Filling shakes in old beam

[CliffordPope]

I have a very large oak lintel supporting a big stone chimney. The wood is sound but has several ancient shakes in places about half an inch wide. What is the best treatment for these? I am tempted to fill them with something, but brown-painted polyfiller doesn't look very attractive. Is there some traditional concoction?

A second question about the beam:
It has three peg holes in the front face, two are vertically above each other, about 5" apart, the other is 3 feet away, in line with the mid-point of the two. My theory is these would be for hanging a gun. Or is there another reason for the holes?

 

[middi]

Hi

1) why do you need to fill the " shakes" ( cracks)
2) the peg holes are ( were !!), most likely, for shelves
3) if you are so desperate to fill the holes, cracks etc.., use lime plaster. It wil make a nice contrast to an original old bressumer.

Middi

 

[Gareth Hughes]

Don't fill them, it gives the spiders a home.

 

[JoceAndChris]

Which comes in very handy when you have a hen recuperating in the kitchen!

 

[Flyfisher]

Apart, perhaps, from grafting in another piece of matching oak, I'm struggling to think of anything that would look any better than the shake itself. Such things go with the wood, rather like the grain itself.

I appreciate it's all a matter of personal preference, but it wouldn't occur to me to fill such things - except, perhaps, where beams have been limewashed, in which case I'd agree with Middi's earlier suggestion of using lime plaster.

 

[Gareth Hughes]

The holes may have been for hanging a spit, or other such contrivance.

 

[CliffordPope]

The holes are at the wrong level for supporting a shelf;

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and too far away from the fire to be much use for hanging a spit (and why two at one side?).


OK, I'll leave the cracks unfilled.

Many thanks.

 

[citizensmith]

Dont bother filling in splits - its a waste of time and you just have to consider it as character.

As for the peg holes - my bet is the lintel was reclaimed from another use. We have lots of timber here with peg holes/slots etc showing they had an earlier life, but were too good to waste.

 

[Carol]

We had a problem with one of our old beams and after lots of advice decided to learn to love the shakes. But I have filled one particularly filthy deep shake with brown mastic because of the dirt and dust that came out each time someone walked upstairs. The mastic is deep in the crevice and can't be seen without peering in but it does the job. (Still feel a bit guilty!)

 

[Penners]

OK, I'll leave the cracks unfilled.

A wise decision, Clifford, and one that has saved you work. Whatever you filled the crack with would probably have cracked itself and eventually fallen out (unless you'd used some modern silicone or similar - which I'm sure you wouldn't!). The wood will continue to move as time goes on.

As for the peg holes, I recommend that you concoct your own romantic explanation for their existence (useful for entertaining guests). The list of possibilities is so long that it's impossible to say with any certainty.

For example: the holes had hook-shaped pegs in them. In wet weather, ladies would stand with their backs to the fire and hoick up the backs of their long skirts, hanging them on the pegs to dry off. This had the added bonus of warming the buttocks at the same time.

Well, a chap can dream....

 

[Flyfisher]

I was about to invoke the spirit of Mr Drift but then I realised Penners was still referring to 'cracks', so I'll let it pass.

 

[JoceAndChris]

:lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[FamilyWiggs]

LoL Penners.

We have peg holes in our bresummer over the fire place and also in the main beam in the dining room (is this a transom beam?). They are perfectly round, so drilled presumably, and go all the way through the beam. They are all the same size over the house - about the size of a 50p piece (if it was round that is!)

I had always supposed that iron rods were inserted through the beam to make carrying and lifting the beams into place easier. I can think of few other reasons that make sense - particularly since the holes go all the way through. In the bresummer there is old haired lime plaster in the backs of the two holes, which seems to suggest they weren't used for hanging anything.

I think I prefer Penners' explanation though.

 

[Penners]

I was about to invoke the spirit of Mr Drift but then I realised Penners was still referring to 'cracks', so I'll let it pass.

I should hope so, too! My extensive advice about cracks (of all types) is beyond worth. You wouldn't get this stuff anywhere else, you know.

 

[FamilyWiggs]

You wouldn't get this stuff anywhere else, you know.

For such little mercies, we should be thankful. :wink:

 

[Penners]

I was afraid of this. Pearls before swine....

 

[robgil]

You can never know enough about cracks and there is always something new to learn every day, or twice a day, three times a day providing your back can hold out long enough.

 

[middi]

You can never know enough about cracks and there is always something new to learn every day, or twice a day, three times a day providing your back can hold out long enough.

is that supposed to be a cracking joke about cracks Rob

Middi

 

[robgil]

Split my sides laughing i did Middi.
Cracks me up this forum does sometimes.

 

[CliffordPope]

For example: the holes had hook-shaped pegs in them. In wet weather, ladies would stand with their backs to the fire and hoick up the backs of their long skirts, hanging them on the pegs to dry off. This had the added bonus of warming the buttocks at the same time.

Well, a chap can dream....

The holes/pegs are about 8 feet off the ground, so the mind boggles. :wink: