Gun safe mounting
- Thread starter AMSting
- Start date
oneounceload
Moderator
You might want to also consider a rubber "stall mat" sold and feed stores and other places tack is sold - they can run as thick or thicker and won't let moisture wick through
Are you mounting it between the safe and concrete? Or are you using it to help support it on a std wood floor? If you have a moist concrete floor use a sill gasket material or sandwich some plastic between two pieces of plywood. Is the area prone to flooding with a little water? By a little I mean 1 inch or less. If you want to displace the load on a wood floor how much does your safe weigh and what is the footprint on the floor space? And what floor of the house?
Uncle Buck
New member
Check Menards or Home Depot like stores for the rubber mats. It'll be cheaper than buying a stall mat and cutting it.
If you end up using plywood, get a very good paint and seal the wood before installing it.
My two barn storage units, one safe, one metal cabinet, are bolted to the barn walls. This may be another option for you.
If you end up using plywood, get a very good paint and seal the wood before installing it.
My two barn storage units, one safe, one metal cabinet, are bolted to the barn walls. This may be another option for you.
Rifleman1776
New member
Some safes, like mine, have feet that hold it about 3/4" above the floor. No problem.
As for bolting directly to concrete. One big factor is where do you live and the other is how old is your house? If you live in the desert and own a newer home like I do you can bolt directly to the concrete the humidity is low and the moisture in the concrete is also low. There is a plastic liner under my concrete and above the ground that helps keep moisture below the concrete. If on the other hand with out that plastic liner and in a humid area the concrete will act as a wick and hold some amount of water. Even on a painted surface it will over time do some damage to your safe and may make the finish look bad near the floor. In which case you would want some sort of barrier between the concrete and the safe something like a sill plate gasket, plastic, or other material. Wood would be one of my last choices without plastic sandwiched between two pieces. Wood will ROT if placed directly on concrete that holds moisture. That makes it a wick in my book so I would look for another product. Those pads that you stand on for work that are about 1 inch thick might be a good idea. I'm sure there are other product like it that might be good choices. A smitty pan for a washing machine might work. My point is that you want separation from any source of moisture.
Earlier I also asked about std wood floors and what floor of the house. If you are placing a very heavy object on a floor over time the floor may show signs of sagging. You may/may not be able to see the effects but a little reinforcing in the area to displace the weight over a larger area might no be a bad idea. You can do this in a number of ways one place a large piece of heavy plywood under the safe to spread the load or support the floor from the underside. I have seen equipment moved through businesses that fell through the floor. I'm not saying it will happen but it might.
Earlier I also asked about std wood floors and what floor of the house. If you are placing a very heavy object on a floor over time the floor may show signs of sagging. You may/may not be able to see the effects but a little reinforcing in the area to displace the weight over a larger area might no be a bad idea. You can do this in a number of ways one place a large piece of heavy plywood under the safe to spread the load or support the floor from the underside. I have seen equipment moved through businesses that fell through the floor. I'm not saying it will happen but it might.
oneounceload
Moderator
Another factor is also where you're putting it - if it is going in the garage and your water heater is in there.......I have had mine start leaks that would cause a mess with a metal safe
Other factors to consider....
If your foundation is pier & beam type (footings under the house) try to locate the safe above one to relieve the stress on the wood joist floor. If not, use plywood to span the space between two piers to support the weight. In most cases, you probably won't need it, if you can locate near a structural support like a beam or a vertical footing.
Safes like the common Liberty Centurion series weigh in around 100-200 lbs per square foot. Someone here can probably tell us what most residential floors are designed to hold (almost 598 lbs/sqft IIRC).
When you bolt your safe down, keep in mind the type of material you're anchoring to with the bolts. For wood, use at least 3/8" to 1/2" lag bolts and a large washer. The washer simply spreads any load on from the bolt head out so the head doesn't bear directly on the hole. For concrete, you can drill an oversized hole and fill 2/3rds with either new cement or epoxy compound and then drop the bolt in to let it all cure. Use the washers here too.
If you're in a humid area or have moisture issues around the house, cut a circle of neoprene rubber the same size as the washers. Use this between the washer and safe bottom to help seal out moisture from underneath.
Don't forget to level your safe. Using wood shims, like those for setting up door or window frames will work. Drive them under the safe until she levels out and then trim with a very sharp utility knife.
If your foundation is pier & beam type (footings under the house) try to locate the safe above one to relieve the stress on the wood joist floor. If not, use plywood to span the space between two piers to support the weight. In most cases, you probably won't need it, if you can locate near a structural support like a beam or a vertical footing.
Safes like the common Liberty Centurion series weigh in around 100-200 lbs per square foot. Someone here can probably tell us what most residential floors are designed to hold (almost 598 lbs/sqft IIRC).
When you bolt your safe down, keep in mind the type of material you're anchoring to with the bolts. For wood, use at least 3/8" to 1/2" lag bolts and a large washer. The washer simply spreads any load on from the bolt head out so the head doesn't bear directly on the hole. For concrete, you can drill an oversized hole and fill 2/3rds with either new cement or epoxy compound and then drop the bolt in to let it all cure. Use the washers here too.
If you're in a humid area or have moisture issues around the house, cut a circle of neoprene rubber the same size as the washers. Use this between the washer and safe bottom to help seal out moisture from underneath.
Don't forget to level your safe. Using wood shims, like those for setting up door or window frames will work. Drive them under the safe until she levels out and then trim with a very sharp utility knife.
housedad 1 chain and 1 truck = safe gone! I don't think they would care about what happens to your home sorry. I saw first hand the damage done by a forklift driven through the front doors of a business and one very large copier stolen. any one part was over 2000 pounds and there were three parts! The alarms went off and the police did come but too late! It was gone! I still don't get that one! The only place you could get parts for that thing was from Xerox! I guess they didn't think it through to well......