I have a full concrete room in basement I plan on turning into a gun room. 2 walls are the poured foundation and is under ground. The other 2 walls are concrete block. I need to pour the floor because that’s the only spot in basement that isn’t poured. I plan on installing a steel door for entry. The ceiling is open joist and I do plan on installing a drop ceiling. My question is I was wondering if anyone had some diy ideas to help secure the ceiling. I know I may be over doing it and over thinking it. I’m just worried it would be to easy for someone to simply take a chainsaw to gain access from above. Is there a company out there that sells products for this purpose or does anyone have any ideas to help prevent people who want to gain access from above. Now I know people are going to say most your break inns are inn and out jobs but my problem is I live out in the middle of nowhere with most neighbors out of sight. I would just hate to put all that work in securing with the concrete walls and steel door and a gun safe just for someone to take 2min and a chain saw to gain access to my gun room.
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Gun/vault room
- Thread starter bungiex88
- Start date
2ndsojourn
New member
The easiest option is screw a couple layers of cement board to the joists above and lay block up to that.
For a more secure option, it's not that big of a deal to peel back any carpet on the floor above, cut out the sub-floor, and pour a couple inches of concrete on metal deck. Then just nail back the sub floor and put the carpet back.
For a more secure option, it's not that big of a deal to peel back any carpet on the floor above, cut out the sub-floor, and pour a couple inches of concrete on metal deck. Then just nail back the sub floor and put the carpet back.
Bill DeShivs
New member
Heavy steel mesh under the ceiling.
It might be a good idea to install heat tape in the floor to control the humidity.
It might be a good idea to install heat tape in the floor to control the humidity.
Security mesh is what you want, the last time I bought it I think it was about $80 a sheet but I bought it through a friend (See here: http://amicoglobal.com/security-products/security-mesh/)
...........I've basically done this three times and have some lessons learned, see below which I found somewhere I had posted about this last year when the same question came up:
When I built my last house I had the contractor build a hardened room in one corner of the basement. I had initially told him I wanted the walls poured or CMU filled with concrete but after looking at the cost of that which would still leave the ceiling/floor above vulnerable decided to just have the walls be double OSB covered by a double thickness of sheetrock inside and out (increase in fire proofing)...I also had him install an exhaust fan and a slop sink and a steel exterior security door. This was in 2001 and at that time I believe everything was about $400, most of which was the door. Originally the door was hidden and covered by an oak book case stiffened with plywood on the back mounted to the wall on a piano hing, but while it would pass a casual inspection it was easy to spot if you were looking for it and you couldn't put many books in it before it was a pain to move.
The original gunroom was about 12X15 and I ran out of space by 2005 or so since I put work benches, reloading, drill, and shop presses in there.....so I needed to expand. My neighbor was in contracting and he built another wall outside the door to the gunroom giving me a small extra room where all the rifles were stored.....he installed another steel exterior steel framed door with hidden hinges and put heavy security wire mesh between the studs and the exterior sheetrock, he said it was something they used in constructing government SCIFs and you would have to use some sorta of chop saw blade to get through it. Medco deadbolts on both doors plus the normal door locks completed it......
Fast forward to last year. I moved to VA and had a contractor do the same thing in a unfinished area of the basement. This time I did the same as above (security mesh, OSB, drywall) except that I added two 4x4s on each side of the steel exterior grade security door so that the door frame couldn't be spread. The door had the same Medco dead bolt but I also added an electronic passage lock that automatically locks every time the door closes. I also installed an monitored alarm and motion sensors. .....plus I've got everything covered by collectors insurance.
...........I've basically done this three times and have some lessons learned, see below which I found somewhere I had posted about this last year when the same question came up:
When I built my last house I had the contractor build a hardened room in one corner of the basement. I had initially told him I wanted the walls poured or CMU filled with concrete but after looking at the cost of that which would still leave the ceiling/floor above vulnerable decided to just have the walls be double OSB covered by a double thickness of sheetrock inside and out (increase in fire proofing)...I also had him install an exhaust fan and a slop sink and a steel exterior security door. This was in 2001 and at that time I believe everything was about $400, most of which was the door. Originally the door was hidden and covered by an oak book case stiffened with plywood on the back mounted to the wall on a piano hing, but while it would pass a casual inspection it was easy to spot if you were looking for it and you couldn't put many books in it before it was a pain to move.
The original gunroom was about 12X15 and I ran out of space by 2005 or so since I put work benches, reloading, drill, and shop presses in there.....so I needed to expand. My neighbor was in contracting and he built another wall outside the door to the gunroom giving me a small extra room where all the rifles were stored.....he installed another steel exterior steel framed door with hidden hinges and put heavy security wire mesh between the studs and the exterior sheetrock, he said it was something they used in constructing government SCIFs and you would have to use some sorta of chop saw blade to get through it. Medco deadbolts on both doors plus the normal door locks completed it......
Fast forward to last year. I moved to VA and had a contractor do the same thing in a unfinished area of the basement. This time I did the same as above (security mesh, OSB, drywall) except that I added two 4x4s on each side of the steel exterior grade security door so that the door frame couldn't be spread. The door had the same Medco dead bolt but I also added an electronic passage lock that automatically locks every time the door closes. I also installed an monitored alarm and motion sensors. .....plus I've got everything covered by collectors insurance.
There are these companion security clips that you would buy from the same place, see here: http://amico-securityproducts.com/securityclips.htm
Aguila Blanca
Staff
Candidly, unless the concrete block walls were built with reinforcing bars and the hollow cells filled with grout, it would be MUCH easier for someone to smash through the block wall than to chain saw through the floor. Most people look at concrete block and think "concrete ... solid" but they are mostly air. As an architect who has done innumerable alteration projects, I've seen just how easy it is to break through a CMU (concrete masonry unit) wall.bungiex88 said:I have a full concrete room in basement I plan on turning into a gun room. 2 walls are the poured foundation and is under ground. The other 2 walls are concrete block. I need to pour the floor because that’s the only spot in basement that isn’t poured. I plan on installing a steel door for entry. The ceiling is open joist and I do plan on installing a drop ceiling. My question is I was wondering if anyone had some diy ideas to help secure the ceiling. I know I may be over doing it and over thinking it. I’m just worried it would be to easy for someone to simply take a chainsaw to gain access from above.
Sure Shot Mc Gee
New member
Could string a few pieces of 3/8s cement Re-rod thru the joist's after their wired for lighting. Closes down the effort by those who may attempt to cut thru the floor above with a chain saw or Sawsall.
I know it’s over thinking with securing the ceiling but I’ll just feel safer with it secure that’s all. I just think what’s the point to have 4 concrete walls, a concrete floor, steel door and a wood seiling. The price of that steel mesh is very expensive though I’ve been thinking of coming up a way to use 1/2 rebar
Sure Shot Mc Gee
New member
Drill the holes thru your joists a tad bigger then. Re-bar simply spins and a sawsall blade can't cut and a chain saw blade goes instantly dull. No one gets hurt and in trying time after time only becomes a waste of time & effort and away from other softer points of entry.I’ve been thinking of coming up a way to use 1/2 rebar
reynolds357
New member
The ceiling needs secured. You are Not over thinking it.