Split in Wood Lintel

Hi,

In the process of repointing our stone barn conversion I noticed that a wooden lintel above an external large door is split across the grain (see picture).

So much that if you press on it it moves. The scaffolders noticed this as they were putting it up. Above this lintel is a balcony on the 1st floor.

Does anyone know what my options are? It's face is external but nearly flush with the stone. It's about 10"x10" and about 9' long. Will this have to removed completely which looks like a huge job, or can somekind of resin be used? Also any ideas of cost? I know that's hard to answer but are we talking £500 or £5000. Looks like my simple repointing has turned into a bit of a nightmare.

Thanks in advance,

Matt

I can not see a split across the grain, just one along it. The very fact that you can move (bend) it shows its just a relatively thin sliver. Imagine. you have your lintel sitting on a table. Look at the end, you will have a split that is 1/2" back from the front edge on the top that runs at an angle to front face about 4" down from the top. Its an embarassment but not a big structural problem, you will have lost 5% of the strength of the lintel. What to do? First check out if what I say is correct, get something like a 6" metal rule that you can push gently into the crack so you can see what the angle is. If its horizontal, i.e. the crack is half way down the height of the beam, then you have a real problem because you can not move a 10" X 5" piece of wood 9 feet long unless its rotten. If your findings are that the cracks runs almost vertical, then I would ignore it.
Frank

thanks for the reply. sorry I meant along grain not across. Wrote in a bit of a panic. Good news it after closer inpsection it looks to be a thin sliver, almost cosmetic I think which is why I could move it. The stones that are now loose above are also just thin and sit in front of the main ones behind. It looks like a concrete lintel behind it. So I think it might not be as bad as I thought