Vault Room

[jbgleason]

I tried "search" so, if my Google Fu is weak, I apologize in advance.

Does anyone have, or know where to find, information on building a NON-BASEMENT vault room? I just bought a new home and there is a large closet that I am wanting to convert to a walk-in safe/vault. Everything I have found is based on building one of these in a basement. I am in LA and at sea level, so basements around here are known as "the indoor swimming pool".

I realize that I am not going to be able to build an impenetrable room on the second floor and I am OK with that. I am looking to keep out the "smash and grab" guys. Frankly, if the Ocean's 11 crew shows up with heavy equipment I don't think a purpose built safe is going to help. I am looking to keep out one or two guys with basic tools for 15 minutes and hopefully provide some layer of fire protection. I am even debating the necessity of hardening the floor at this point since my assumption is that the threat I am concerned with won't know the vault is there until they get into the house and they won't have a ladder/platform available to stand on to start working the room from underneath.

Lastly, does anyone have experience with utilizing a commercial steel door and frame versus purchasing a purpose made safe door?

 

[Force_Multiplier]

Re: Vault Room

fire protection will be the hard part on the second floor...

anything you add to the existing structure will rely on it, that makes it fairly easy to slow down a thief, fairly hard for fire...

take fire out and some simple expanded metal lining the closet, anchored to the studs, and a steel door and frame slows the average thief down...

conventional safes use fireboard (sheetrock in some cases) as a fire barrier, so does your house....

depending on your budget, I'd probably make it a dual purpose vault/safe room, where you are there should be plenty of contractors that can do a hardened room for earthquake protection , add a solid door and it protects the firearms from a smash and grab too

 

[jbgleason]

Re: Vault Room

Haha. I think you read LA as Los Angeles when you mentioned earthquakes. Sorry. LA as in Louisiana. We don't worry too much about earthquakes down here in Cajun country. I need to update my profile as well. Used to be North LA but the new place is way down South. If I change it to South LA, I think everyone will assume I am a gangbanger.

 

[George63]

Re: Vault Room

I would add a layer of 3/4 plywood, then 1/2 cement board to the walls, floor, ceiling - screw the shit out of both ( nothing works well to quickly cut through the combination) and a steel fire door wood grained/ painted to match the other doors would attract little attention - not to expensive and will buy plenty of time for electronic security to be effective

 

[0481]

Re: Vault Room

If you have the skill and the means I would line the floor with 1" steal plate. Line the walls with a layer of 1/4" plate 5/8 cement board and another layer of 1/4 plate. Weld all joints. Same with the ceiling. Use a vault door for the second door. For the first door use a solid core door that matches the rest in the house.

 

[FNARSHOOTER]

Re: Vault Room

Well being as this is a finished house welding is out and 1" plate is too hard to move thru the house.1/8 stainless steel.(Expensive but tough) lagged to all surfaces 2 layers 5/8 firecoat sheet rock stagger joints and firecalk. Walls floor everywhere.Tile floor. Safe door smallist you can find.False door if it makes you fuzzy.

 

[RSR]

Re: Vault Room

http://www.rhinovault.com/
http://www.rhinovault.com/VAULTROOM.HTM
http://www.rhinovault.com/closet_vault.htm

Lots of good info if you read through their web pages.

They turn existing room or closet into a safe room, security vault, or gun closet. They do this by using modular steel panels that are assembled from the inside of the room without welding.

 

[0481]

Re: Vault Room

Two layers of 5/8 type x and some hilti 601. I am a union framer/ rocker. Some things are never finished even when finished. Some corner bead and mud will fix that. I going to do half of my garage as I posted.

 

[0481]

Re: Vault Room

Is that a conex box with a vault door on it.

 

[jbgleason]

Re: Vault Room

Did some additional Googleing (?actual verb?) today and saw some references to using expanded metal sheets cut to fit all walls/floor/ceiling and screwed into existing studs and then covering that with Hardie board also screwed into studs. Thoughts?

Alternatively, I found an old article in a NRA publication suggesting adding new studs OVER the existing sheetrock with rebar from floor to ceiling every six inches placed in holes drilled in the horizontal cross members. You then spray insulate that before sheet rocking over it. Thoughts?

Either of these options is going to allow me enough space inside the existing exterior closet door to place a steel frame and commercial steel door or vault door. I am definitely leaning towards a commercial steel door with deadbolts top, center and bottom.

 

[Force_Multiplier]

Re: Vault Room

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: JB Gleason</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Did some additional Googleing (?actual verb?) today and saw some references to using expanded metal sheets cut to fit all walls/floor/ceiling and screwed into existing studs and then covering that with Hardie board also screwed into studs. Thoughts?

Alternatively, I found an old article in a NRA publication suggesting adding new studs OVER the existing sheetrock with rebar from floor to ceiling every six inches placed in holes drilled in the horizontal cross members. You then spray insulate that before sheet rocking over it. Thoughts?

Either of these options is going to allow me enough space inside the existing exterior closet door to place a steel frame and commercial steel door or vault door. I am definitely leaning towards a commercial steel door with deadbolts top, center and bottom.</div></div>

was basically my idea... expended metal... cement/hardy board... and a heavy door behind the existing door....

you might even add a layer or roofing metal in there somewhere...

and yeah, I was reading it as Los Angeles ....lmao

 

[0481]

Re: Vault Room

Do you have a gun vault? How about a welder? Open up your vault and see how its made. Make a vault door. That's how I'm going to do it. Make sure you put in a relock or two. Put them in different locations in the door. Make sure its all heavy to. The hinges you can get on line or from a welding supply shop.

 

[wdebo]

Re: Vault Room

I have done several in basements with steel doors and the rest in concrete. In you situation I would tear the inside of the closet out. First step I would do is spray foam all of the walls ceiling and floor with a closed cell foam that is fire retardant. Then I would line all walls ceiling and floor with a light weight metal sheeting. Then I would line the walls and ceiling with plywood. Then do cement board on all floors walls and ceiling. Hang the walls and ceiling in 5/8 drywall. And stick a safe door in and that would give you a pretty secure and fire resistance room.