How Do I Bolt My Safe to my Concrete Floor?

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  • M60Gunner

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    Bolt hole is 1/2 inch. I want to do at least 2 of the 4 for s cross corner bolt down. thanks for any advice.
     

    JWlineman

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    Did the safe come with concrete anchor bolts? If so, you should be able to rent/borrow a drill and bit geared for drilling concrete. Set the safe, drill thru the holes in the safe floor and hammer in the anchor bolts, tighten nut and washer.

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    MrFish

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    Rent a hammer drill(if you don't have one). Mark your holes, drill them the appropriate depth (put tape on your bit to mark it) and hammer some Red Head concrete anchors in there. Place safe and then torque your nuts down. Don't forget washers.
     

    Viking1204

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    TAPCONs are the way to go, drill the hole and screw them in and they stay put! I used them to put elevated shelving/decking in my garage which has cement walls for the first 5', installed those 12 years ago and still holding strong!
     

    M60Gunner

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    I have the safe set where I want it but it didn't come with bolts, and I don't have a hammer drill but my buddy does. Thank y'all so much. Love our forum!
     

    Jester896

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    That was a good video...that is the same way I do it except I use Red Head Wedge Anchors instead of those sleeve type. I use the largest anchor that will go through the hole already in the safe.
     

    Dirtmover

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    Recommend using a Bosch cobalt hammer drill bit. They seem to work best at least for me and hold their edge well once you rub against steel the edge is done. Use a new bit it’ll cost some $ but will make your life easier than forcing an old dull bit
     

    FrommerStop

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    It is possible when drilling your slab you might hit some steel mesh. Likely to be hard on your bit. a lot of the slabs now days are poured without any steel in them since they can get the building inspectors to sign off on fibers mixed in the cement. Not a good idea for the home owner.
     

    John B.

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    It is possible when drilling your slab you might hit some steel mesh. Likely to be hard on your bit. a lot of the slabs now days are poured without any steel in them since they can get the building inspectors to sign off on fibers mixed in the cement. Not a good idea for the home owner.
    Yep. Most drills eat right through it. Rebar is a different story. If your drill doesn't have a clutch, make sure you're holding on. I drill 100s of thousands of holes a year and rarely hit anything the drill won't eat through.

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    M60Gunner

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    Really appreciate all the help! My house is not on a slab. The laundry room and one bathroom have a concrete flooring of some type where the hardwood ends (we were quite happy when we removed the carpet to find the original thick oak floors). My home inspector said the nearest he could figure it was done this way for some type of weight holding purpose. This seems to make sense in the bathroom, where the tub turned out to be a glazed cast iron monster he estimated at 600+lbs. I'm five nine and I can lay down with room to spare at head and feet. Not sure why the concrete is also in the laundry room. Behind the pine-look paneling we found the original plaster walls which have mesh behind them, and man that stuff is freaking tough. Took me a week to knock it out when we redid the master bath, and the old vanity was built into the frame of the house. The sink weighed over 40 lbs. I have the before pictures somewhere. Still need to paint and finish the door trim. Here are some of the after pics. Can't find a pic which shows the concrete floor in the other bath/laundry but it has some type of crushed quartz type stuff embedded in it. Have to stop now before going on a raging rant about all the crooks I had to deal with trying to get work done, especially plumbing!
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    John B.

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    If your house is off grade you really need to consider adding more support before you bring a safe in.

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    MauserLarry

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    M60-I love that shower! I've been thinking of maybe getting one myself. I imagine the concrete washing room was because wood + water = problems. Heed John B's good advice too. I have seen wooden floors sag in years past. As heavy as these safes tend to get over time I wonder if bolting them down really does any good?
     

    Snake-Eyes

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    What kind of support/reinforcements have you all seen for under the safes of an off-grade house? Some kind of column down to the dirt? Post hole with concrete? Miniature subterranean slab foundation, supporting a cinder block column, topped with sheet metal, snugged up under the joist?

    Side question: is that an Austrian flag? :)
     

    MauserLarry

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    I'd make sure the floor was level where you want the safe. You can jack it up to level if necessary. I would then bolt the same size boards as the floor joists, one to each side making them as long as space allows. You may also have to roll the safe in on some plywood unless your carry cart has some large tires. Snake eyes has some good ideas that might suit you better.
     

    M60Gunner

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    What kind of support/reinforcements have you all seen for under the safes of an off-grade house? Some kind of column down to the dirt? Post hole with concrete? Miniature subterranean slab foundation, supporting a cinder block column, topped with sheet metal, snugged up under the joist?

    Side question: is that an Austrian flag? :)

    No sir!
     

    M60Gunner

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    Found a pic of the floor and my safe. It weighs almost 700 pounds. What convinced me to bolt it down was the two smaller guys who brought it in with a special hand truck and no other help!
    IMG_09438.jpg
     

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