Glulam Beam - Checking Problem

[ning]

I'm thinking they should have a person do the repair; it should be on them.

 

[timbatrader]

One thing I would be considering is the reason this happened in the first place is probably down to the timber used to make the beam was the wrong moisture content. It is likely more checks and maybe large cracks will appear over the next few years as the beam drys out at a rate of about one year for every inch of thickness

 

[BigGG]

Is the engineering fix a proper fix? Or do some people here think it's not?

I think so. I personally would have tried to inject some adhesive in the crack and jacked the center before installing the screws, but that's just me.

Is the manufacturer sending someone, or do you have to do it?

 

[BigGG]

Yes, the glue isn't accounted for because they are "assuming" the glue is at least equal to if not stronger than the wood. Therefore they are treating it as if it were one solid beam....without glue.

And yes, proper glue should pull wood fibers apart before the glue separates

Got it. It's not as though they added a steel tension rod or something.

 

[Pettrix]

One thing I would be considering is the reason this happened in the first place is probably down to the timber used to make the beam was the wrong moisture content. It is likely more checks and maybe large cracks will appear over the next few years as the beam drys out at a rate of about one year for every inch of thickness

I believe that also. The timber had more moisture in it than it should have for an Arizona climate. It left the mill in Oregon and hit the dry/hot air of Arizona and dried out faster than it should. With temps in the 100-115F range and humidity in the 10% range. This caused the checking.

Once dried in on the house, with the AC unit running. It should keep indoor humidity levels of 40-45%.

 

[Pettrix]

I'm thinking they should have a person do the repair; it should be on them.

Unfortunately they are not local. They claim they will pay for someone to come out but they can't come out as they are too far away.

 

[yooperdave]

One thing I would be considering is the reason this happened in the first place is probably down to the timber used to make the beam was the wrong moisture content. It is likely more checks and maybe large cracks will appear over the next few years as the beam drys out at a rate of about one year for every inch of thickness

I would not have had a job if I were oversizing structural members such as headers. Ensure all code issues are followed and not anymore. Some homeowners like to know they are not spending any more on structure than necessary - as the structure is expensive to begin with already.

If the beam was oversized to begin with, then why repair at all? Due to the margin, apparently, the issue is cosmetic. However, if the structural integrity is questioned, now is the time to reestablish the integrity. In the future, investigate the use of LVL or PSL if not exposed to view.

Good Luck

Yooper Dave

 

[Pettrix]

I would not have had a job if I were oversizing structural members such as headers. Ensure all code issues are followed and not anymore. Some homeowners like to know they are not spending any more on structure than necessary - as the structure is expensive to begin with already.

If the beam was oversized to begin with, then why repair at all? Due to the margin, apparently, the issue is cosmetic. However, if the structural integrity is questioned, now is the time to reestablish the integrity. In the future, investigate the use of LVL or PSL if not exposed to view.

Good Luck

Yooper Dave

I tend to "overbuild" on my builds. Last house build I did, engineering said 2,500 psi on concrete floor but I went 3,500-4,000 psi. The same for walls and footings. I always will go bigger/stronger. I would rather spend a little more on structural and that way if something does happen, it's overbuilt to begin with so I have a margin of error. Like these beams, engineering oversized them by about 50% or so with the snow loads. So even if the beam lost 25% of its strength, I am still in the green zone.

I will fix it as recommended just to be safe and the fix is easy enough to do in a couple of hours. It will bring peace of mind.

I know with spec builders, they will not do that. They will do the absolute minimum required by law/code/engineering. They will spend money on finishes (granite, cabinets, etc) as that is what "sells" a house. Not that the footings are 12" wider than needed and the concrete in the footing is 4,500 psi instead of just 2,500 psi. The home buyer never will see the footings or wall structure but they will see the interior finishes and that is what sells homes.

 

[newbury]

Engineer's will always error on the side of conservative caution to prevent any future issues.

Unless it costs the firm money.

View attachment 815117

View attachment 815118

Could you put an attractive strip of metal down the line where you are putting the screws in to act as a washer?

 

[etpm]

I tend to "overbuild" on my builds.

I totally get that sentiment. I too tend to overbuild. Nevertheless that is not how most anything is built. I am hoping that the OP can get his beam repaired to the point that it meets the original specs, not the minimum specs.
I know that beams like OP's are built to withstand defects that occur over time but the pictures look like a pretty bad defect. I think if the OP can get a local engineer to look at and OK a repair that is then done by a local entity the repair can be trusted. Of course the beam supplier must sign off on the repair.
Years ago I had a fellow come by my shop needing a LUND boat repaired. Several ribs had broken right in the center. My fix was to make aluminum pieces that fit over the ribs and were two feet long. This way the stress would be over a much larger area than if I just welded up the breaks. So I used aluminum that was at least twice as thick as the rib material and hammer formed it over hard maple forms so that it fit tight onto the ribs. These repair pieces were then welded to the existing ribs while the boat was fixtured so the the cracks in the ribs were closed. The folks at LUND Boats were happy with my repair and paid my customer under warranty who then paid me. Some engineer at LUND looked at my repair and felt that it was more than adequate. If the OP gets the same type of assurance for the repair then it should be OK.
Eric

 

[ponytug]

I totally get that sentiment. I too tend to overbuild. Nevertheless that is not how most anything is built. I am hoping that the OP can get his beam repaired to the point that it meets the original specs, not the minimum specs.
I know that beams like OP's are built to withstand defects that occur over time but the pictures look like a pretty bad defect. I think if the OP can get a local engineer to look at and OK a repair that is then done by a local entity the repair can be trusted. Of course the beam supplier must sign off on the repair.
Years ago I had a fellow come by my shop needing a LUND boat repaired. Several ribs had broken right in the center. My fix was to make aluminum pieces that fit over the ribs and were two feet long. This way the stress would be over a much larger area than if I just welded up the breaks. So I used aluminum that was at least twice as thick as the rib material and hammer formed it over hard maple forms so that it fit tight onto the ribs. These repair pieces were then welded to the existing ribs while the boat was fixtured so the the cracks in the ribs were closed. The folks at LUND Boats were happy with my repair and paid my customer under warranty who then paid me. Some engineer at LUND looked at my repair and felt that it was more than adequate. If the OP gets the same type of assurance for the repair then it should be OK.
Eric

Sounds like a repair to set the standard!

All the best, Peter

 

[oosik]

This may be only a small point. The OP's pictures show de-lamination not checking. Checking is when the crack goes thru/across a single board in the glu-lam. The picture shows separation of one board in the beam.

Glue injection - compression while the glue dries - some form of screw or bolt to help hold this section together.

 

[ning]

This may be only a small point. The OP's pictures show de-lamination not checking. Checking is when the crack goes thru/across a single board in the glu-lam. The picture shows separation of one board in the beam.

Glue injection - compression while the glue dries - some form of screw or bolt to help hold this section together.

I was tempted to say "it looked like checking to me" but after looking again it does look like all of the alleged checking is on board boundaries, with some of the glue pulling wood from one side or the other making it look like checks.

That glulam looks really bad on second look. A beam's strength comes from the vertical aspect, and this basically cuts the bottom two boards off of it, and I'm not sure I'd take bets on the rest of it staying put either.

 

[lilranch2001]

I was tempted to say "it looked like checking to me" but after looking again it does look like all of the alleged checking is on board boundaries, with some of the glue pulling wood from one side or the other making it look like checks.

That glulam looks really bad on second look. A beam's strength comes from the vertical aspect, and this basically cuts the bottom two boards off of it, and I'm not sure I'd take bets on the rest of it staying put either.View attachment 817736

Those were my thoughts when I saw the pics,
I just failed totally in describing my thoughts as well in the way you did!

 

[ponytug]

I was tempted to say "it looked like checking to me" but after looking again it does look like all of the alleged checking is on board boundaries, with some of the glue pulling wood from one side or the other making it look like checks.

That glulam looks really bad on second look. A beam's strength comes from the vertical aspect, and this basically cuts the bottom two boards off of it, and I'm not sure I'd take bets on the rest of it staying put either.View attachment 817736

I agree, that's why I was suggesting epoxy plus compression, either with clamps or screws while it sets.

To be fair, arm chair quarterbacking from a thousand miles away, I think that the second board up has both delaminated from both the lower board, and the upper one, and it has also split/checked in several places. Whether it is full thickness or not seems to be unknown.

All the best,

Peter

 

[lilranch2001]

As armchair quarterbacks is it best to assume the best or worst case scenarios?

 

[yooperdave]

Those were my thoughts when I saw the pics,
I just failed totally in describing my thoughts as well in the way you did!

Note: Glulam beams are not like steel or concrete beams. The best material is used in the tension lams at the bottom for a simply supported beam. The junk is in the middle. Do not assume the loss of the bottom couple lams results in a linear reduction of strength. It is much more significant than that.

Yooper Dave