I have compiled and put together a few crafty ways to install a simple barrier underneath your gun safe. There is no serious modification required to your safe. This will include the products to use that make this adjustment as easy as possible. I also made sure to keep this a low budget project.
Storing a free standing gun safe directly on top of concrete can be a bad idea. This is because overtime concrete can absorb and release water like a sponge, especially in basements. A basement with high humidity leads to extra moisture being trapped underneath a safe. Rusting can start and begin to damage the integrity of the safe. Having a barrier between the concrete floor and the base of a gun safe is recommended.
What to put under a gun safe on concrete? Use 3/4” thick plywood or a versatile rubber floor mat. The rubber floor mat works well because it will not absorb any moisture. The thinner the barrier the better, leave as small a gap as possible between the safe and floor. This makes sure thieves can not get underneath the safe with any tools.
A sheet of plywood or rubber matting can be custom cut to the shape of the safes footprint. Raising the gun safe to allow air flow can be achieved with anti-vibration pads. Vibration pads or also named vibration damping pads are made for home appliances such as washers or driers but will work for a gun safe.
The toughest rubber mat that is easy to find would be stall matting. Used for horse stalls these rubber mats can be drilled through but they are very durable. Tractor supply or any farm supply store will sell these or order them online.
Another is a versatile multi-purpose rubber mat, often used and sold as gym/exercise floor mats. If needed they can come in interlocking puzzle shapes to piece together. This might be easier to customize for the size of your gun safe.
Ice Hockey pucks offer a hidden function and a unique way to raise a gun safe. By using four pucks in each corner and then drilling through each one and into the floor. Hockey pucks are usually 1” thick and this leaves enough room for air to circulate. They also come in white if you want to use a different color. Hockey Pucks also offer protection from shallow standing water.
Remember any gap between floor and safe is a vulnerable point in security. Having additional protection is recommended if using just hockey pucks.
A solid barrier is one option but you can also have a platform to elevate the gun safe. Some air flow underneath will keep the area drier. There is not one definitive solution so you have to be creative. Since everyone’s chosen safe location will be different. People have come up with many ingenious ways to protect their gun safes and still maintain maximum security. An easy one is using 2 x 4’s or 4 x 4’s on each side and then simply drilling through them into the concrete.
Pro-Tip: Interlocking floor tiles work really well because you can customize the coverage size. If you are interested check out the best interlocking rubber tiles on Amazon.
Gun Safe Base: Carpet vs Wood vs Rubber
Choosing what material to use underneath your gun safe is important. Wood is easy to customize and build with but can have some drawbacks. Rubber has the best versatility but is hard to work with. Carpet is cheap and can be fitted well but can cause other problems.
These are all based on putting a gun safe in a room with concrete flooring.
Carpet: Carpet underneath a safe can be a easy solution. Some extra carpet laying around can be cut into shape to fit under a gun safe. It isn’t the cleanest or sexiest look for a gun safe, but it might not even be noticeable. A drawback is water will still be absorbed from the concrete. Carpet can get humid and with no air flow it will never dry out. Defeats the purpose of protecting a gun safe from rusting. Also with any potential flooding the carpet will absorb and hold water even worse. Carpet is not the best for leveling a gun safe as it can be uneven.
Wood: Using wood for underneath a gun safe is great. A platform can be built to any customize size with not a lot of work. Boards can be cheap and a quick way to raise a gun safe off the concrete. Plywood can be used to cover over top carpet and concrete. With plywood a complete base can easily be cut into the shape. This would make a solid structure underneath the gun safe. Hard to get underneath and cut into.
Wood does absorb moisture but can be sealed and treated first. Another con of using wood is that it is flammable. In case of a fire a wood mount will burn and damage the integrity. Potentially leading to worse problems. This scenario is not as likely but something to consider.
Rubber: Putting a gun safe on top of a rubber barrier is the best option. Because rubber mats come in so many sizes and shapes it is easy to find something to fit. It is fairly cheap but not as much as wood or carpet. Rubber mats offer anti-vibration and anti-moisture absorption properties. Rubber is the toughest of the materials reviewed. A positive thing is a thin rubber mat can be used and still offer great moisture protection. One negative of rubber is that it is hard to cut.. This is a good thing for security but is hard to shape to customize.
Overall rubber is the best material to use. Putting a rubber mat between a gun safe and the concrete offers the best protection. Moisture will not be absorbed and the gun safe is very sturdy on top of rubber. Solid sealing and superior protection can be achieved with rubber matting.
How To Keep A Gun Safe From Tipping
Gun safes can be prone to tipping over. Safes that are on the lighter side of the spectrum are prone to this. The door being opened can unbalance a safe and cause tipping. The solution to stop a gun safe from tipping is to bolt the gun safe down to the floor. Bolting a safe down will hold it in place securely and stop it from wobbling/tipping over.
If you are worried about a gun safe tipping over it is best to bolt the base to the floor. Alternatively some gun safes have pre-drilled holes in the back for anchoring into a wall. Gun safes can be both mounted to a floor and wall. Although not every model is made with anchoring holes in the back.
Bolting A Safe To The Wall
Mounting a gun safe to a wall depends on the type of wall. Concrete or masonry walls are done by drilling holes directly into wall and using anchoring bolts. Bolting a gun safe to a framed wall involves locating the studs first. Pre-drilling into the studs and then use lag screws to secure safe against wall.
The stud locations might not match up with the gun safe. If this is the case then using one stud will work. Consider drilling additional holes into gun safe to match up with more than one stud. Check and see if this will void the warranty first and determine how to proceed.
Back anchoring is great for apartments because if you ever move the holes are easier to patch up. Wall mounting will offer just as much protection, if the floor is not an option for anchoring.
Using wood or plastic shims can help to level a safe. Check the level after 24 hours and see if the gun safe has settled into place. Not only is a level safe more secure it balances the swing of the door. A uneven safe can lead to problems with the door overtime compromising the integrity. Also a door could swing or close quickly if the gun safe is not level.
Should You Bolt Down A Gun Safe?
There are good reasons to bolt down a gun safe. Importantly a gun safe that is bolted down is more secure. A gun safe that is harder to move will be less likely to be broken into or stolen. Bolting down a gun safe prevents it from tipping over accidentally and causing injury. Manufactures recommend bolting down a gun safe to utilize a gun safe to its fullest ability.
Conclusion
Placing a gun safe directly on top of concrete without and barrier can cause problems with moisture. Overtime a gun safe can rust and become weakened. There are a few options for making your own custom base using wood, carpet or rubber.
Each material has its own drawbacks and special benefits. The material chosen is based on ones handiness and budget. Rubber and wood are better options than carpet. Rubber floor mats come in many different shapes and sizes. Choosing which one to use is important for properly installing a gun safe.
Installing a moisture barrier at the base of your gun safe can help it remain solid for many years.