Gun safe placement (new home)

[mgmorden]

Hey guys - I'm purchasing a new home (about 2 weeks from closing) and am trying to plan out gun safe locations (I'll be buying a new safe to go in the home).

The home is a slab foundation, 2 stories with a "garage" (sorta).

The main lower floor is just the living room, dining room, and kitchen. No good spot to place a safe.

There's 4 bedrooms upstairs (I could certainly spare one for "gun stuff"), but I'm worried about the weight of a large safe on the 2nd floor.

The garage looks promising. A wall has been built in the middle of the garage separating it into two rooms. The inner room is closed off from the other via a door. Not sure if its insulated but there is sheetrock up and there is an air vent in the ceiling.

Assuming that the vent is actually functional, do you guys see any potential issues with putting the safe (and likely my reloading bench and such) in that inner room room of the garage?

Thanks.

 

[Magoo]

Seeing that you're in Charleston, you might have to take some extra steps for humidity control, but other than that sounds like a good place to me.

I'd build some kind of closet around it after it's bolted down.

 

[skimbell]

Yeah go ahead and put it in the room in the garage.
You do realize what this is going to lead to don't you?
Down the line you'll want heat/ac-strictly to control the enviornment and protect your guns. Then you'll decide to tap into the house water and sewer/septic because "wouldn't it be cool to have a sink/toilet/shower, etc. out here?" Already got a grill, but an apartment size range sure would fit pretty neat in that corner over there for when it rains.
And then, "might as well have a big screen to watch the Panthers."
Then it's, "You know what? This would be a real nice place to set up a reloading bench".
As you get a little older, "a futon or a big sofa would really be nice so you can watch (fill-in the blank) with out disturbing the family or to use as a site while you ponder the imponderable.
On and on.
Next thing you know some morning you'll overhear the neighbors talking about the crack-pot that lives in his garage and you'll shake your head in disbelief and wonder who it might be that they are talking about as you decide to spend a little time in the Man-Cave today.
It's true! I KNOW that this can happen.

 

[Outlaw Man]

Is access to this room through the garage or the house? If through the garage, you might look at beefing up the door (as covertly as possible). Garages are often very easy to get into and usually aren't alarmed. Don't give a would-be thief a nice, concealed, shaded area to work on your safe all afternoon.

 

[CB900F]

Mgmorden;

Does the room you propose to put the safe into have windows? If so, the the enclosure for it would be a very good idea. Can you find out if the concrete slab is tensioned or not? If you are going to bolt it down, a very good idea itself, it's critical to find out. There's a recent thread about tensioned concrete slabs in accessories I think, do a search there.

Then, make sure you buy one big enough the first time. But first, do a search on this site about the differences between RSC's and safes. You may not be buying what you think you are if you don't research safe/RSC.

900F

 

[leadcounsel]

Garage? Are you kidding? Heck no. One of the best defenses to theft, is not advertising.

1) Every time you open your garage door, your advertising your safe. Forget leaving your garage open for yardwork, etc.
2) Stealing a safe from a garage would take little effort for theives with a truck or van.

Put it in the upstairs gun room. I've put my safe on many 1st and 2nd floor residential house floors with zero issues - My safes are 900 lbs empty, and probably twice that full. And boxes of ammo and accessories. A well built residential floor is plenty sturdy.
Take some precautionsl. Consider talking to an architect on how to beef it up. But the safe in the corner of a two exterior or load bearing walls. Spread the weight in the room. These should not even notice a few extra thousand pounds of weight. Perhaps build a classy looking support column and cross beams in the room below, which should be under $500 if you are really worried.

Note: I am NOT a professional in any capacity, and any choice you make is yours ... I cannot take responsibility for what advice you do or don't follow.

 

[BSA1]

I would not install a fire-proof safe on the second floor of house since after the fire everythin is going to be in the ground floor ruble.

 

[scaatylobo]

Upstairs

I am SURE that the builder can give you the foot pounds per square foot of the floor ,tell him its for weightlifting or freezer.

I have done exactly that in 3 different buildings and none had ANY issues.

CONCEALMENT is a primary so keep it away fro any place that might need service [ heaters,water,electric etc. ]

I think you might want the safe near you as that is most likely where your tools will be in a SHTF moment.

I have one in the basement and one upstairs,its works for me.

But I have no children and an alarm system [ high end ] and cameras too.

I find peace of mind knowing that all my tools are locked down,if not on my person.

 

[bottom shelf]

Keep in mind that in a fire, the second floor is MUCH hotter than the ground level. Heat going up and all that...

 

[InkEd]

What is the weight of your safe?

 

[leadchucker]

If you put the safe upstairs, you have the potential problems of getting it up there and securing it to the structure.

If you put it in the garage, you have the problems of lack of temperature/humidity control and it not being in your primary security zone, and possible limited access in inclement weather, etc.

Consider putting the safe in a closet on the ground floor of the house. If no suitable closet exists, consider adding or expanding one. Easy access, good temp/humidity control, easy to secure to the concrete slab, and no worries about placing it upstairs or outside your primary protection zone.

 

[scaatylobo]

Moving it upstairs

I have had to move my 500 pound safe 7 times.

all I did was rent a appliance dolly [ think fridge ] that is rated weight wise for over 500 pounds.

When a bit younger,it just took 2 of us,and that was done 5 times.

the last 2 moves ,I was over 55 and had a few younger men assist me.

It was still an easy move either up or down stairs [ 16 stairs to be exact ].

 

[Outlaw Man]

Keep in mind that typical residential construction is to about 40lbs/sqft load. You can go higher than that in one place, but you'd better keep it light elsewhere. You also have the issue of getting it upstairs in the first place if it's a heavy one.

 

[mgmorden]

Thanks guys. The inner area where I'm considering of the garage isn't visible with the garage door open - a wall has been built so that when the garage door is open you basically just see "half" a garage and there's another room behind it with a door for entry. If I get a security system installed I'd definitely want to have a sensor put on that door as well.

The idea of having easy access to the guns in an emergency is one that I hadn't thought of, though my thought is that I'll have a small handgun safe mounted upstairs in my bedroom that I'll keep a handgun in.

I'm definitely going to need to keep an eye on the humidity/temperature situation. If by chance the temperature doesn't remain quite as stable (or worse case scenario the vent in there is nonfunctional), would a dehumidifier in the safe still serve to keep the guns rust free?

 

[bhk]

While many don't realize it (including the dealers), many safes have removable doors. The door on my Browning safe has a hinge designed for just that (open the door and just lift up). With the door removed, it is much easier to move a safe upstairs (door is about half the safe's weight).

 

[natman]

Garage? Are you kidding? Heck no. One of the best defenses to theft, is not advertising.

1) Every time you open your garage door, your advertising your safe. Forget leaving your garage open for yardwork, etc.

From the OP's first post:

The garage looks promising. A wall has been built in the middle of the garage separating it into two rooms. The inner room is closed off from the other via a door.......

Assuming that the vent is actually functional, do you guys see any potential issues with putting the safe (and likely my reloading bench and such) in that inner room of the garage?