Sustainable Building & Renovation with Hemp Bricks

Uses, Handling, and Use Cases of the Schönthaler Hemp Bricks

Whether for a new build focused on natural materials, a sustainable renovation of an existing building, or targeted use as sound insulation, thermal insulation, or a design detail: the Schönthaler hemp bricks offer solutions for every construction project. We are happy to advise you individually and find the best solution for your site, but you can find some information about the use and handling of our 100% natural building material here:

Exterior Walls Made of Hemp Bricks

It is not uncommon for a client or architect to be so enthusiastic about the Schönthaler hemp bricks that they want to build an entire building from them. This is a great compliment to our work, but hemp bricks are not structurally load-bearing due to the 100% natural binding material (0.6–0.8 MPa 30 days after production). This load-bearing capacity is reached after several years through natural hardening, but the structural support during construction must be solved with wood, concrete, or steel frames. The skeleton construction method with wood, concrete, or steel offers numerous advantages: it allows great architectural freedom because there are no height limits, and even high-rise buildings are feasible. It also provides stability, earthquake safety, and durability. Another advantage is the easy separability of materials after their useful life, which makes demolition and recycling easier.

We are happy to advise you on the best solution for your needs!

Hemp Bricks for Interior Insulation

Hemp bricks are excellent for interior insulation and for filling in half-timbered houses due to their many properties. Because of their high diffusion openness, no vapor barrier is needed. Because of the low lambda value, no additional insulation is required. And because of the high phase shift (10 hours with a 30 cm wall), hemp bricks also insulate against heat in summer. All of this simplifies processing and saves time and costs. Indoor climate and humidity regulation are comparable to or even better than using clay. This applies both to our finished hemp bricks produced in Eyrs, South Tyrol, and to the on-site mixture as hempcrete.

Hemp Bricks as Exposed Surface & Sound Barrier - or Design Element!

The Schönthaler hemp bricks not only shine as a main element in construction and insulation - they also show their strengths in interior design and decoration. Whether as a partition wall to visually or functionally divide larger spaces, or especially as sound insulation to positively influence room acoustics. In combination with our hemp plasters, which can be customized with pigments to match your design wishes, the Schönthaler hemp bricks become a serious design element in interior decoration. Functionality combined with a unique visual focal point!

Speaking of sound insulation combined with design: we cannot fail to mention the hemp acoustic panels from SAPPA — the crown of sound insulation with style!

Handhabung & Verarbeitung des Hanfsteins

Handling & Processing of the Hemp Bricks

The most important information up front: Schönthaler hemp bricks can be built, plastered, cut, and milled without much effort and with no significant difference compared to conventional similar products. Always lay hemp bricks using pure lime mortars, without any cement additives.

Hemp bricks can be cut with an alligator cutter, circular saw, or handsaw, and milled with a simple router—so no special tools or additional effort are required.

Schönthaler hemp bricks can be plastered with pure lime plasters, clay plasters, or hemp-lime plasters. The best fit in terms of concept and visual appearance are, of course, our hemp-lime base plasters and hemp-lime fine plasters. Even if you choose a different plaster, we are happy to advise you on the best option and provide our selection through our partner company Schönthaler Baustoffe. Regardless, reinforcement mesh is recommended only in critical areas (e.g., window connections and the topmost brick row). In keeping with natural materials, it is best to use hemp reinforcement mesh rather than plastic netting.

More Information on Hempcrete