Gun Safe In Garage?

B

Buzzsaw

Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
Feb 12, 2006
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Frisco, Texas
#1
Tried the search function, could get to the "go" button, The "Sponsors Square" get's in the way.

Anyway, moving into a new house, doesn't look like my Liberty Franklin 50 will fit through the tight hallway. May have to go in garage. Any problem associated with this? I live in DFW area Texas. Will I need de-humidifiers?

What are you garage safer's doing?
 
#3
Re: Gun Safe In Garage?

It wouldn't be a bad idea to have a golden rod inside the safe but the main thing you wanna do is elevate the safe off the ground so moisture can flow under the safe. If your safe sits on the concrete, the bottom can rust out over years due to the concrete holding moisture. A quick fix is putting the safe up on 2x4's laying flat on the sides. Cut them to the width of the safe from front to back and have someone tilt the safe up while you slide one into place then have that person push from the other side and slide the other under. Paint them if your worried about looks.
 
#4
Re: Gun Safe In Garage?

Please do and send me you address. This way I can back a truck up to garage, open door, and hoist safe into truck bed. I hope you sensed sarcasm and don't take to heart. Anchor bolts will probably not work with the 2x4 idea. As it would give me a place to pry at and give me leverage if it was bolted down. I would either look into a modular safe or find another alternative. Your safe manual probably advises to keep safes somewhere away from access to a door. Remember if it is tough for you to move it there it will be more difficult to get it. A bad guy has to deal with the safe plus the fear of being caught and would avoid it.

Charlie
 
#5
Re: Gun Safe In Garage?

Buzz, I had two safes in my garage (DFW area also) for 5 years. Both were anchored to the slab. Both had Golden Rods plus a can of Damp-Rid. I never had an issue. I kept them covered with a moving blanket just in case the garage door was open and someone passed by.

Fast forward to recently. Just bought a new safe thats too big to go inside. Back in the garage we go...same set up as above.
 
#6
Re: Gun Safe In Garage?

I wouldn't make it any easier for anyone to steal my guns by putting them in a yank-n-go place. Floor bolts are only so strong. That would be my major concern.
 
#7
Re: Gun Safe In Garage?

I have mine in my garage anchored to the ground with anchor bolts and also has a goldenrod and it's been out there for five years, not a problem as of yet. Also have a hunting buddy in central Nebraska and his safe is also in the garage, ancored to the floor and no problems.
 
#8
Re: Gun Safe In Garage?

The problem with the idea of putting 2x4 between the safe and the floor is that not only would it give a thief a place to pry at with leverage as Deputy Dawg says, but it would be a weak point for a thief to gain access to the bolts so that a sawzall would be able to cut the bolts off. If the safe was pulled tight against a concrete floor, sawing would be much much tougher.
 
#9
Re: Gun Safe In Garage?

I HAD mine in garage too. It was easy to unload and provide easy access to load vehicles. Then I had a conversation with a thief and explained that many valuables are kept in garages and that was his first choice. I am sure you keep tools their too? I do. He also explained how if it is difficult to take he would rather pass it up and take something easier. To floor anchor bolts, according to him are fairly easy to defeat. At the end on the convo and workday, I went home and moved everything and decided my tools needed locks on them also. Here I was giving access to safe not thinking about the tools I left behind. If you leave it there, really spend some time on how you would steal. If it's plausible move it. Hope it gives you somethin to think about.


Charlie
 
#10
Re: Gun Safe In Garage?

Thanks for the replies, believe me I have thought about the ease of gainging access to the garage. In my opinion, if someone wants your stuff, they will get it no mmatter how "secure" it is. I will probably would drape some sort of cover up held in place with strong magnets or something. I could probably find some "space aged" fabric (insulation)to put under it and behind it. Hopefully a big Golden Rod could keep the humididy to a min.

Or I could see if my safe guy would like to trade for a smaller unit, this Franklin 50 is huge.
 
#11
Re: Gun Safe In Garage?

Its easy to say "don't put it in the garage."

But unless he is going to tear out a door frame and wall, he may not have an option given the size of his safe. I know a guy that built a false cabinet with 1/4" plywood and 2x2, around one that he installed in a garage. cheap as hell, and would not fool anyone from closer than 15 feet, but if you were out on the street and walked by it looked like a painted wooden cabinet, standing among the other painted wood cabinets. Personally, I don't advertise where mine is or what is in it. I don't want anyone snooping around or even considering that I might have something worth stealing. I have done my best to make it hard to get to and harder to take away from me, but that is about all I can do.

Even so, I have a very good security system, with local monitoring and responders, and plenty of insurance - replacement value insurance.

Not to mention the armed response inside the house.
smile.gif


Jeffvn
 
#13
Re: Gun Safe In Garage?

Mine are in the garage....a small single garage off of the main part. I also put a motion detector linked to the house alarm and bolted them to the concrete floor. I use a rechargeable dehumidifier and a golden rod in each one. Condensation has never been an issue and here in E NCarolina we have a lot of humidity. A dedicated thief with time is going to get what they want but I feel my guns are no less protected there vs my house.
 
#14
Re: Gun Safe In Garage?

Seal the concrete floor, at least under the spot for the safe. I have a natural gas heater in the garage that keeps the humidity down in winter. Im sealing and epoxy painting my floor very soon for the same reason.
 
#15
Re: Gun Safe In Garage?

Well I have a climate-controlled garage!

I had a mini-split system installed, basically for this very reason (storage of heat and humidity-sensitive items in the garage). It's a heat-pump so it can keep the garage cool in the summer and warm in the winter too. I think it's a great solution for Texas, as it never really gets too cold for the heat pump. (Also we don't have basements here, which sucks).

My garage doors and walls are insulated, which keeps the running cost to a minimum.
 
#17
Re: Gun Safe In Garage?

Another security problem that keeps me from putting a safe in the garage is the tools needed to break into a safe (not many are needed) are all in close reach and noise in the garage is often over looked by neighbors. Im always super paranoid of thieves and their ability to get what they want. I dont know what tools you keep in your garage but take that into consideration. I hope that helps any.
 
#18
Re: Gun Safe In Garage?

Agree with most of above. Couple of other points. I would get a smaller safe for inside the house and keep a few there just in case something happened the one in the garage. Consider getting a powerline type camera that can send you motion alerts (Logitech Alert), and set it up in the garage as a way for you to have peace of mind when traveling.

I leave some ammo in the garage in a server closet and the accessibility worries me. Reiterate above that if you can cut the door/frame, it's worth the hassle.
 
#19
Re: Gun Safe In Garage?

another one here. I have had gun safes in garages of various houses in DFW for 15 years. Currently have 3 safes one in the game room one in the garage and one in the bedroom closet. I still find myself putting my nicest guns in the garage safe every time. ( has a GoldRod) just east to get to and load the guns in the truck and go. Its a liberty 28 gun. I do my part and it has done its. Never had a problem with rust. Bolted strait to the slab. Modified the garage with what now looks like a hot water heater (utilities) closet. that door also has a dead bolt but mainly there for if the garage door is open for a few minutes no one will spot it.
 
#21
Re: Gun Safe In Garage?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Buzzsaw</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Thanks for the replies, believe me I have thought about the ease of gainging access to the garage. In my opinion, if someone wants your stuff, they will get it no mmatter how "secure" it is. I will probably would drape some sort of cover up held in place with strong magnets or something. I could probably find some "space aged" fabric (insulation)to put under it and behind it. Hopefully a big Golden Rod could keep the humididy to a min.

Or I could see if my safe guy would like to trade for a smaller unit, this Franklin 50 is huge. </div></div>
Got a Liberty Colonial 25 gun I'll trade ...hehehe
 
#22
Re: Gun Safe In Garage?

The local safe guy around here puts the safes on hockey pucks and bolts down into the floor through the puck.

I'm not saying it doesn't happen, but I've been in LE over 10 years and a detective for over 5. Have yet to see a large safe stolen from a residence which was bolted securely to a floor. And we even had a group of safe thieves hitting us hard a few years back. Even then they only hit businesses. Most residential burglars are looking for a quick hit. Like I said, I'm not saying it doesn't happen, I just haven't seen it.
 
#23
Re: Gun Safe In Garage?

I did a lot of measuring when I bought my safe and bought the biggest that would fit. Luckily I bought the house first. Mine is stashed in a bedroom closet and won't fit through the doorway unless you take the door off the safe. Its bolted down and in a corner. With a shelving system built around it and closet doors. Its as secure as I could make it.

Back to the OP's original question. Have you thought about selling or trading your big safe for two smaller safes? Then you could put them inside the house.
 
#24
Re: Gun Safe In Garage?

I keep all my safes in my garage but my garage is fully lined and insulated with heavy insulation and the floors are painted with an epoxy paint so no moisture comes through the concrete but I still use a de-humidifier and all our parts at work come with desiccant bags like the thing in new shoes only about 150mm x150mm so I pack my safe with them aswell and then change them out every month or so it may seem a bit anal but I'd rather be safe then sorry in that respect. So no matter what I'd use a de humidifier and agree with spacing up the safe or as another option seal the concrete with an epoxy paint to stop moisture through the ground
 
#25
Re: Gun Safe In Garage?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: hondakilla98</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Back to the OP's original question. Have you thought about selling or trading your big safe for two smaller safes? Then you could put them inside the house. </div></div>

I'm a proponent of the 2 smaller safe idea.

Safes are a deterrent. Crackheads looking for a quick hit are going to pass right by them (mine are bolted to the floor & wall) and the real thieves a) are going to get into any residential safe quickly & b) aren't going to take the risk to steal the stuff I keep in my house.
 
#26
Re: Gun Safe In Garage?

I'll add that I considered putting a bigger safe in the garage and building a cabinet around it. I just couldn't get over the security issue of having my firearms outside of my house alarm.
 
#28
Re: Gun Safe In Garage?

You can always extend your house alarm out to your garage end of the day I have more money worth of tools and gear in my garage then my house anyway the only real thing I'd really miss in my house are the videos and photos of my kids and why would someone steel them
 
#29
Re: Gun Safe In Garage?

there was a guy here in nw tn that had a safe stolen out of his home while on vacation. the thieves broke in through a window, wrapped a chain around the safe and pulled it through the side of the house with a truck.
 
#30
Re: Gun Safe In Garage?

I think elevating the safe off the floor is a good idea as others have said before. In Denver, you have to worry about more than surface condensation. Though our humidity level is low, in winter, you will have to worry about melting snow which comes off your car. I see that the OP is from the DFW area. Doesn't it snow from time to time in Dallas? During winter, I will have a considerable amount of muddy water in my garage during frequent snow-storms.
 
#31
Re: Gun Safe In Garage?

The trick is to anchor the thing to the floor with large enough lag bolts and sleeves that you would need a bulldozer to yank it out. Backed against a wall, it would be harder to put a chain around, and anchoring four corners to the floor would make it damn near unmovable without explosives.
 
#35
Re: Gun Safe In Garage?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: normbal</div><div class="ubbcode-body">The trick is to anchor the thing to the floor with large enough lag bolts and sleeves that you would need a bulldozer to yank it out. Backed against a wall, it would be harder to put a chain around, and anchoring four corners to the floor would make it damn near unmovable without explosives. </div></div>
Thats what I did my safes are made from 1/4" plate then I put a 1" steel plate in the bottom and put 6x 16mm true bolts into 200mm of reinforced concrete the sheer force on 1 of the bolts is 4t. It may be overkill but if someone wants into my safes good luck to them the only way to get in easily is a gas axe or plasma torch and that would damage the guns too much and if they want to drag it out I'm sure the tractor in my driveway will be a bit conspicuous as would be the few hours on a grinder
 
#36
Re: Gun Safe In Garage?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Big Cal</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: normbal</div><div class="ubbcode-body">The trick is to anchor the thing to the floor with large enough lag bolts and sleeves that you would need a bulldozer to yank it out. Backed against a wall, it would be harder to put a chain around, and anchoring four corners to the floor would make it damn near unmovable without explosives. </div></div>
Thats what I did my safes are made from 1/4" plate then I put a 1" steel plate in the bottom and put 6x 16mm true bolts into 200mm of reinforced concrete the sheer force on 1 of the bolts is 4t. It may be overkill but if someone wants into my safes good luck to them the only way to get in easily is a gas axe or plasma torch and that would damage the guns too much and if they want to drag it out I'm sure the tractor in my driveway will be a bit conspicuous as would be the few hours on a grinder</div></div>

bet you I don't need a gas axe or tractor to get in. I am pretty sure you neighbors will not even hear. You pay for the flight and I will show you how to get in.
 
#38
Re: Gun Safe In Garage?

Measure your doorways, if you are short 1.5" or less you can take out the doorjambs without touching the framing and sheetrock. Reinstall with some finish nails and touch up the paint.
 
#39
Re: Gun Safe In Garage?

Bolt it down, put a golden rod (or similar) device in it to generate heat. Open the safe only when necessary. Cover it with a bed sheet or blanket.
 
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