Main Arm Hemp Music Studio

Front view

Location:
Main Arm, near Mullumbimby, NSW North Coast

Type of Build:
Sound proof music studio constructed as infill to an existing pole structure

Owner:
Sheldon Lieberman and Olivia Laws

Designer:
NA

Builder:
Nicholas Jouin, Permastructure

Size:
Studio 21m2

Cost:
Est $45,000

Date of construction:
October 2015 – February 2016

Purpose of Build:
Soundproof music studio

Choice of Material:
Sheldon had seen Andrew Wadsworth’s hemp house at Mullumbimby. He was impressed that Andrew’s house was warm in winter whereas his house was cold. He was attracted to hemp because of the thermal advantages, the look of the hemp and that there was no need to paint it. Sheldon could also tell that the hemp walls has good acoustic properties.

Internal walls unrendered

Climate:
Zone 2 - Warm humid summer, mild winter

Local Council:
Byron Shire Council

Obtaining Approval:
As a non habitable structure, the studio did not require Council approval

Construction:
Builder Nicholas Jouin, of Permastructure, was engaged to construct the studio. He had a background in earthbag building and had built a hemp studio for Andrew Wadsworth at Mullumbimby.

Footings:
Existing concrete slab on ground. This slab was not level and did not have appropriate termite detailing. The concrete slab had to be levelled and termite traps were installed around the studio.

Floor:
Timber floor on battens and acoustic foam.

Frame:
Existing pole frame, with timber frame added between poles to support hemp walls.

Walls:
Hemp walls using AHMC binder and hemp. The rear wall is 300mm and the remainder are 260mm. This was because the existing concrete slab had a raised lip on the back wall that they wanted to cover. The back wall also faces the neighbours and the thicker wall provided additional sound dampening.
The walls were left unrendered internally and finished with Sodium silicate (Waterglass) to prevent dusting.  A number of cracks developed in the walls and these were covered with artistic render patterns. Feature render was also used around windows and doors.
Externally the walls were rendered by the builder, Nicholas Jouin, using AHMC hemp render.

Skirting detail

Windows:
PVC framed double glazed argon filled windows.

Ceiling:
Floorboards of room above, acoustic insulation, acoustic plasterboard, and acoustic wood wool panels.

Roof:
Existing shed structure.  Colorbond flashing was used on the back wall where there was a change in thickness of the wall from the existing Colorbond cladding and the hemp wall.

Heating:
Reverse cycle air conditioning (this is rarely used for heating).

Cooling:
Reverse cycle air conditioning. When in use the studio needs to be closed up for soundproofing purposes, the air conditioning deals with the heat generated in the studio from its use.

Wall construction:
The hemp walls were constructed by Nicholas Jouin of Permastructure. He gained experience working with hemp, building the studio for Andrew Wadsworth at Mullumbimby.  The builder used an old cement mixer to mix the hempcrete for the walls. I was mostly the builder and one or two labourers working on the project, with a maximum team of four. 

Formwork:
Formply

 

Technical issues:
A number cracks developed in the walls. This was only a problem because Sheldon wanted to leave the walls unrenderd internally.  The cracks were patched and covered with render in artistic whale and plant designs.

Advice/Recommendations:
Sheldon expected the hemp walls to have better sound insulation and expected the studio to be more sound proof than it is, but has found that the acoustics are good and the studio has a good feel.

Contact:
Builder, Nicholas Jouin
Nicholas.jouin@permastructure.com.au