Anchoring a safe

[2BigMethod]

Wedge anchors

[sendit]

I built a safe room and the safes that will go in it will be bolted to the floor and wall. Just another way of adding time to someone that really wants in.

[krisw]

I got my first thermal scope the same weekend I was planning to bolt down my safe. Started walking through the house with the thermal and lo and behold the hot water line was immediately under the safe in the slab. Thermal bout paid for itself that weekend. Be careful.

House is on pier and beam, all the utilities come from the other end of the house. The utility room is a filled in porch that is concrete. I think the only thing under it is a tree root.

[Radar]

Some safes are unstable with the door open. Another good reason for anchors.

Yes sir, had that happpen. If the safe is that empty, better start buying some guns.

[Tony Pic]

This. It ain't about somebody stealing the whole thing. Most safes are pretty easy to pry bar into once the things on it's back.

That is why you need to pay attention to tolerances when you buy the safe. Should be about 3/16th or less of space on a safe door frame and safe door. Wider than that a prybar can work its way to spread the frame and locking lugs won't mean a thing. Bolt it down.
There are few different types of anchors. Stud anchors which you drop into a hole and hammer down so wedge spreads in concrete and fastens stud. Place nut with washer and run down on safe floor.
There is also double expansion shields, which I used. Drill holes and drop these into holes. Run correct bolt into hole and as you tighten both sides of shield expand against concrete drill hole and anchors sit flush with floor instead of sticking up like studs do. Only thing in safe floor is bolt heads instead of studs sticking up. When you want to move safe you do not have to lift it above studs to move. Where as the double expansions anchors are flush with floor when you remove bolts.

[Randy Madden]

ive Heard stories of burglaries where the bad guys used a wench and pulled the safe through the side of the house and onto the bed of their truck so they could take their time getting into it somewhere else.
With proper anchoring it would be very difficult to do that. Sure they are going to tear up your house but.....

[Tbar]

FWIW - The company that installed mine only put bolts in the back corners. When I asked why they said if the foundation shifts four bolts can put the safe door in a bind and make it hard/impossible to open.

[Sackett]

ive Heard stories of burglaries where the bad guys used a wench and pulled the safe through the side of the house and onto the bed of their truck so they could take their time getting into it somewhere else.
With proper anchoring it would be very difficult to do that. Sure they are going to tear up your house but.....

I would like to see pictures of this "Wench" who can pull a loaded safe through the side of a house; is her first name Helga?