inspector. So yes it could potentially pass inspection if the building inspector signs off on it. Eventually we plan to demonstrate complete residential code compliance. Please send an email to zach@sativapanel.com with the dimensions of your planned home build and I would be happy to get you a quote.
What about cold bridging between the blocks? What are you proposing between the blocks? Cold bridging is the single largest cause of insulation failure. Which is avoided with hemp spraying and handplacing...
Thermal bridging is minimized by the Z Panels simply being placed tightly together. Air gaps that would exist could be filled with a small amount of insulation if desired. Once the interior and exterior are plastered/stuccoed an envelope is created decreasing the opportunity for excessive thermal transfer.
I am interested in building a small but lasting pond for aquaponics. Do you think the hempcrete panel could be used in some way instead of concrete or a polyethylene liner? If so what is the cost of the panels per sq ft?
Hempcrete would not be suitable as a replacement for concrete because hempcrete is vapor permeable (absorbs and releases moisture) and with constant ground contact it will eventually rot. Hempcrete is ideal for above grade construction.
@@sativabuildingsystems3796 Are there methods to use hempcrete for foundation work being developed? I would like to understand the cost comparisons between hempcrete versus traditional concrete. What is the weight comparisons between a hempcrete block and a traditional concrete block of the same dimensions? Respectfully, Scott
Hi Zachariahh. Cast on site can be advantageous if the tamping is consistent and weather/drying conditions are favorable for the duration of the drying, often 6+ weeks. Z Panels eliminate the possibility of inconsistent tamping, which means inconsistent thermal properties, along with speeding up the construction process by not having to wait for drying. Cast on site can still work well, however we of course feel that the benefits Z Panels provide help counter the deficiencies of cast on site.
@@NIGHTMARERICA We love to see and hear about all hempcrete projects. I hope your project goes well and we'd love to see some pictures when you are done!
@@sativabuildingsystems3796 thank you! I've got a lot of people trying to talk me out of it but I can't wait. Thank you for putting out such amazing useful info! Hempcrete and it's products are the future.
these will come in handy for kit-set projects. but if you're wanting a custom build, I'm sure you'd be patient and more than willing to wait. I favour on-site casting :)
Hi Leigh. Some people have the patience for cast on site, for others a faster build is critical. In northern climates, many months of the year you could not even do cast on site, greatly narrowing the build window.
I was under the impression that cutting or shaping blocks tends to leave holes and voids between the hemp block and the framing which reduces r-value Do you fill those gaps with expandable foam?
This is awesome. I'm interested in building with hemp so looking for prefab options. Are you selling these? Where are you located? What is your contact info? thanks ;)
Hi Jessy! Currently we are working towards producing the Z panel on a large scale, however at the moment we are not. Our target is by end of this year we will have capacity to produce large quantities. We are located in central Wisconsin, but we will ship nationwide. You can contact me (Zach) directly to tell me about your project and I can put you on a contact list for when we enter production. My email is zach@sativapanel.com.
@@sativabuildingsystems3796 railroad ties are not aesthetic they're an essential part of laying tracks, railroads already make them out of concrete for major rail lines. If hempcrete can handle a load then railroads could be an investor.
There are many hempcrete mix ratios currently available to the public. As far as the specific mix ratio of the Z Panel, it is considered proprietary because the fabrication of a block or panel is a more complex than cast-in-situ with many additional steps and we wouldn't want people to try to replicate with disappointing results.
They could, but not recommended for a residential dwelling because there would be small passages of air gaps between each panel. Ideally, at least one side should should be plastered/rendered.
@@ILoveRomances sounds reasonable seeing as water is in hempcrete. However, I wonder if you could bypass problems by using pre dried hempcrete blocks. I just wanna point out that when I type hempcrete my auto correct says democrats 😅
@@highman1712 Here's a short paragraph about why hempcrete doesn't work for underground, although you can use it on the interior of an underground structure. hempsteads.info/performance/2013/hemcrete-for-basements
It is 60-70 lbs. However we will soon have a version that is closer to 40 lbs. Keep in mind, if this was concrete in the same dimensions it would be 360 lbs :)
Hi Saucy, you could still make rounded walls with Z Panels. It would require substantial cutting/shaping of the Z Panels. Not ideal, but it would work.
You would cut a channel into the face of the panel, then place conduit into the channel, run the electrical through the conduit, and plaster over the conduit in the channel. Hempcrete cuts very easily.
Hi Dianne. The Z Panels were purposely designed to be used with traditional wood framing because that is a tried and true method of ensuring structural strength. Hempcrete is amazing, but its one deficiency is that it does not have great compressive strength. By placing the Z Panels next to wood framing, the majority of the compressive load is absorbed by the framing. Also, with this method you have a continuous vertical support (the studs) that tie the top and bottom of the walls together and maximize the strength.
