Leveling big safe

[timelinex]

I'm getting a BF7250 installed on concrete and the last thing I have to figure out is whether I should level it. It is in the corner and I am guessing for drainage reason, there is a slight angle towards the door and towards the hinge. I think if the angle was in literally the opposite direction, that wouldn't be a big deal. But this way the door will always be opening and I am worried may almost tip it over. This thing is a beast, and almost 6 ft tall too. I do plan on bolting it down, but it will likely be shallow anchors as my house is on a post tension slab.

Am I over thinking it and it should be fine being off level a little like this?

 

[elwarpo]

I leveled mine, did not want the door to be moving by itself, used 1/8 inch steel shims stacked under 3 of the 4 corners. Safe is solid and the door only moves if I push it.

 

[ballisticdaddy]

I leveled mine as well, it greatly affects the swing of the door.

 

[mrtoyz]

You could build a 4x4 frame. Level the frame with construction shims, have the safe installed and have them drill through the frame to anchor. Nice to have the safe up that high. Worked really well for me.

 

[JustinTX]

I leveled mine, did not want the door to be moving by itself, used 1/8 inch steel shims stacked under 3 of the 4 corners. Safe is solid and the door only moves if I push it.

^^^the safe company that installed my did this.

 

[timelinex]

You could build a 4x4 frame. Level the frame with construction shims, have the safe installed and have them drill through the frame to anchor. Nice to have the safe up that high. Worked really well for me.

I just want to clarify. Are you talking about making a rectangle with 4 pieces of 4x4 and empty inside, you fill that 4x4 frame with more 4x4's to make it almost completely wood underneath.

The only issue with this is I don't know how to level it. I'm handy and have alot of tools for woodworking, but im not sure I can sand things down accurately enough to be level and smooth without high/low spots. (Without spending insane amounts of hours on it obviously).

Whatever shims I have definitely aren't long enough or consistent enough to ot have empty spaces everywhere between the safe and 4x4s.

 

[timelinex]

^^^the safe company that installed my did this.

Wouldn't that leave 0 to 1/8 gaps everywhere around the safe. Also limiting how hard you can torque the anchors.

 

[mrtoyz]

I just want to clarify. Are you talking about making a rectangle with 4 pieces of 4x4 and empty inside, you fill that 4x4 frame with more 4x4's to make it almost completely wood underneath.

The only issue with this is I don't know how to level it. I'm handy and have alot of tools for woodworking, but im not sure I can sand things down accurately enough to be level and smooth without high/low spots. (Without spending insane amounts of hours on it obviously).

Whatever shims I have definitely aren't long enough or consistent enough to ot have empty spaces everywhere between the safe and 4x4s.

Mine frame is 4x6 but doesn’t really matter. Doesn’t need to be completely solid in the middle.

 

[mrtoyz]

Wouldn't that leave 0 to 1/8 gaps everywhere around the safe. Also limiting how hard you can torque the anchors.

Yes it does. Larger even. Doesn’t matter. Mine sits more than an 1” height near the front. Weight is supported on the corners and across the middle.

 

[Waorani]

Machine leveling grout - https://www.homedepot.com/p/Quikrete-50-lb-Non-Shrink-Precision-Grout-158500/100318529

 

[GIXXER2000]

My Safe is 2200lb and the safe company delivered and installed it as part of the total price. They use some king of composite shim. Been in for 5 years and still dead level.

 

[PlinkIt]

Machine leveling grout - https://www.homedepot.com/p/Quikrete-50-lb-Non-Shrink-Precision-Grout-158500/100318529

Definitely non shrink grout if you are feeling handy...

You can bring it just up to level, or even bring it up several inches and make a 45 from the floor up to the base vs having a hard ledge

 

[timelinex]

I got pressure treated 2x4's to build a frame and some composite shims. Will see how it goes!

 

[OneMoreNoMore]

My safe isn’t as large as yours but still around 1600lb and with the door open 90deg. it’s easy to tip it forward with one hand.

When I had mine delivered the guy highly recommended to not let it set directly on the concrete slab and leave an air gap or the temp change would cause it to sweat and rust out the bottom and also cause the humidity inside the safe to be very high. Luckily my slab is pretty level and a 4x4 on each side is all I needed.

 

[Nailbender]

Look up "scribing"