So you’ve decided to buy an in-floor safe. Congratulations on your decision – we at SafeandVaultStore.com think it is one of the smartest decisions you’ll ever make towards protecting yourself and your valuables. An in-floor safe means that your valuables will be concealed from view from any potential robbers and will remain safely protected in your home or office building. No more easy targets. But now you’ve got to figure out how to install the safe. Because there are so many variables in home and office construction, there really is no one way to install an in-floor safe.
We’re here to help guide you through the process as best we’re able to. While it is possible to install a safe yourself, we always recommend that you hire a qualified safe installer or contractor to do the work for you. Before you begin any work, please make sure that your installation area is free and clear of any electrical wiring, plumbing, heating, telephone or other wires. Additionally, you should be cognizant of any potential hazards associated with a high water table, as most floor safes are not watertight.
Concrete floor installation: measure the outside dimension of the safe body and add four inches for extra room for installation. Use a jackhammer to break through any existing concrete in the space and make sure to add at least 3 inches to the hole depth. Pour concrete into the bottom of the hole to ensure a solid, firm, and level base for the floor safe to rest on. Insert the safe on top of the level base and fill remaining space in the hole with additional concrete to secure the safe. Finish off the concrete so that it is level with the floor.
Wood floor installation: build a retaining form of wood or mesh lined with roofing paper and attach it to the floor joints. Cut a hole in the floor and set the safe in using the same guidelines as outlined for the concrete floor installation. Reinforce floor joints as necessary to compensate for the weight of the floor safe.
We hope that these guidelines will help you understand how to install an in-floor safe. We think it’s a great choice as one of the most secure safe choices you can make. We know that most robbers are opportunistic – by simply making safe removal difficult, you will deter most all potential robbers. More information is available in our comprehensive installation guide found here.
