Construction Performance Guidelines
Article Number
Condition
WOOD JOIST, BEAM OR POST IS SPLIT, CHECKED OR CUPPED
Acceptable Performance/Condition
Performance/Condition:Load-bearing wood framing members that have splits checks, or are cupped due to normal drying are acceptable if the beams and posts have been sized according to the Building Code and no structural deficiency exists. Where wood beams or posts are also intended to be decorative, splits and checks resulting from normal shrinkage are acceptable.
Warranty
One-Year - Work and Materials. Seven-Year - Major Structural Defect. · Splits checks, and cupping resulting from normal shrinkage caused by drying after construction are excluded from the statutory warranty.
Action
Splits and checks not meeting the acceptable performance shall be repaired
Remarks
Wood beams and posts are timbers that are solid-sawn and at least 114 mm (41/2") in their smallest dimension. Some characteristics of drying wood, such as splitting and checking, are beyond the control of the builder and cannot be prevented. Splitting and checking may be an aesthetic issue rather than a structural problem. See Also: 14.23 TWISTING OF OPEN-END BEAMS