How to Install an in-Floor Safe
If you want to store valuables at home, a safe is the best protection. Even if you have a good home security system, this gives you an extra layer of protection. What you don't want to do is buy a free-standing safe, which the burglars could simply move out of your house to open on their own time. Instead, get a wall-mounted or in-floor safe
These safes are designed to be permanent parts of your home, so no burglar can remove them. The only way to get in is to know the combination. This makes them a better security bet than an unsecured safe.
There is a bit of work involved in installing an in-floor safe though. You may prefer to have a professional assist you, but if you want to do it yourself, here is how:
How to install a floor safe
Procedures differ a bit from manufacturer to manufacturer, but most in-floor safes can be installed in an existing concrete floor by following these steps:
1. Take the door off the safe, and tape the dust cover over the safe opening.
2. Draw the shape of the body of the safe on the floor where it's to be installed, allowing four inches extra width on each side. (If the safe has a square-body, make the drawing square, regardless of the shape of the safe's door.
3. Use an electric jackhammer to break through the concrete to match your markings, using a shovel to make the hole at least three inches deeper than the height of the safe.
4. Line the hole with plastic sheeting or a weatherproof sealant to help fight moisture buildup in the safe.
5. Pour enough concrete in the hole to form a stable base for the safe to sit on.
6. Put the safe in the hole, make sure its flush and level, and fill in the remaining space with concrete mix. Use a trowel to level the concrete with the floor.
7. When the concrete is dry, trim away the plastic, and remove any excess concrete.
Models such as the Hayman Polyethylene Floor Safe
*For information on installing an in-floor safe in a new concrete floor or a wood floor, see this pdf.
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