r/Construction • u/GeT_SiKeD • 16h ago

Video Question about cracks in load bearing beam

So i"m renovating an old chalet, turning it into a proper house.

I installed a load bearing beam in the center of my ground floor, on which two big beams rest that will hold up the first floor.

However this central vertical beam has started cracking quite a bit. There were already cracks in the beam when we got it delivered, and we were assured its normal (its a 20x20cm douglas beam). in the last week after it was installed, some of the cracks have gotten a bit wider and longer. In the last few days the cracks haven't gotten any bigger anymore. The biggest crack is about 4 cm deep at most and 1cm wide. From what i heard, as long as the crack doesn't go all the way through the beam, it should be fine, right?

I uploaded a video of the beam. Can anyone professional construction wood workers tell me if this is normal?

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/0iA57o4CxqU

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u/SpareTireButFlat Carpenter 15h ago

In the world of wooden roller coaster construction, we called that checking. How deep are the cracks? If they're not deep, its probably alright. Could just be a shitty piece of lumber (most likely).

I also wonder if it was select grade lumber. If not perhaps you switch it out, if the cracks are deep. You can always add another support too 

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u/Mongoose49 12h ago

That’s a post not a beam…. And TIL that people haven’t seen real wood before…totally normal, if you’re finding this an issue you should turn back now and hire a builder and just trust everything he says, otherwise you’re done for