I was considering a gun safe in my home for a long time. During that research phase the last thing I thought about was bolting it down to the floor. I kind of put it to the back of my mind, and it seemed less important. But then after reading about them more I wondered if maybe having a safe bolted down was the smart thing to do.
Do gun safes have to be bolted down? A gun safe can be put in your home with or without bolting it to the floor. The safe will still work even if it is not bolted down. Gun safes can be bolted down without voiding the warranty. Although a gun safe that is not bolted to the floor is less protected because it can be tipped over or stolen.
A gun safe that is not secured to the floor is vulnerable to different forms of attack. In one method the safe is tipped over, this can make it easier for the attackers to attempt prying open the door.
When the safe is tipped over it becomes easier to get more leverage when trying to pry and break into the safe through the door.
The second method of attack against a safe is removing the safe in its entirety. A smaller safe especially would be easier to remove if it is not bolted down. Even a larger safe should be bolted down for other reasons as mentioned. But even heavy safes could be targeted because they usually have more valuables in them.
Even the heaviest and largest safes are manufactured so they can be bolted into place.
Anything to make breaking into or stealing your safe harder. Bolting them down plays a important part.
Bolting down a gun safe is a big step in improving the overall security of your gun safe. It also can seem like a daunting and complicated task.
Truth is the work is messy and can take some thought, but I will be breaking it down into a simple process. Here you will get what is needed and where to start.
Why You Should Bolt Down Your Gun Safe
Reasons why you should bolt down a safe:
- Prevent safe from being stolen
- Stabilize safe into place so it cannot wobble (ever see those warning labels on vending machines about shaking them?)
- Stop thieves from knocking safe over
- Extreme weather blowing or washing safe away, earthquake could knock over safe.
Even if a burglar’s attempt to break into your safe fails. If they tipped over your safe it could have damaged fragile valuables inside the safe. Your guns could have fallen on top of each other become scratched up.
Bolting down a safe can also be called anchoring.
A wooden floor can be bolted into but extra reinforcement should be put into place. Concrete is always the better option because it is stronger and much harder to rip out.
Before drilling into any concrete make sure it is not post tension-ed concrete slabs. The steel cable inside the concrete should not be drilled into or cut in any way.
Also be aware of any utilities or infrastructure that may be under the floor. Sewage or gas pipes, etc.
If a wooden floor is your only option make sure to be anchoring the bolt and the safe directly into the framing. Similar to using studs in the wall for stronger support. Floor joists are like studs and in general are spaced 16 inches apart.
How hard it is to remove a bolt from concrete is called anchor bolt pullout strength. It is hard to calculate the exact number because it is determined by many factors but there is a formula for basic concrete. This formula comes up with the force that is required to remove (or pullout) a bolt fastened into concrete.
F = 800 psi x 3.1415 x 1.4142 x H^2
F stands for force and H stands for height. Height from the top of concrete to the tip of the bolt head. In this formula the pull out force is 80,000+ lbs.
https://sciencing.com/how-8032983-calculate-fastener-pullout.html
In this scenario it would require eighty thousand pounds of lift force to remove one bolt.
Most gun safes have four holes for inserting anchoring bolts. Traditionally these holes are located in the bottom corners.
A fireproof gun safe might put two in the center of the safe.
What To Put Under Gun Safe On Concrete
If you are concerned about the bottom of your gun safe rusting. A moisture barrier can be put between the concrete and the safe. There is no product that is made solely for this purpose so you have to be creative. Here are some common things used.
- Vapor barrier/ vapor retarders
- Masonry Waterproofer
- Hockey Pucks
- Rubber Mat
- Stall Mat
- Large Washers
You want something that doesn’t create too big of a gap between your safe and the floor.
Avoid allowing the anchor bolts to be exposed. Even a small gap and the bolts could be cut underneath. Also a gap makes it easier to try and pry the safe off the floor.
A good precautionary step that is often missed is putting a barrier between a gun safe and the concrete. Concrete can release moisture it has absorbed from the ground. If the conditions are right the bottom of a gun safe can start to rust. If too much moisture is present the rusting can become severe enough to compromise the integrity of the safe over time.
Bolting Down A Gun Safe: What You Will Need
- Hammer Drill
- Masonry Drill Bit Set
- Gun Safe Anchor Kit
- Eye and Ear Protection
If the gun safe doesn’t come with its own anchor kit you have to pick some one out.Paragraph
There are different types of anchor bolts you can use. With many choices it can be confusing which one to use.
Types of Anchors:
- Lag Shield Anchor Bolts
- Sleeve Anchor Bolts
- Wedge Anchor Bolts
- Strike Anchor Bolts
Lag Shield Anchor Bolt
Made out of aluminum, these type of anchor bolts are a female type of anchor. The shield is dropped into a pre-drilled hole in cement. A bolt (also called lag screw) is then tightened into the shield, the anchor is flared out into the cement from the shield as you tighten the bolt down.
A problem with lag shields is that it is hard to get the bolt to be exactly tight enough. At the same time become snug with the floor of the safe. If the bolt is too short the anchor won’t be reached.
This can make figuring out the exact size needed difficult.
Sleeve Anchor Bolt
Designed for use in brick or concrete. The size of sleeve anchor to use is easier to determine. The pre-drill hole is going to be the exact size of the sleeve anchor you are using.
To figure out the screw length you will need. Add the thickness of the safe base to how deep you want to go into the cement.
Wedge Anchor Bolt
Wedge anchor bolts are one of the most popular bolts used for gun safes. This is because of the range of different sizes and variety of materials they are made out of. Also the overall pull out strength is very high.
A wedge anchor bolt consists of threads on one end and a expansion clip/anchor on the other end. A nut and washer is added to the threaded end. First a hole is pre-drilled and the bolt/stud is then hammered into the hole.
The nut is then tightened down fastening the gun safe to the concrete.
Tip: Before hammering in the bolt/stud make sure the nut is already screwed on slightly. This is in case during hammering if the threads were to be damaged and the nut wouldn’t be able to screw back on.
To determine the screw length needed measure the width of the gun safe metal thickness. Also take into consideration extra space for the nut and washer.
The pre-drill can be drilled all the way through cement, but we recommend going almost all the way and stopping. Depends on how much of a grip you want and the length of the bolt/stud.
A common problem is extra length bolt/stud being exposed above the nut and into the safe. You can saw off the remaining bolt to even it out, but it’s best to measure ahead and determine the proper length.
Strike Anchor Bolts
The strike anchor bolts are very similar to wedge bolts. One difference is there is a nail that is driven into the center of the bolt. This is done after the pre-drilling and placement of bolt into the hole. The nail is hammered in and then the nut is tightened down.
Wedge anchor or sleeve anchor? The main difference between the two is the sizes available for each of the anchors. Wedge anchors are manufactured in many different sizes, lengths and material. Strike anchors are more limited and used for projects where the size of protruding anchors is to be equal. This can be more difficult to achieve with wedge anchors.
Strike anchors have weaker pull out strength than wedge anchors.
Related Tips:
A diameter of 3/8” is common for anchor bolts.
Wrap your drill bit with tape at the length of the anchor bolt your are using.
Always clear pre-drilled holes of debris before inserting anchor bolts.