Muckleford Hemp House

Muckleford Hemp House

High-performance hempcrete integration in a co-living build

Muckleford, Victoria

Supplied by: Respirabuilt

Design Partner: Dan (Owner-Designer)

Builder: Brad Sanford

Dan wasn’t just the client on this project. He was also the designer, which meant the usual separation between vision and execution didn’t exist. From the outset, he had a clear idea of how the house needed to perform over time. Comfort, durability, and airtightness weren’t aspirations to work toward later. They were non-negotiables that shaped the project well before construction began.

Those decisions sat alongside another defining choice. The interior faces of the external hempcrete walls were intended to remain exposed,  which immediately raised the bar. Without render or linings to fall back on, every junction, penetration, and transition had to be resolved cleanly. Decisions that are often deferred had to be made early, with no room to hide or adjust later.

That constraint had a direct impact on how the house was detailed. Brad and our team needed to think carefully about how services, joinery, and fixed appliances were integrated, knowing there would be no opportunity to cover anything up later. 

This level of intent needed a builder who was willing to meet it head-on. Brad Sanford was brought on early. and his approach set the tone for the project. He is one of the most uncompromising builders we’ve worked with and is renowned as one of the leading high-performance builders in the state. Brad holds his work to the highest standard a builder could possibly muster

The challenge

The challenge was integrating hempcrete into a house that was being built to achieve, while also leaving parts of the material exposed internally. Exposed hemp eliminates many of the fallback options available in conventional builds. 

On a typical project, internal lime render can assist with airtightness and help smooth over minor inconsistencies. Here, that layer wasn’t available on the interior perimeter walls. Airtightness still needed to be continuous, which meant the wall, floor, and roof junctions had to be resolved precisely, and every penetration through the envelope had to be considered early.

The Approach

The performance target for this house pushed the detailing further than a typical build. Rather than adapting the wall system as construction progressed, the full build-up was resolved upfront. Wall thicknesses, junctions, and interfaces were set to suit both the internal and external hemp skins, so the system could perform as intended without compromise.

At the base of the walls, the build-up was kept intentionally simple to avoid unnecessary layers and complications. Reducing unnecessary timber and allowing materials to work together proved more effective than relying on added layers or secondary fixes. 

How the hemp was installed depended on how it would ultimately be finished. External walls allowed for more flexibility due to rendering, while internal walls required a higher level of control. Formwork was installed progressively, and hemp was poured in stages, with careful handling required to avoid disturbing the uncured hemp below as the formwork was moved. Services weren’t something Brad left to sort out later. Anywhere a GPO or fitting needed to sit in a hemp wall, the rear plates were detailed and taped for airtightness before the pour. 

The Outcome

The hemp walls carry a weight that changes how the spaces read. The walls gave the rooms a sense of depth and calm by anchoring the interiors. Light moves differently across them throughout the day. 

Internally, the exposed hemp walls help stabilise internal conditions and give the spaces a grounded, solid feel. They were treated as finished surfaces from the beginning, so what’s visible now reflects how the build was carried out rather than how it was concealed. Externally, the rendered hemp walls sit comfortably within the landscape. The finish feels deliberate, picking up the surrounding earthy tones and softening the edge between the building and the ground.

Curing was handled deliberately, and it wasn’t uniform across the house. Walls facing north and west dried faster with consistent sun, while shaded southern sections held moisture for much longer. In warmer conditions, cast hempcrete can settle within a few weeks. Through winter, especially with frost and limited sun, that process stretches out significantly.

Rather than forcing a timeline, moisture levels were monitored, and the walls were left to dry properly before sealing. Allowing each elevation to reach an appropriate level on its own terms was critical, particularly with exposed internal hemp. 

Exposed Internal Hempcrete

The result is a finish that feels inherent to the building rather than applied. The walls have depth, variation, and texture that change with light and use, and that quality comes directly from their construction. The hemp walls aren’t decorative additions. They are structural, thermal, and finished in one, and the aesthetic follows naturally from that.

The walls visually hold the rooms together. They feel solid, calm, and considered, the surfaces that make a house feel settled. That outcome showcases Dan’s vision as a designer and Brad’s discipline on-site. The walls reflect the decisions made on site, the care taken during the pour, and the restraint shown in not trying to over-control the finish.

If you’re considering hempcrete for a residential build, get in touch to talk it through.