So, while #HempWool has some advantages over #Fiberglass and insulation made from #SyntheticMaterials , it is not fireproof (unlike #WoolInsulation), and requires treatment to make it fireproof. The same with mildew/mold resistance (treated with lime plaster or other materials). I've also seen "hemp wool" mixed with synthetic fibers, so that kinda defeats the purpose of using natural fibers (imho). Plus, I'm not finding any instructions on how to #DIY hemp wool (unlike wool insulation or #Oakum).

Why Hemp Wool is Gaining Traction in Sustainable Construction

Published by naturalbuildingaustralia on 14/02/2025

"As an all-natural material, it’s increasingly being considered for use in construction projects aimed at reducing environmental impact and improving energy efficiency.

Hemp wool is essentially insulation made from hemp fibers and is commonly found in eco-conscious building projects. While Harry Hemp’s blog doesn’t refer to any specific vendor or product, it highlights the general benefits and concerns surrounding hemp wool as a material in modern construction.

However, there are valid concerns, especially when it comes to untreated hemp wool. Fire safety and mold resistance are two issues that need attention before this material can be fully integrated into permitted builds. These concerns stand in contrast to the proven advantages of #hempcrete, a material that has already set a high standard for sustainable construction.

Benefits of Hemp Wool

Hemp wool, made from the fibers of the hemp plant, offers several key advantages:

- Thermal Insulation: Hemp wool provides excellent R-values, helping to regulate indoor temperatures and reduce energy consumption.

- Sound Absorption: This material excels at reducing noise pollution, making your indoor environment quieter and more comfortable.

- Eco-Friendly: As a renewable resource, hemp wool sequesters carbon during production, helping to reduce its overall environmental footprint.

- Health Benefits: Free from chemicals and toxins, hemp wool is non-allergenic and contributes to better indoor air quality.

These qualities make hemp wool an appealing alternative to more traditional insulation materials like fiberglass and mineral wool. It’s a natural option that supports sustainable living while offering practical benefits.

Challenges with Untreated Hemp Wool

While hemp wool offers many advantages, untreated versions come with their own set of challenges that must be addressed:

Fire Safety Concerns

Untreated hemp wool typically has poor fire resistance, which disqualifies it from use in many permitted builds. Building codes often require materials to meet specific fire safety standards, and without proper treatment, hemp wool doesn’t meet these requirements, potentially posing a risk to safety.

Mold and Mildew Issues

Hemp wool’s natural fibers can absorb moisture, leading to potential mold and mildew growth in environments with high humidity or poor ventilation. This is a stark contrast to hempcrete, which naturally resists mold and moisture, making it a more reliable choice for durable and safe construction.

How Hempcrete Stands Up

While hemp wool has its potential, hempcrete is already a well-established material in sustainable construction.

Here’s how hempcrete stacks up in comparison:

- Fire Resistance: Hempcrete boasts excellent fire ratings due to its lime-based composition, making it compliant with building codes and safe for use in construction.

- Moisture Control: Its unique ability to absorb and release moisture without compromising its structure makes hempcrete highly resistant to mold and mildew.

= Durability: Hempcrete is naturally resistant to pests, mold, and moisture, making it a long-lasting material in construction.

- Code Compliance: Hempcrete has undergone rigorous testing and meets ASTM standards, ensuring its reliability in meeting building code requirements.

These characteristics make hempcrete a top choice for builders looking for a safe, sustainable, and code-compliant material.

The Future of Hemp Wool

The future of hemp wool is promising, especially as advancements in testing and treatment could resolve its current limitations.

Improved Fire Resistance

Through treatment, hemp wool can be made fire-resistant, meeting the stringent requirements for modern builds. This will make it a much safer option for both builders and homeowners.

Enhanced Mold Resistance

New techniques in moisture management could prevent mold and mildew from forming on hemp wool, making it more reliable and long-lasting, even in humid climates.

Conclusion: The Potential of Hemp Wool in Sustainable Construction

While untreated hemp wool still has hurdles to overcome, its potential as a sustainable, eco-friendly building material is undeniable. As advancements in fire resistance and moisture management continue, hemp wool will become a viable option for modern construction, alongside its proven counterpart, hempcrete.

The combination of both materials offers a powerful solution, balancing insulation and structural integrity, and paving the way for greener, safer, and more sustainable construction practices. As the industry continues to innovate and test new methods, the excitement surrounding hemp wool is justified—it’s on the path to becoming a staple in eco-conscious builds worldwide."

Source:
https://naturalbuildingaustralia.org/2025/02/14/hemp-wool-vs-hempcrete-whats-the-difference-and-how-can-it-be-used/

#SolarPunkSunday #BuildingWithHemp #Hempcrete #SyntheticAlternatives

We sealed up the gaps in our floorboards with #Oakum last year. It's holding up just fine! I also used it on some old windows at work and it's easy to install, then remove, then install again!

Filling Floor Gaps With Oakum: Update 2-1/2 Years Later

March 18, 2024

"Two and a half years ago, I filled the gaps in our original wood floors with oakum. You can read more about that process here [link below].

"This is a niche solution to a common problem with homes built in the 1700s and 1800s with original wood floors and gaps between those floorboards. Our house was built in the 1780s and later added onto in the 1800s.

"It’s time for an update on how that oakum has held up!

"First of all, what is oakum?

"Historically speaking, oakum is a combination of natural fibers like #hemp or #jute and tar or oil that was used to caulk wooden ships to make them watertight.

"Oakum was often repurposed from old ship rigging. '#PickingOakum' was a terrible job where someone had to unwind the #rope fibers so they could be repurposed into #caulking.

"Oakum is still used today for several uses related to plumbing, wooden ship caulking, log home caulking, etc. Today, oakum is manufactured in a factory.

"Brown oakum is made from natural fibers (could be a combination of jute, hemp, and/or burlap), oil, and often bentonite.

"White oakum is made from jute, #Bentonite, and water.

"Bentonite is a clay that expands when it encounters water."

Read more:
https://aprettyhappyhome.com/2024/03/18/filling-floor-gaps-with-oakum/

How the author did it:
https://aprettyhappyhome.com/2021/05/10/fill-floor-gaps-with-oakum/

#SolarPunkSunday #NaturalMaterials #SyntheticAlternatives #Insulation #FloorGaps #DIY

An inspiring story about working with #Oakum!

My #Carpentry101 crash course, and the wonders of oakum

by Kathleen McQuillan, September 26, 2024

"With the season about to shift to autumn, my mind has been focused on the final steps to restore the exterior of my log house. A project I thought would take one summer is now rounding out the end of its third. And this summer, which I thought would surely be the last, will likely leave some important steps left for next year. My inner voice repeatedly chants, 'Perseverance, dear girl. Perseverance!'

"When I began this journey into the unknown, I decided to leave work on the east wall of the house for last because, in my preliminary assessment, it looked like it would require the most time and attention. Our bitter Minnesota winters and scorching summer heat had definitely taken a toll. Dense forest surrounds my place and is closest on the east side, creating persistent shade and humidity, and poor air circulation, that together contribute to more rotting and insects. Saving the worst until last was a big, big mistake. I learned too late. Never save the hardest stuff for the end. I know that now because, in my current state of project fatigue, facing that east wall is a bit like facing El Capitan.

"I thought I was so smart back in May when I jumped on that string of nice days we had and scraped, scrubbed, and sanded five decades of detritus from that east wall just to ready it for the first coat of penetrating stain that would protect the logs from rot and bugs for many years to come. No one could have predicted that June would produce some of the heaviest rains in centuries, followed by weeks of what meteorologists called 'pop-up showers' that showed up on a nearly daily basis until mid-July.

"It would take many weeks before the now saturated logs would dry thoroughly enough to stain. My frustration with the weather spawned waves of anxiety. Our summers are short, and time was a-wastin’! I knew I’d have to review the priorities on my to-do list and recalibrate the timetable. What I needed to identify was an indoor project until the weather decided to cooperate.

"I found myself completely shifting gears from exterior log work to something indoors. The lightbulb went on. I could start upgrading my 1980s experiment with #solar power. The equipment I’d installed way back then still functioned, but I knew it was losing its zip and was shockingly obsolete. This could be my opportunity. I resumed researching where I’d left off last winter. I determined how much power I would need and how much I could invest in new equipment. I also realized that I would need to construct an area suitable to assure my system could be kept warm in the winter. I decided to design an insulated 'closet' in my three-season addition.

"For that month of sequestration, I created a personalized Intro to Carpentry 101 crash course. Thanks to the generous array of battery-powered saws, drills, bits and blades that my sons had gifted to me at Christmas two years ago and some great YouTube videos I found, I was able to complete my first solo construction project. And now I have power! That rainy weather I’d so lamented had in fact allowed me the experience of learning to read a tape measure right down to the '16ths', and everything else involved. My next #DIY challenge will be wiring my own house.

"Finally, the weather began to cooperate. The logs were drying. But before I could start staining, I would need to insulate and seal the spaces between the logs. In times past, log builders would often turn to whatever materials were on hand whether #moss and #straw, shredded newspaper, or scraps of cotton and #woolen clothing. Today, the 'make-do' materials of our ancestors have been replaced by manufactured products such as fiberglass batts, spray foam, and 'elastometric' caulks, all of which I considered, until I discovered oakum.

"Oakum is made from multiple twisted strands of #jute and #hemp soaked in #PineTar and #bentonite, a compound derived from #VolcanicAsh. It is easily manipulated to fit the varied spaces between the logs and accommodate variations from their knots and other unique features. It acts as a natural deterrent to insects and can swell or shrink with changes in humidity, enhancing its sealing capabilities. It’s been around for centuries with one of its first uses in shipbuilding when skilled maritime craftsmen would salvage worn ropes from ships’ rigging to repurpose as filler for cracks and leaks in their 16th- and 17th-century wooden sailing ships. Later it was used to build the massive networks of pipes that transport drinking and wastewater underneath our major cities. It’s still used for many modern-day plumbing repairs.

"Working with oakum has taken some getting used to. Like so many aspects of my restoration project, it’s been another trial-and-error process, learning what it can and cannot do, requiring my patience and concentration in an almost meditative way. There is an art in how tightly to twist it, so it conforms and fills the nooks and crannies endemic to log buildings. I was able to purchase a vintage shipwright’s cast iron caulking tool that has proven to be perfect for the job. I sometimes muse the by-gone era when Maritimers masterfully employed the skills I’m just learning, ones that allowed for vast ocean crossings. I appreciate attempting a traditional practice that I hope will not be lost.

"I must confess. At times, I’ve questioned my sanity, as may have some of my friends. This endeavor to restore my cabin began in sheer ignorance, and has tested every part of my being — body, mind, and spirit. My biggest fear this year has been that I might 'age out' before it’s complete, something that would be a huge disappointment to me, and a burden left for somebody else.

"I owe my family, friends and community thanks for their patience and support. I’ve turned down many invitations to commit with my truth, 'If it’s a sunny day, I’ll need to work.' Next summer, I’d like things to be different. But this year has shown me, when it comes to time, or the weather, there are no guarantees. Our priorities will sometimes need discernment and adjustment. And everything we choose to do has the power to message something meaningful.

"In many a stressful moment, working with oakum has messaged me this. Take more time when you can. And appreciate the twists and turns."

Source:
https://www.timberjay.com/stories/my-carpentry-101-crash-course-and-the-wonders-of-oakum,22030

#SolarPunkSunday #DIY #BuildYourOwn #NaturalMaterials #LogCabins #Shelter #Building

So, even with howling winds, the removable window that I insulated with #Oakum was nice and tight. I've been doing some research into #Insulation materials that don't involve #SyntheticChemicals and #SyntheticMaterials. And looking into #TraditionalWays of making oakum (which involves pine tar instead of petroleum products). Tune in this #SolarPunkSunday!

#HempWool #WoolInsulation #AlternativesToSprayFoam #AnimalProducts

Man lernt ja nie aus.
#Ships #Caulking #Oakum

https://youtube.com/shorts/2tycEXfrmro?si=rdcw2IePl9Sk46Y7

Word Search Puzzle 384

Word List : #agitates #susurr #moccasin #bekah #dimetry #oakum #embolon #nasi #stivers #bittered #blurry #lentous #psychean #upswing #jnana #mobbing #dearie #solubles

http://karafinance.com/2024/02/27/word-search-puzzle-384/