# Fixing Exposed Beam Cracks?



## Mbrockman5 (Feb 25, 2013)

I'm hoping someone could answer a couple questions for me....

I have exposed beams in my Living Room and one of them has some cracks running along only ONE side. I've been keeping an eye on it to make sure they don't get bigger, but I'm thinking I should take some preventive measures to prevent any potential progression.

My questions are.... 

>Would butterfly keys help this situation from getting worse? 

-If Not-

> What would you recommend to do/use? 


(I'm sorry if the cracks are hard to see. There about 14' up and I didn't use a ladder. Haha)

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## ryan50hrl (Jun 30, 2012)

First off, I doubt they're structural beams from the size and appearance. Do you know if they are?

It's doubtful that anything you can do will stop the wood from cracking. Wood cracks, and that's just the nature of it. Keeping the house more humid may help.


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

What you are seeing is pretty much normal and really doesn't affect the strength very much. Unless you are put out because of the appearance I would leave it just like it is. If the appearance really bothers you I would mask off each side of the crack and fill with wood putty and sand it with the tape and masking still there. Then put a clear coat of the same finish over the top.


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## Mbrockman5 (Feb 25, 2013)

I'm pretty sure they're Structural Beams. The ceiling is made of 1½" Tongue & Groove, and each beam goes thru each interior wall to the outside. 

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## ryan50hrl (Jun 30, 2012)

How old is the house, and what state are you from?


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## Big Jim (Sep 29, 2011)

*Yep!*

Them is structural beams! The cracks will NOT hurt the strength enough to matter.
Most likely the beams were twice the strength needed in the first place.
Secondly lengthwise cracks cause very little loss of strength.
HOWEVER if you are worried get a 14 foot ladder and a straight edge. Lay the straight edge on the bottom of several OTHER beams to get a reading of what NORMAL is. Then use the straight edge on the cracked ones. 
I betcha there is little if any difference in deflection between them.
Big Jim:vs_love:


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## Mbrockman5 (Feb 25, 2013)

I'm in Northern California.... The house was built in 1970, but this room is a 16'x24' addition that was built I think a few years before I bought the house. 

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## Hammer1 (Aug 1, 2010)

The splits are normal and pose no problems structurally, just appearance. Large lumber cannot be kiln dried, it dries slowly over years once in place. I've built a lot of timberframes. Owners are often woken up by the loud sounds of the wood cracking. It's caused by moisture that is "trapped" within the interior of the beam. The outer parts of the beam dry first, then the interior moisture causes the splits as it finally works out. This is common. When kiln drying smaller lumber, steam is added to the kiln to re-wet the exterior, so it won't dry too fast and split/check. 

There is no practical way to fill or stop the cracks, they can continue to expand and fillers will fall out. Click on my name and go to my picture albums. The album of "some projects" wasn't taken to show beam cracks but you can see them on beams in the first two pics, especially with the dark stain on the beams. Most beams only crack on one face but it's hard to know which ones or where. I explain this to customers as do all timberframers. I put it in writing and have the client sign. We can't control nature.


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## BWSmith (Aug 24, 2010)

Caulk them if it bothers you.

Just sayin,this really should have been planned for in advance.


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## Mbrockman5 (Feb 25, 2013)

The cracks don't bother me at all. I just didn't know if they needed to be addressed before something bad happened.

Plus.... I like the look of butterfly keys.... Haha

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## BWSmith (Aug 24, 2010)

I hear ya.....


But,they bother the livin Heck out of some folks M....

Our kitchen floor is hand planed T&G,SYP(by me,30+ years ago)....did the pickle finish thing that,at that time was pretty....oh,how you say,hip?

Fast fwd all these years and we get to watch with a bit of amusement,when that 30 sumthin y.o. female comes in and her jaw hits the floor at how.....OMG,"ya'll don't have any,shiny **** clear coat on your floor".

Yup,and if you look at the Oak hdwd...around the entrances especially,it's worn down with no finish either....ain't it cool?

So,lesson here is...some folks "get it"...some folks,uhhhh don't.


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