Installing safe in the shed or laundry

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Installing safe in the shed or laundry

Post by Jon79 » 24 Jan 2018, 7:00 am

just a quick question for you guys....

just looking to buy a gun safe at the moment and I'm renting, don't want to spend a fortune on a safe over 150kg though so will need to bolt it to the floor.....we have polished floor boards throughout the house (except lino in kitchen/dining room)

I could put the safe in the shed out the back but worry that if someone did break in to the shed they'd just use my power tools in there to get in to it......other option is the laundry which has a concrete floor, am I allowed and would moisture be an issue
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Re: Installing safe in the shed or laundry

Post by Supaduke » 24 Jan 2018, 7:43 am

If you use a dryer in the laundry then moisture will very much be an issue.

Sometimes real life practicality has to surpass what is ideal. If the shed is the only place it can go that's practical, then that's where it goes.

The other alternative is inside a bedroom cupboard. Drill holes and plug them when you leave.
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Re: Installing safe in the shed or laundry

Post by AusTac » 24 Jan 2018, 7:45 am

Laundry's your best bet if you don't want to destroy boards by the sounds of it, laundry is still a room in your house so as long as its bolted in correctly ( preferably floor joint and wall stud then it should be fine, in terms of moisture can't see it being any more of an issue than normal inside the safe, outside could get wet and go into safe via bolt holes but it's unlikely unless you flood just chuck a bag of dessicant or something in there
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Re: Installing safe in the shed or laundry

Post by hazza3006 » 24 Jan 2018, 10:11 am

id say if dryer in laundry then lots of moisture in the air. In a shed, depends a little on where you live and state of shed, sheds also can be high humidity environments. If you must install into the shed, then get yourself some really good dehumidifiers and place them in the safe and check them regularly. I'd be worried about security as well in the shed. Sheds seems to attract thieves....

When i was renting many years ago, i just installed my safe in house bolted into timber floor boards, and plugged the holes prior to vacating the property, landlord didn't even notice.

I'd say both shed and laundry are unsuitable locations ( high humidity, and shed security concerns ), i took the risk of installing inside rental house, plugged holes and got away with it.
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Re: Installing safe in the shed or laundry

Post by Bent Arrow » 24 Jan 2018, 12:37 pm

I don't have a clue about your financial situation, but I'd say by the time you worry about humidity damage to your beloved rifles stored in the laundry (not something i would even contemplate), and having to repair holes in a rental and still being at risk of losing bond, a 150kg safe starts looking like a good investment. might not be relevant to you but in SA safes in sheds have to be thicker walls/doors to be compliant.
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Re: Installing safe in the shed or laundry

Post by Jon79 » 24 Jan 2018, 1:09 pm

thanks for the replies guys, no dryer in the laundry, its actually out in the shed :) ...been renting this house for 8yrs now and only just signed a new 2yr lease so will be here a while yet

Its looking like I'm leaning towards drilling holes in the floor boards (although I have a fear of botching it)
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Re: Installing safe in the shed or laundry

Post by hazza3006 » 24 Jan 2018, 1:22 pm

perhaps a long shot, but worth mentioning, if the width of mounting holes in safe coincide with width of joices underneath floor boards, then use a smaller but longer wood screws, use a pilot drill 1st and make sure in center of joice, the benefits are 2 fold, much better anchorage into joice than just floor boards, plus the screw hole size diameter can be vastly reduced, which makes the patch up job just prior to vacating property so much easier.

Is there a cupboard or walk in robe spot available for safe installation?, where any patch up job is less conspicuous ?

If it were my house on floor boards, i'd also be screwing the safe to a load bearing wall frame in addition to screwing into solid timber beneath floor board, and if joice width didn't match up with safe mounting holes, i goto the effort of also installing beefy noggins between joices that you could anchor safe into.
Last edited by hazza3006 on 24 Jan 2018, 2:09 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: Installing safe in the shed or laundry

Post by TheDude » 24 Jan 2018, 1:24 pm

Can you put it in a wardrobe? Could try for corner so you can secure it on two sides so you don’t need to go through the floor boards.
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Re: Installing safe in the shed or laundry

Post by VICHunter » 25 Jan 2018, 12:32 pm

Jon79 wrote:Its looking like I'm leaning towards drilling holes in the floor boards (although I have a fear of botching it)


Why do you have to put it into the floor? Why not through a stud in the wall?

You can easily fix plasterboard to be good as new after the safe is removed. You can't fix the floor.
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Re: Installing safe in the shed or laundry

Post by Stix » 25 Jan 2018, 11:26 pm

Just read this thread & vichunter has beat me to it...

Check the regs in your state...
Do you actually have to fix to the floor...?
Im pretty sure here in SA it just has to be securely attached to the building...no stipulation of type of fixings/walls/floor etc.

I would just fix it to a wall inside the house, whether it be timber frame or solid brick.
Very easy to patch up when you leave.

If timber frame, just coach screw to a stud/studs...
If masonry wall just dynabolt/screw bolt to wall.

Pack the back of the safe out with timber/mdf/ply/skirts of same thickness as skirting boards...better still, buy skirts & cut to fit back of safe so you'll have no gap.
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Re: Installing safe in the shed or laundry

Post by holden4th » 26 Jan 2018, 6:13 pm

I have a concrete floor in the garage and simply dyna-bolted the safe to the floor in a corner. When i leave, i'll simply shear off the bolts and angle grind them to floor level. The dyna-bolts are quite small as the safe is only for Cat H.
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Re: Installing safe in the shed or laundry

Post by tom604 » 26 Jan 2018, 8:58 pm

Bent Arrow wrote:I don't have a clue about your financial situation, but I'd say by the time you worry about humidity damage to your beloved rifles stored in the laundry (not something i would even contemplate), and having to repair holes in a rental and still being at risk of losing bond, a 150kg safe starts looking like a good investment. might not be relevant to you but in SA safes in sheds have to be thicker walls/doors to be compliant.



say what??? never heard that they need to be thicker, that a new reg?? :problem:

just checked and it must be a level 2 safe,, in shed, safe walls not less than 3mill in house safe walls not less than 2mill :thumbsup:
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Re: Installing safe in the shed or laundry

Post by Jon79 » 14 Feb 2018, 4:25 pm

went with putting it in the house. bolted it to both the beam in the wall and also the floor...its not going anywhere in a hurry and also placed it behind the bedroom door where they never look during house inspections
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Re: Installing safe in the shed or laundry

Post by madang55 » 10 Jun 2018, 11:31 am

Adelaide and Melbourne both have the same moisture problems. Was about to install a reptile heat lamp when someone suggested Damp Rid. Has worked a treat for me in Melb. a couple of $ from the hammer shop or supermarket every couple of months.
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Re: Installing safe in the shed or laundry

Post by No1_49er » 10 Jun 2018, 12:12 pm

For those of you who have a moisture problem, check out the Vapour Phase Inhibiters available from this place: - https://xrust.com.au/
I use, and have never had a corrosion problem of any sort. Highly recommend.
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Re: Installing safe in the shed or laundry

Post by Member-Deleted » 13 Jun 2018, 9:57 pm

Jon79 wrote:thanks for the replies guys, no dryer in the laundry, its actually out in the shed :) ...been renting this house for 8yrs now and only just signed a new 2yr lease so will be here a while yet

Its looking like I'm leaning towards drilling holes in the floor boards (although I have a fear of botching it)


If you do bolt it to the timber floor, make sure you use a steel plate under the floor, I would recommend drilling the plate, inserting the bolts and welding the heads to the plate, with the nuts inside of the safe, this stops them being unbolted without access to the safe and it supports the timber at the same time.
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Re: Installing safe in the shed or laundry

Post by RoginaJack » 14 Jun 2018, 4:32 pm

Installing Safes in sheds is not a good idea, especially in rural towns/acreage properties. Far too many problems with tools being readily available. Inside, far better choice, like linnel or broom cupboard etc.
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