Alternative Building Materials

With the constant increase in the cost of living, we have also found ourselves having to source alternatives for almost everything. Countries in the northern hemisphere are blessed with long winter months which result in taller trees, fuller forests, and cheaper wood. This explains the abundance of houses made from logs and processed wood. This is a privilege that we South Africans don’t quite get to enjoy. Our harsh dry conditions call for us to explore more “concrete” building materials which can weather whatever storm. 

Considering that we are not a society of buyers/spenders, we like to build our houses out of quality materials that are made to last a lifetime or two.

In this article, we wish to explore a couple of readily available alternative building materials that you may not have considered.

Hempcrete

Hempcrete is a mixture of hemp and limewater, hempcrete (or hemp-lime) is a sustainable alternative to traditional concrete. Hempcrete is safe, non-toxic, and biodegradable, coexisting in harmony with our lifestyles, the building structure, and the world around us. Versatile as a building material, hempcrete serves as a complete above-grade insulating thermal envelope – offering healthy solutions for walls, ceilings, and floors.

Find out more about where to source Hempcrete in South Africa.

Gumtree Poles

Building using gum poles and other types of logs has been very popular over the years, especially amongst those wishing to live off-grid or looking for a rusting look to their homes or cabins. If you are in the fortunate position of owning a piece of land with plenty of trees, building a log cabin is a great way to make the most of the natural resources surrounding you. Whether it’s your primary home, a weekend getaway, or an outbuilding; it is completely realistic for you to build a cabin, even with little or no construction experience.

Don’t be put off or fooled by the many kits builds on the market that makes out only experts can build cabins and they come with a huge price tag. You don’t have to spend a fortune to have your rustic log cabin.