Gun Safe in Garage?

[TennVol]

I recently moved to Knoxville from Colorado.  I had my safe in my basement in my old home and never had any problems with moisture in the safe (it is very dry with very low humidity).  I just moved in to my new home and I'm trying to decide where to put my safe.  It's 500 lbs (empty) and I want to ensure if I put it upstairs, there won't be a problem with the weight and the floor of my home.  If it goes upstairs, I will have it located on the outside wall (load bearing) of my home.  But if I put it in the garage, I'm worried about the humidity and the effect on my weapons.  I've got a dehumidifier rod for the safe, but will it be enough?  My garage is very well insulated and it has been very cool throughout the days. Any feedback will be appreciated.  Thanks!

[runco]

I would not trust my garage for various reasons, high humidity being one of the main reasons.

[rugerla1]

I didn't want to put mine in my garage either but that's where it ended up. It's anchored to to the concrete, has a large Golden Rod, about 20 large dessiccant packs, and a metal dessiccant container that I can dry out in the oven in 3 hours which I do once per month. I know it's over kill, but as Runco said above, I worry about too much humidity a lot more than I do the upkeep to make sure my weapons stay in good condition. I used Trex board underneath the safe to keep moisture from building up between the concrete and safe bottom.

[TNMTBik3r]

I considered putting my safe in the garage for a few minutes but I wasn't comfortable having it in view of the public. Mine is in the house with multiple desiccant packs (no outlet in the closet and really no way to run an extension cord but I would love to have a golden rod or similar as well).

 

My neighbor has two large safes in his garage with a rubber mat under them. He has 2 golden rods in each and has a large dehumidifier in the garage to help out, no issues (been setup this way about 3 years).

[R1100R]

I have mine in the garage for six years with a golden rod no problems.

[Grand Torino]

I have a friend that's has his safe in the garage for over 10 years without issue. He does have it up on hardi plank and some kind of hard rubber matting with a golden rod and dessicant packs. It helps that he lives up on a hill that has no chance of flooding unless half of Tennessee is under water though.

[peejman]

I wouldn't put it upstairs. Typical residential construction is rated for less than 100lbs/sqft. At 500 lbs empty, your safe is probably over that now and will be way over that if you store a bunch of ammo in it.

It'll be fine in the garage. Use a moisture barrier between it and the concrete and anchor it. The desiccant system you've got will work fine.

[TennVol]

Keeping it in the garage would be a lot easier.  If it it ends up there, I will have something over it, or around it to hide it from view when the garage door is open.  Fortunately, I live on a cul-de-sac and there is no one across the street to see it when the door is open. Plus, my garage is pretty big so I can place it in a corner, out of easy view.  I didn't think about a moisture barrier beneath the safe - good tip!  I will have to bolt it down to the floor though.  

[RED333]

Think of this

I watch your house and your neighbors for a few weeks, learn the patterns.

Now you go out on the town, come home and find you garage shut, but something is wrong.

I have got into the house, opened the door from the inside, wrapped a chain around the safe

and pulled it out and it is in the back of my truck. it is now to be opened at my whim.

How do I know you and others have a safe in the garage, I can read and you just posted it for the world to read.

The closer it is to a large door the easier it is to get out of the house.

 

No I am not a thief, but am always thinking about how to keep my stuff from getting taken.

 

I can tell yall wont be loading mine up on a truck where it is.

Edited September 18, 2015 by RED333

[TrickyNicky]

Think of this

I watch your house and your neighbors for a few weeks, learn the patterns.

Now you go out on the town, come home and find you garage shut, but something is wrong.

I have got into the house, opened the door from the inside, wrapped a chain around the safe

and pulled it out and it is in the back of my truck. it is now to be opened at my whim.

How do I know you and others have a safe in the garage, I can read and you just posted it for the world to read.

The closer it is to a large door the easier it is to get out of the house.

 

No I am not a thief, but am always thinking about how to keep my stuff from getting taken.

 

I can tell yall wont be loading mine up on a truck where it is.

 

 

Great advice from Red IMO. Anyone who has seen professionals deliver a safe knows how easy it is with the right tools and knowledge.

 

Very easy. 

 

I have a dream of building (or rather, having built) my own home one day. One of the many features I've wasted time thinking about is how to get a safe delivered, installed, and THEN have a closet framed around it with a door too small to fit the safe through. It would be there forever, but hey it's the home of my dreams.

 

I would encourage OP to have a consultation with a pro company and see if they can spot a better place to put it than the garage if at all possible. 

[bud]

. Edited December 1, 2015 by bud

[TNWNGR]

I kept a gunsafe in my first house's garage for years w/o any problems, The goldenrod in the safe kept everythin rust free. But my garage door didn't face the roadway either. There are things you can do to make the gunsafe less visable such as workbences and cabinets in front of it obstructing the view. I also stacked plastic storage boxes on top of the safe and had a large picture leaning on the safe. It detracted attention. But the biggest thing is don't bring all the neighbors over to show off the safe, or your newest guns because people talk and word spreads.

[hipower]

Great advice from Red IMO. Anyone who has seen professionals deliver a safe knows how easy it is with the right tools and knowledge.

 

Very easy. 

 

I have a dream of building (or rather, having built) my own home one day. One of the many features I've wasted time thinking about is how to get a safe delivered, installed, and THEN have a closet framed around it with a door too small to fit the safe through. It would be there forever, but hey it's the home of my dreams.

 

I would encourage OP to have a consultation with a pro company and see if they can spot a better place to put it than the garage if at all possible. 

 

When you build, just have a safe room added. Call it a panic room for the construction crew. Or even a tornado room.  They don't need to know either.

 

If I ever get out of here and build, not likely, I will have one added.

[kieefer]

Good posts.  :up:

 

I've been thinking of doing the same, good timing.

 

I was considering those protective bags ( http://www.storeguns.com/corrosion-inhibitors/preservation-bags) for the weapons I don't shoot to often, also doing what has been mentioned as far as an insulating base and more or less hiding and enclosing the safe so it would be less obvious.

 

My main reason for the garage location is because the house doesn't have the room. The garage will have to be remodeled to make room or rather I need to get rid of some junk to make room.

 

I've also consider using a closet downstairs (bedrooms are upstairs) to fit a smaller safe but I doubt the Honey will go for that.

 

.

Edited September 18, 2015 by kieefer

[TennVol]

Think of this

I watch your house and your neighbors for a few weeks, learn the patterns.

Now you go out on the town, come home and find you garage shut, but something is wrong.

I have got into the house, opened the door from the inside, wrapped a chain around the safe

and pulled it out and it is in the back of my truck. it is now to be opened at my whim.

How do I know you and others have a safe in the garage, I can read and you just posted it for the world to read.

The closer it is to a large door the easier it is to get out of the house.

 

No I am not a thief, but am always thinking about how to keep my stuff from getting taken.

 

I can tell yall wont be loading mine up on a truck where it is.

Interesting theory.  I do see one small problem with your plan, you have no idea where I live so it might be a bit of a challenge to watch my house and learn my habits.

[RED333]

Interesting theory.  I do see one small problem with your plan, you have no idea where I live so it might be a bit of a challenge to watch my house and learn my habits.

You are right, but it is not me you have to worry about, you just never know who is reading.

[peejman]

If this were true we'd have a lot of fat asses stuck between floors once wedged between joists. Better not stand on one foot :)

 

There's a big difference between static, dynamic loads, and shear loads. 

 

The shear load is what would cause it to punch through the flooring.  If a safe that big had individual feet like a chair, they will slowly crush or become embedded in the surface. 

 

The dynamic load is the people moving around the room.  Who hasn't felt the whole house flex a little when one large person (or several small people) move around a house?

 

The static load is like furniture or appliances that never move.  Wood is flexible and very susceptible to what's called creep forming.  If you support an 8 ft 2x4 at it's ends and hang a modest weight in the middle, over time the board will permanently bend.  Sitting an 800 lb safe on a wood frame floor without direct support underneath can do the same thing.  After a few months or years, the drywall starts cracking and nearby doors don't close anymore. 

 

Sitting it in a corner up against 2 load bearing walls is the best alternative, but that may not be convenient or practical.  Just getting something that big and heavy up the stairs and around the corners can be more effort than it's worth. 

 

A friend has had his safe in his garage for years with no issues.  He keeps it covered with an old bed sheet and has shelves on both sides.  You could always paint it to look like a refrigerator.  ;)

Edited September 18, 2015 by peejman

[bud]

.

Edited January 6, 2016 by bud

[NRA]

500# is nothing, if your floor cant handle that you bought the wrong house

[bud]

.

Edited January 6, 2016 by bud

[Mike.357]

Interesting theory.  I do see one small problem with your plan, you have no idea where I live so it might be a bit of a challenge to watch my house and learn my habits.

 

 

People think that.  On another very large forum for firearm enthusiasts one member made a bet in general he could not be found based on what information he believed was available to anyone searching for him.

 

Within 45 minutes he had gotten an email from another member with his name address and phone number.

 

Don't think the internet is anonymous to someone who knows how to look.  

[E4 No More]

The safe experts advise to not put your safe in the garage or anywhere else that can be seen by anyone else.

[mikegideon]

People think that.  On another very large forum for firearm enthusiasts one member made a bet in general he could not be found based on what information he believed was available to anyone searching for him.

 

Within 45 minutes he had gotten an email from another member with his name address and phone number.

 

Don't think the internet is anonymous to someone who knows how to look.  

 

I can find you. I know your brother, and he accepts bribes :)

[peejman]

Here's an article I found written by a structural engineer regarding loads delivered to floor system by large aquariums. No do's or dont's here, just well presented facts to consider when deciding placement of heavy loads and their ideal positioning in the home.
http://www.african-cichlid.com/Structure.htm

 

 

That's a great site.  I found that when I was getting ready to install our aquarium.  It sits about 12" from a load bearing exterior wall, but I put support like this directly under it anyway, just because I'm anal like that.

 

 

 

It wasn't the easiest thing to do in my 30" crawlspace, but it was a lot easier than fixing it once it's sagged. 

[monkeylizard]

What did you use for your concrete "pads" under your columns? Just 12x12 patio pavers, or are there special built ones of harder concrete for this purpose?

 

 

 

The column supports plus sistering would make the section of floor super strong.

Edited September 18, 2015 by monkeylizard