Safe in garage

[ms8172]

What do you guys think about this? I am thinking about buying a TL15 or TL30 safe and put it out in my garage. About 1800 -2400 lbs with nothing in it....depends which one I get. With it being that heavy should I worry about bolting it down? Someone told me that it needs to sit on 2x2 pieces of wood because I don't want to set it directly on concrete because of moisture.

I have enough room for one but looking at used safes on lackasafe.com


Thoughts??

 

[Hammertime]

Opinion could go either way. Pro's: ease of placement, garage may be ignored during a normal break in, out of sight out of mind (kids, wife, guests, etc.) , pull into garage and load up gear. Con's: dampness ( isolate from floor, dehumidifier),the tools thieves may need to break in may be provided by you (saws, pry bars, etc.), flip side to "out of sight...." You're home asleep while garage is being broken into. Although it sounds like the weight would make it hard to tip over or steal, I would still bolt it down. I would also try to hide it in plain sight, like build it into a closet or behind a false wall, or placed behind equipment or material,that would make it "disappear". That way if thieves did break in to steal you tools or stuff, they would not see the safe. If done correctly it should work out, just do some planning.

 

[rw496]

I've had one in the garage about a year now. I bought a hard rubber horse stall mat from tractor supply and put it underneath. They hold 1800 lb horses standing on 4 hooves so my safe didn't dent it. Get a goldenrod and put it in their to prevent moisture. I also bolted it down.

 

[scotharr]

The biggest security risk for your garage safe is someone putting it on rollers, moving it to their pickup and then driving off with it. Bolting it down properly would make this much more difficult.

 

[Northman623]

Couple of points to ponder. Moisture will have to be controlled inside and outside (wire accordingly). I would coat both inside and outside bottoms with the thick cosmoline. And put it up on concrete blocks (solid type) in each corner with a rubber piece in between the concrete and steel. Place it sideways against the back wall (hinge side to the back wall) and in a corner. Reasons so nobody can happen to see in to it if the doors are open and if there is a fire the corner of the wall will be accessible after the flames die down to extricate the fire arms for safe keeping also the fire load in the garage can be kept to a minimum there by protecting the firearms. After placing the safe in the back corner sideways build a reinforced block wall immediately in front of the safe and extending beyond the face by 16" of so. This will disguise the safe to casual observation and more importantly make it difficult to defeat the lock side and the hinge side with tools. And makes it difficult to use a vehicle to assist in gaining entry. Make sure you put out a decoy camera and then hide your motion detector/Claxton horn system. I know its a bit much but this is what I would do if I had to use a above ground portable safe. Best of luck

 

[FourNineThree]

Good information provided above, but I would still bolt to floor. Have seen a few heavy safes end up stolen through the years. Just an added bit of insurance.

 

[Hairball]

Bolt it down. Only takes two people to move it in so two bad guys can move it out. I have all three of mine right next to each other and bolted down but I am not worried about moisture from the concrete. Put a 12" hot rod in it and it should be gtg.

 

[pmclaine]

Instead of wood to raise/foot your safe I have heard hockey pucks work better easier to deal with. They will not suck up moisture.

 

[pmclaine]

Do NOT raise your safe of the ground even if bolted! It will take bad guys just a few minutes with a bar to bust it free.. Once done they will toss it on it back and can make short work of opening it... Best to use a thin barrier if you are concerned. Bolt it against the wall, in a corner or if by three walls if you can


Jt

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

Absolutely correct.

OP whats your bigger risk theft or water?

I got a safe more to keep the kids (mine) honest and theft was secondary. I did get a skim of water under my safe and I was wishing for some airspace.

Thieves happen. I dont want things to be easy for them but unless you have a Graffunder any thief beyond the skill of drug addict looking for a fix will probably get your stuff.

Elevating your safe is bad advice unless getting water is the more likely risk and you dont have a dry place to put it.

 

[aagifford]

Most TL-30 safes don't have any holes in them. Mine doesn't, it's 2800 lb empty. When I rearrange my garage, I might make weld up a frame around the safe that is bolted down, and weld the safe to the frame, but it was recommended to me by my installer to not attempt to punch any holes in it.

 

[HOGWILD]

It takes only 6 seconds or less to break into a garage door with a hanger ??
I would think a safe in a garage would be ok if it was bolted to the floor and wall as they harrier you make it for someone to get might just keep them from getting it ! As far as leaving it in an un heated climate controlled garage you can take measures to protect your rifles but to me I would never put it in a garage myself ! Just me ?

 

[Icewater]

Mine is in my garage for lack of room until the kids are old enough to be downstairs, then it's coming in the house, but until then it's in the garage. I put mine on a piece of 3/4" treated plywood and bolted it down. It really would take nothing to pull it out with a log chain and vehicle but bolted is better than not bolted. I also plan to build a false cabinet around it to disguise it from visitors and the street view. Mine is pretty light at 500lbs but I as still able to get it off my trailer and wiggle it into place myself without a dolly cart or anything, I'm sure a couple of guys whacked out on meth or not could handle much more

 

[kansas]

I've had mine in the garage for 10 years. I've got it sitting on some scraps of lumber and have a golden rod in it. I bolted mine down so someone can't back into the garage and load it up. Our summers are very humid and I haven't had any problems with rust. I'd rather have it in the house but don't really have the room.
One of the neighbors had a break in and thought their safe was safe because it was upstairs. Bad guys pushed it down the steps, backed up to his porch and loaded in a truck and took off. Moral of the story is bolt it down.

 

[Kaotiktribe]

Get a good dehumidifier based on square footage and worry about something else? Think mine is 75pint. Got 2 safes in basement.

 

[shulette]

I have had mine in one garage or another for 15 years or so. I find the rust to be a function of how frequently I open and close the safe door. From time to time I have had to deal with surface rust but if I keep a light coat of oil on the guns I rarely encounter any rust and I live in the mid-South. My safe is not bolted to the floor (but is bolted to wood skids) and I find that convenient as I have had to move it on occasion. I recognize that someone could move it but I find that risk acceptable given where I live and the immediate environment of my house.

 

[leadbullet]

Mine has been bolted in non heated garage for 8 years, burned two golden rod over the years and no rust on anything. I do try not to exhale in the safe in the winter to avoid extra moisture getting in though.
House was broken in twice, never got in the safe.
Cheers.

 

[Hammertime]

Mine has been bolted in non heated garage for 8 years, burned two golden rod over the years and no rust on anything. I do try not to exhale in the safe in the winter to avoid extra moisture getting in though.
House was broken in twice, never got in the safe.
Cheers.

Second golden rod sounds like a good idea. I place one of those closet dehumidifiers, with the absorbent crystals which actually work well, but you still end up with a cup of water in the little container. Which seems counterproductive in a safe!

 

[XOR]

Bolting down a safe is a good idea. If someone got it in, they can get it out. I've known of 1000+lbs safe being stolen with pallet jackets, etc. It does happen.

I wouldn't use those heating elements in a safe. You need desiccant gel inside the safe or something similar that absorbs the moisture. You don't want to just keep things warm because the water has nowhere to go inside a closed safe.

Think of your car getting wet inside and you just put it in the sun with all the windows up. All that happens is the moisture goes into the air and covers everything with condensation. What you need is to pull the moisture out of the car and get dry air in there and water out. Getting it hot by itself doesn't solve the problem. Plus, I don't personally think it is a good idea to put any kind of electric heater inside a safe you want to be fireproof. Imagine having the heating element cause the fire inside your safe! Just something to think about.

Buy some of the gel canisters you see at Midway, etc and put them in the safe. Every now and then check out the color and if they change you just put them in the oven for a few hours to re-activate them by cooking out the water. The canisters pull water out of the air that got inside safe when you opened the door. That's what you really want.

You can put the safe directly on concrete. It would take years of exposure to see any kind of rust on the painted underside. And that is assuming you live in a really wet/salty area. Mostly it's a non-issue and the safes are made to just be put directly onto the surface. If you raise it off the ground you expose it to pry attacks.

You may also want to place it out of view from the street when your garage door is open, and/or toss a blanket over it to not make it so obvious what it is from casual observers.

If you have a monitored alarm system, put a smoke/heat alarm above your safe. It would activate if someone used powertools against your safe and dispatch the fire department to your home. Since the smoke alarms are active 24/7 it would sound an alarm even if you forget to set the alarm when you leave.

Also with that said, don't leave angle grinders, etc. in your garage that can be used on your safe. Consider placing such power tools inside your safe so you don't make a crook's life easier by leaving them nearby to give them any ideas.

 

[Monmouth]

If you leave your firearms in the garage, where do you keep ammo?

 

[leadbullet]

If you leave your firearms in the garage, where do you keep ammo?

In the garage next to the safe and on shelves and in ammo cans and wooden crates stacked up 6 feet high, the cars stay outside, they are used to it.

 

[leadbullet]

Bolting down a safe is a good idea. If someone got it in, they can get it out. I've known of 1000+lbs safe being stolen with pallet jackets, etc. It does happen.

I wouldn't use those heating elements in a safe. You need desiccant gel inside the safe or something similar that absorbs the moisture. You don't want to just keep things warm because the water has nowhere to go inside a closed safe.

Think of your car getting wet inside and you just put it in the sun with all the windows up. All that happens is the moisture goes into the air and covers everything with condensation. What you need is to pull the moisture out of the car and get dry air in there and water out. Getting it hot by itself doesn't solve the problem. Plus, I don't personally think it is a good idea to put any kind of electric heater inside a safe you want to be fireproof. Imagine having the heating element cause the fire inside your safe! Just something to think about.

Buy some of the gel canisters you see at Midway, etc and put them in the safe. Every now and then check out the color and if they change you just put them in the oven for a few hours to re-activate them by cooking out the water. The canisters pull water out of the air that got inside safe when you opened the door. That's what you really want.

You can put the safe directly on concrete. It would take years of exposure to see any kind of rust on the painted underside. And that is assuming you live in a really wet/salty area. Mostly it's a non-issue and the safes are made to just be put directly onto the surface. If you raise it off the ground you expose it to pry attacks.

You may also want to place it out of view from the street when your garage door is open, and/or toss a blanket over it to not make it so obvious what it is from casual observers.

If you have a monitored alarm system, put a smoke/heat alarm above your safe. It would activate if someone used powertools against your safe and dispatch the fire department to your home. Since the smoke alarms are active 24/7 it would sound an alarm even if you forget to set the alarm when you leave.

Also with that said, don't leave angle grinders, etc. in your garage that can be used on your safe. Consider placing such power tools inside your safe so you don't make a crook's life easier by leaving them nearby to give them any ideas.

Might as well put the whole house in the safe, we can never be too safe afterall.
Cheers

 

[ATC]

Make sure it sits flush to the wall and floor so nothing can be slipped behind or under it. A pickup and a length of chain and your 2800lb safe will be a mile away in no time...bolted down or not.

 

[JWSCottrell]

bolt it down. period. a diesal truck and log chan can move alot. it sounds silly but it has happened before,

 

[thefitter]

"...If you have a monitored alarm system, put a smoke/heat alarm above your safe. It would activate if someone used powertools against your safe and dispatch the fire department to your home. Since the smoke alarms are active 24/7 it would sound an alarm even if you forget to set the alarm when you leave."

Good advice.


But remember unless it's a really high end (20K+) safe it can be defeated with a 18v cordless angle grinder and a few 4" cut off wheels. Your best defense is to slow them down until your alarm system does it's job and brings johnny law.

 

[HOGWILD]

Alarms are overrated as mine went off without me knowing that it was hooked to PD and I asked them when they arrived why it took so long after the put their guns away and was told they were working priority calls and that it was not PD's fault it took 45 minutes to arrive ? But if it kept going off they would start charging for false alarms ?

 

[Ring]

if it dont have it, add foam weather stripping to it and drop this is the bottom... good to go..

DampRid Fresh Scent Refillable Moisture Absorber, 10.5 oz: Heating, Cooling, & Air Quality : Walmart.com

also, raise it off the ground on a pallet or something

hook up a game game for security at least..