It’s no secret among cannabis enthusiasts that hemp is good for just about anything. Until the days of Reefer Madness shut it down, hemp was a viable option for fibers and materials, and it is one of the major cash crops that America was built on. So it should come as no surprise that hemp fiberboard could possibly replace plywood as a major building material source.

According to davidwolfe.com, this could be a viable option because trees take years to grow, and deforestation in order to make homes and dwellings is a major ecological issue. Hemp, on the other hand, grows in about four or five months, and can produce a lot more volume-wise on growing acreage than trees can.

One acre of hemp can reportedly yield up to 5,300 pounds of straw, which can be turned into 1,300 pounds of wood fiber. Additionally, hemp is reported to be even stronger than steel when it comes to the quality of the building material. It can hold up to major impacts, and won’t break down easily when used to create fiberboard. In fact, if the boards are treated in the right way, they can also be fire and water resistant, and they can provide good insulation from hot and cold temperatures.

Because of all the issues faced today with deforestation, climate change, and scarcity of resources for building, it just makes sense to turn to hemp. The plant can provide the means to build homes for the disadvantaged, and the homes will be sturdy, insulated, and well-made. Since hemp grows so readily, it is also an affordable alternative to using plywood.

As these next few years see more acceptance of cannabis recreationally and medically, and hemp becomes legal and accepted again, many manufacturers will surely choose the durable plant as their building material of choice.