Hot Dry Summer and a Timber Beam

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Joanna Savage

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Hot Dry Summer and a Timber Beam
« on: October 04, 2016, 06:25:26 AM »
The photo shows a crack which has appeared in a beam in this house in Toscana at 350metres alt.  Two unusually hot dry months follwed a very wet July. The beam has been there for 300 years, more or less. There is no other damage around it, either in the wall or in the floor above.
The crack appears to have run through the outer layer of what was once a tree trunk, but has not entered the heartwood. It has been an interesting lesson in wood anatomy and a good illustration that wood expansion and contraction continues for the life of the wood. But, should I have the beam replaced??

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Alisdair

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Re: Hot Dry Summer and a Timber Beam
« Reply #1 on: October 04, 2016, 11:31:57 AM »
Joanna, I forwarded your question and photo to my brother-in-law René, who's a structural engineer. This is what he says:
Very difficult to know how serious this is without understanding more about the global arrangement of what this beam is supporting.
However, the photograph seems to me to show a possible extension of the crack running towards the right of the picture which has been painted over and so this could be historic damage re-appearing or extending. The deeper the crack goes into the depth of the beam the more serious it is . So, on the face of it not too serious in its current state.
Total replacement of the beam is a bit heavy handed but some repairs would be advisable. It might be possible to inject an epoxy based glue into the crack and then clamp the timber together with a good number of wood screws, countersunk for filling and redecorating.

I hope that's a bit reassuring!
Alisdair Aird
Gardens in SE England (Sussex); also coastal Southern Greece, and (in a very small way) South West France; MGS member (and former president); vice chairman RHS Lily Group, past chairman Cyclamen Society

Joanna Savage

  • Sr. Member
Re: Hot Dry Summer and a Timber Beam
« Reply #2 on: October 04, 2016, 01:14:53 PM »
Alisdair, you are a doll to have found out all this information for me. My young days were spent in western Queensland where the groaning of timber beams was usual most nights. So I was rather blase when I heard this crack in the night and felt only a minute of alarm as it was just after the earthquake in Lazio and the beam is over my bed.
A local Tuscan builder is coming to look at it. I have great faith in many of the local builders as they are trained in a sort of apprenticeship system. He is a wonderful craftsman ,and understands the local materials very well.
Nevertheless I am tremendously grateful to you for providing Rene's professional advice.
Old houses throw up many surprises.