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Gun safe in an unfinished basement: keep it elevated off the ground?

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sernv99

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Discussion starter · #1 ·
I will be moving pretty soon into a house with an unfinished walkout basement. I nixed the idea of putting my gun safe in the garage so I'm looking to put it down in the basement. In my current house, I have the safe elevated a few inches off of the ground with the metal rails that it came with. I think the metal rails are used for delivery/moving the safe around. See photo. I plan to leave the rails on to keep the bottom of the safe elevated off of the ground but since it will be sitting on concrete for a few years (until I get some $$$ to have the basement finished), is it recommend to put some scrap pieces of carpeting, or some pieces of wood, underneath the safe as a "moisture barrier". I have a cordless dehumidifier in the safe as well. Thanks.


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#3 ·
I have mine still on the rails (rented a pallet jack to move it) in my basement. It is sitting on a tile floor and I placed a carpet scrap to set it on. It has been in the same location for 10 years with no moisture issues. I run a plugged in dehumidifier, but I also live in a semi arid climate
 
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#5 ·
Why not put a thin vapor barrier between the bottom of the safe and the concrete floor and then bolt the safe to the concrete floor. Wouldn't it make it much more difficult for thieves of the safe is bolted to the floor?
No expert here, just wondering
John
 
#10 ·
One of mine is still on the pallet on a concrete garage floor. One is on the rails on a concrete garage floor. One is sitting flat on carpet in a bedroom. No problems with any of them.
 
#11 ·
I put a layer of grout down and put a piece of 3/4" laminated plywood (with four coats of paint on the edges) on top and leveled it. After it dried I put the safe on top and screwed the safe to the wall.

A good level spot about 1 1/2 inches above the rest of the floor.
 
#12 ·
Elevated with a pallet and do not put against foundation wall. A friend had an issue with his safe being up against his foundation wall. Huge rust issue. So I kept mine off the wall and for an extra measure painted the rear with epoxy paint before putting into place. As for lagging to the floor I opted not too. The safe is 1500 lbs plus the contents.


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#15 ·
2ballcane said:
Elevated with a pallet and do not put against foundation wall. A friend had an issue with his safe being up against his foundation wall. Huge rust issue. So I kept mine off the wall and for an extra measure painted the rear with epoxy paint before putting into place. As for lagging to the floor I opted not too. The safe is 1500 lbs plus the contents.


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Click to expand...
I should have mentioned that there is a 2x4 studded, insulated, vapor barrier and drywall wall built against the foundation wall.
 
#16 ·
likes-to-shoot said:
I should have mentioned that there is a 2x4 studded, insulated, vapor barrier and drywall wall built against the foundation wall.
Click to expand...
I should have mentioned that flooding often comes from within, burst pipes and the like.
The nice 2x4 studded, insulated, vapor barrier, drywall will just keep all the water in after your pipes burst
 
#17 ·
Buy an 8' piece of 5/4 wolmanized wood deck board, or one of the composit plastic brand, cut to length and place under your metal runners
Will bring the safe another 1" off the floor and keep the metal from rusting.
 
#18 ·
Mine is not in a basement but is elevated with the wood pallet that came with it during shipping. I made some wooden trim and painted it to dress it up a bit. Most basements flood at some point. I would definitely elevate your safe if there is any risk of flooding.
 
#19 ·
bsd said:
I should have mentioned that flooding often comes from within, burst pipes and the like.
The nice 2x4 studded, insulated, vapor barrier, drywall will just keep all the water in after your pipes burst
Click to expand...
Before I dug a 18" deep trench around the basement walls and put in rock and drain pipe to the sump pump water would actually run to the drain not getting any deeper than a 1/2 inch in parts of the whole basement.

If a pipe bursts I guess it's like mopping the floor, which by the way is lower than my gun safe.
 
#20 ·
Basements are a swimming pool waiting to happen. When Superstorm Sandy hit NJ, my basement, which doesn't even have a sump pump because I'm on a hill, took on 4 inches of water. My safe was on 1" blocks and the water almost but didn't quite reach to bottom of the interior of the safe. It's now on 4x4s.
 
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