ᐅ Wooden Balcony – Minor Cracks in Beams

Hi!

We have a balcony made of wood. There is no roof above it, and no neighbors living above us, so the balcony is exposed to the weather. Now the wooden beams are slowly developing small cracks or slight splits. You probably know what I mean.

Is this dangerous, or is it normal as long as it is only superficial?

Thank you.

Dear Homeworker,
If I were you, I wouldn’t worry too much. Wood naturally moves, and it’s the same with a wooden floor; the wood can shrink or expand. Is your balcony secured underneath?
Best regards

For freestanding wooden structures exposed to the weather (such as your wooden balcony and likely the decking) made from standard dimensional lumber, cracks—both small and large—are to be considered normal. Only the use of glulam (glued laminated timber) eliminates the risk of cracking.

Yes, my balcony is secured from underneath with steel beams, I believe.

Back then, in my old apartment, the situation became somewhat dangerous. In particular, the wood was not really of high quality. Exposure to sunlight, snow, rain, etc. caused it to deteriorate from the inside as well, increasing the risk of collapse. While it was secured, the safety measures were limited to the edges—that is, the balcony as a whole—but not the actual surface area.

Good day,
Drying cracks in wood are normal. These cracks especially occur in the most commonly used construction timber in Germany, spruce and pine.
As a rule of thumb: cracks become structurally critical only when
the crack depth is greater than 1/4 of the cracked piece’s thickness
the crack length is greater than 1/3 of the total length

If this is the case, it is advisable to have an expert inspection.