Gun and Home Safe Installation

How to move, choose a location for, and install your home gun safe The first thing to decide when installing a gun safe is not where it should go, but whether you should do the installation job yourself. Depending on one's budget and do-it-yourself skills and the size and type of home safe being installed, it may be preferable to hire a professional. Moving If you've purchased a heavy safe, you'll likely want to have a moving dolly or appliance dolly available (or the offensive line of the Dallas Cowboys to help you carry it). Check if your local hardware store offers dolly rentals. Pay attention to weight capacity and wheel size. A typical moving dolly has a 500- or 600-pound capacity. At worst, you should be able to purchase a four-wheeled moving dolly with a 1000-pound capacity for no more than $40. If you're concerned about the potential for floor damage, we recommend laying plywood sheets down before moving the dolly. Location Gun safes are often located in a closet, garage, den/trophy room, bedroom, or safe room. Determine whether access or concealment is more important and choose a spot accordingly. With wall gun safes, in-floor safes, and free standing safes that will be bolted into the floor, you'll also need to consider that any work you do will likely be permanent.

Installation

Installing home safes can be relatively easy if you have the right tools and a little handyman know-how.

Wall

Locate the wall studs. Pick the height you want for your wall safe and draw a top line between the studs using a pencil and level. Measure the back of your safe and use those measurements to finish a penciled square. Using a small saw, carefully cut a hole within the penciled square large enough to check for electrical wiring or obstructions, then finish cutting out the square. Next, use cut pieces of a 2 by 4 to create top and bottom braces for the wall safe, and screw these braces into the studs (drill a screw "handle" into the board so you can hold it flush with the wall opening while securing it). Place the safe into the opening and fasten it by drilling screws through the pre-drilled holes in the safe housing.

Free standing

Most free-standing gun safes come with pre-set drill holes for bolting the safe to the floor using the anchors and bolts that come with the safe. You may also wish to place a vapor barrier such as plastic sheeting between the safe and the floor. Bolting the safe to concrete or cement would provide the most security.

In-floor

Installing in-floor safes is more complicated and typically requires a professional. With a concrete floor, use a sledgehammer or drill to create a hole that's a few inches larger than the safe. Pour some concrete mixture into the hole, insert the safe, and finish pouring the mixture. The top of the safe should be level with the floor.