So, how'd y'all mount your safes?

[locked*n*loaded]

Just bought a new safe. Me and a guy I hired hauled it down to my basement. Kinda brutal. I can guarantee when I die, it will be going with the house. Anyway, I know it's a no-go to sit directly on the concrete floor. Is fabbing a platform best? I've heard some people use hockey pucks and drill holes in the center of them for the bolts. But, doesn't that kinda defeat the purpose since there will be access from the sides, for someone who is inclined to do so, to take a reciprocating saw and cut the bolts? The metal "skid" it came on could be modified, but it has "access" slots on the sides where, again, someone could get at the bolts and chop them off. The only other option I can think of is start from scratch and build something, like out of 2 x 2 x 1/4" square tubing, that I have, but is it overkill? I don't know about using 4 x 4 wood. Seems like it would wick moisture out of the concrete. Thoughts?

 

[ArizonaTea123]

You can use a thin moisture barrier cut to the exact dimensions of the bottom of the safe. Home Depot & Lowes sell these for covering concrete before laying down tile or wood flooring.
It comes in different thicknesses so its a personal choice. I would go with the thickest available.
It will keep moisture from rising up from the slab.

 

[locked*n*loaded]

You can use a thin moisture barrier cut to the exact dimensions of the bottom of the safe. Home Depot & Lowes sell these for covering concrete before laying down tile or wood flooring.
It comes in different thicknesses so its a personal choice. I would go with the thickest available.
It will keep moisture from rising up from the slab.

And it'll hold up over the long term on the concrete?

 

[hittman]

I left mine on the base it was shipped on.
Almost 900 pounds EMPTY and in my basement.
Somebody packing it away is the least of my worries.

 

[ArizonaTea123]

My whole house is tile. All 5,600 st.ft of tile. No carpet.
Before the tile was laid down the concrete slab was fully covered in plastic moisture barrier. It also keeps Radon gas levels to almost zero.
The barrier lasts indefinitely.
Depending on your city and county, it could very well be required.

 

[gunzo]

Lots of ways to saw/chop into one these days but never think an unanchored one can't be carted off. Well, if by some means it's 2K pounds or something.

I used to shoot pistol matches with a federal agent & while was away a large un-anchored safe was removed from his basement. Since the safe contained some class 3 stuff that belonged to the feds, a forensics team was sent in. They determined the thieves were 2 medium size guys with a fridge cart & were in the house about 20 minutes.


This is why I think anchoring it down is imperative, along with placing it in a corner. That covers one side & the rear. Heavy shelving above & beside protect the top & the other side. leaving only the reinforced front of the unit exposed & this is the beefiest area of the unit. The last safe break in hereabouts, the thieves turned over the safe on it's face & chopped out the back of it( as that's the thinnest area in some) with a wood splitting maul.

Long story short, if ya don't anchor & protect the safe it self ya just put all your goodies in a portable container, or all the eggs in one penetrable basket.

 

[locked*n*loaded]

My whole house is tile. All 5,600 st.ft of tile. No carpet.
Before the tile was laid down the concrete slab was fully covered in plastic moisture barrier. It also keeps Radon gas levels to almost zero.
The barrier lasts indefinitely.
Depending on your city and county, it could very well be required.

I doubt mine was done like that. My house isn't new enough to meet those coding requirements.

 

[locked*n*loaded]

Lots of ways to saw/chop into one these days but never think an unanchored one can't be carted off. Well, if by some means it's 2K pounds or something.

I used to shoot pistol matches with a federal agent & while was away a large un-anchored safe was removed from his basement. Since the safe contained some class 3 stuff that belonged to the feds, a forensics team was sent in. They determined the thieves were 2 medium size guys with a fridge cart & were in the house about 20 minutes.


This is why I think anchoring it down is imperative, along with placing it in a corner. That covers one side & the rear. Heavy shelving above & beside protect the top & the other side. leaving only the reinforced front of the unit exposed & this is the beefiest area of the unit. The last safe break in hereabouts, the thieves turned over the safe on it's face & chopped out the back of it( as that's the thinnest area in some) with a wood splitting maul.

Long story short, if ya don't anchor & protect the safe it self ya just put all your goodies in a portable container, or all the eggs in one penetrable basket.

That's kinda the way I'm looking at it. I live alone and who knows who is watching my comings and goings? Me and one other guy, a real BRUTE of a guy, took it down the basement steps. I honestly thought my steps were going to crack and collapse, even though I beefed them up beforehand. To me that means it could come out the same way. I think I need to anchor it as best I can.

 

[Busterswoodshop]

I honestly thought my steps were going to crack and collapse, even though I beefed them up beforehand.

There's your answer.
Take out the beefed up part and weekend the steps a little.
Make sure to mount a camera , because if anyone does try to steel it , it's going to be a kodak moment.

 

[Captain America]

4" pressure treated lumber bolted to the concrete basement floor, safe bolted to the lumber, "closet" built around the safe.

 

[Jim Walsh]

My safe was winched down a set of stairs into my (dry) basement and it weighed 600 pounds empty…now it's full. I pity the person who tries to haul it out of there. Plus I have a security system.

 

[DGW1949]

All of that...but these days, they'll likely just come in with a cordless saw with the appropriate blade attached and simply cut enough of an opening to reach in the safe and pull out their payday....But yeah, just to answer the question as posed, I would certainly anchor the safe to the floor and if possible, the wall also. At least that way, you'll know that you did all you could do.

DGW

 

[Hankus]

Even though my safe weighs around 500 pounds empty and it's chock full I drilled holes into the concrete floor and epoxied heavy duty hard steel bolts in the holes, put down some of the aforementioned vapor barrier and bolted it in. It's not going anywhere.

 

[Johnnu2]

If I were a bad guy, I'd just cut a hole in the safe with a portable saw.... Most gun safes have VERY thin metal (sometimes backed by some cheap material that makes the sides and rear appear rather solid). Child's play to get in and out really...you just need time. I guess a camera would, at least, alert you and you could call the po-po (IF you had a smart phone and if the po-po were nearby and not "busy"). The REAL security protocol is: don't let ANYONE know you have a gun collection.... and I mean ANYONE....especially kids.
IMHO,
J.

 

[Hankus]

Yes, they would have to get past my overlapping outdoor camera system and the dogs first. When we go on vacation I activate indoor cameras too. It doesn't hurt that my closest neighbor is a retired deputy that stays active in the auxiliary. I do the same for him.

 

[Randyzzz]

I sure do miss my old safe install. We owned this place back in the late 90's. Pics are off of a realtor website but I did the safe install and all the woodwork. (I installed a Browning originally- the realtor called years later, the combo was misplaced. And I had long forgotten it.) The alcove for the TV was too small but it was perfect for my safe. It was bolted to the slab, then I constructed cabinets around it.

My safe in my last home was in the shop. The shop was built like a home- fully insulated, 2x6 walls, etc. I built an enclosure for the safe, which was again bolted to the concrete. But the walls surrounding it, sides, top, and back, were hardened with t-posts and rebar every 4", and then filled with 3/4 minus gravel and epoxy. (I worked at an auto dealership- I got a bunch of out-of-date gallons of epoxy that set up just fine. The sheathing is plywood, not Sheetrock.) I also had a full alarm system. I felt pretty good about that. Hated leaving that shop.

 

[NikA]

Personally, I would seal it at the holes in the steel and call it good. Doubt there will be enough moisture on the bottom to compromise it or the bolts in any reasonable amount of time.

I have a safe that is installed over a floor that I couldn't drill into (subfloor heating). Glued it with construction adhesive, if someone wants to take it the easiest way is by knocking out the wall it's wedged against.

 

[gollwoods]

Find some tyvek if you want a moisture barrier. Like builders use for vapor in walls. I mean between floor and safe depending on what you think will work

 

[Kevin]

There's your answer.
Take out the beefed up part and weekend the steps a little.
Make sure to mount a camera , because if anyone does try to steel it , it's going to be a kodak moment.

Or take it a step further and put in a well built wall or some other structure to make the entrance slightly smaller than the safe.

Or weld/bolt some steel pieces to the outside of the safe making it impossible to remove from the room it's in.

 

[tbone]

Bolting one down is good. But if the door has a big enough gap between the door and frame they can get a good pry bar into , they will be in it in 30 seconds. The big rods sticking out of the door that go into the frame are only attached to 3/8" bolts. And they are not very long. If yours has a large gap between the door and frame , just fill that gap with a piece of metal , the full length.