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Bolting safe alternatives.

timelinex

Gunny Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
  • May 7, 2011
    1,377
    30
    Scottsdale,Az
    Long story short...... One of my safe's is going in a place with a pretensioned slab. I know you can get professionals to safely drill into the slab, but it also voids warranty of the foundation which is something I don't want to do.

    I am considering drilling through the back of the safe and bolting it to the wooden studs behind. I know thats better than nothing and likely just as good as far as protecting against the people likely to try to open it (a professional won't be stopped by concrete bolts orthe relatively thin metal on the sides. He will have a plasma).

    Anyways, my primary concern is that drilling through the safe's back will effect the fire rating immensely by introducing an unaccounted for hole. On the other hand as long as I use a washer, it should be sealed up pretty well, so maybe not? I'm no subject matter expert though.

    Opinions or advice?
     
    What does your safe's manufacturer recommend in this particular instance?
     
    Just an idea, I have no idea what I’m talking about. Is it possible to pour an additional concrete pedestal on top of the existing slab then bolt into that? It would add an additional challenge of lifting the safe on top of it, but I’m sure it could that be overcome.
     
    You can set concrete anchors into the wall behind the studs and use long bolts. I put NHL hockey pucks on the four corners underneath, and as washers for the bolts holding it against the wall. If you’re worried about the fire rating take out the studs entirely and go flush with the concrete wall. It will not burn and transfers minimal heat.
     
    I was thinking about this and wound up bolting (welded studs really) my safe to a large 1/4" steel plate with a piece of carpet sandwiched between for camoflage. It makes it difficult to tip and if the safe does get flipped, it's too wide to dolly through a door so a potential theif would have to defeat the plate to move the safe or defeat the door to get inside.

    If you buy a safe good enough to resist a crowbar attack, that should be enough to prevent all but the most determined theives from taking what is inside.
     
    Just an idea, I have no idea what I’m talking about. Is it possible to pour an additional concrete pedestal on top of the existing slab then bolt into that? It would add an additional challenge of lifting the safe on top of it, but I’m sure it could that be overcome.

    Yes. But thats a much bigger job than I want to partake in. I only need a solution for a year or so.
     
    Long story short...... One of my safe's is going in a place with a pretensioned slab. I know you can get professionals to safely drill into the slab, but it also voids warranty of the foundation which is something I don't want to do.

    I am considering drilling through the back of the safe and bolting it to the wooden studs behind. I know thats better than nothing and likely just as good as far as protecting against the people likely to try to open it (a professional won't be stopped by concrete bolts orthe relatively thin metal on the sides. He will have a plasma).

    Anyways, my primary concern is that drilling through the safe's back will effect the fire rating immensely by introducing an unaccounted for hole. On the other hand as long as I use a washer, it should be sealed up pretty well, so maybe not? I'm no subject matter expert though.

    Opinions or advice?
    My safes in my walk out basement. I poured a second concrete slab 4 inches thick to set/bolt the safe to. Plus I bolted it to the concrete wall thru the back. With a walk out basement you'll only ever get two inches of water at the most so that 4 inch slab is good insurance since safes aren't waterproof.
    I also have a nasty little surprise inside in case any thieves do the body grinder method of opening including a warning on the outside to give them fair warning that is if they can read.
    No pro's going to want to bother with my shit anyway so its the normal idiots that I need to keep out.
     
    I put my safe on a wooden platform. My goal was to get the safe higher in case my basement floods. My platform is 7 inches tall