Safe room/panic room

[Cudruln]

I am currently looking at purchasing a house. It has an unfinished basement with ample room for whatever I want to do. It is already stubbed out and has a nice corner room that will be my gun room. I have been doing some research to make it into a safe room none the less.

So what would yall consider to be an easy, but efficient way to secure this room. Would cinder blocks lined with concrete or metal lined walls be sufficient? I know that there are companies out there that do this for a living but I am more than capable of tackling this myself. Just trying to brain storm some ideas now to make it the most efficient.

 

[Leshaire]

sub'd.

just bought a house with basement space and have been considering something similar. been looking at these hinges recently so to mask the entrance. havent really considered the walls yet, as ive been more focused on hiding the room in plain sight really

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...2&tag=howtoarticle-20&linkId=BOBWQ6EJNGF5F34X

 

[Leshaire]

sub'd.

just bought a house with basement space and have been considering something similar. been looking at these hinges recently so to mask the entrance. havent really considered the walls yet, as ive been more focused on hiding the room in plain sight really

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...2&tag=howtoarticle-20&linkId=BOBWQ6EJNGF5F34X

 

[Cudruln]

sub'd.

just bought a house with basement space and have been considering something similar. been looking at these hinges recently so to mask the entrance. havent really considered the walls yet, as ive been more focused on hiding the room in plain sight really

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...2&tag=howtoarticle-20&linkId=BOBWQ6EJNGF5F34X

I am not sure if I want to go hidden in plain sight or a vault door behind a regular door. It would ultimately be off a spare bedroom downstairs so the hidden for may be an option.

On a side note I am heavily considering lining the interior walls with solid steel sheeting and welding it together. That would greatly cut down in the amount of room wasted with a cinder block wall. Plus it help that I will be using the existing foundation as 2 of the walls (which are obviously solid concrete very deep in the surrounding dirt).

 

[Leshaire]

I am not sure if I want to go hidden in plain sight or a vault door behind a regular door. It would ultimately be off a spare bedroom downstairs so the hidden for may be an option.

On a side note I am heavily considering lining the interior walls with solid steel sheeting and welding it together. That would greatly cut down in the amount of room wasted with a cinder block wall. Plus it help that I will be using the existing foundation as 2 of the walls (which are obviously solid concrete very deep in the surrounding dirt).

yeah that makes sense if you can get the steel and weld yourself, otherwise sounds expensive.

i havent made it that far, but considering something similar

 

[Laufen]

Cinder blocks and concrete should be totally fine, unless you plan on being under siege for hours.

 

[Cudruln]

I am able to get the steel at a good price. Plus I am capable of welding everything up. So I think that would be the best option and offer very strong protection for the cost. Especially if I was to do a poured concrete the weight would be very heavy.

 

[Leshaire]

I am able to get the steel at a good price. Plus I am capable of welding everything up. So I think that would be the best option and offer very strong protection for the cost. Especially if I was to do a poured concrete the weight would be very heavy.

very jealous, ive never welded. I would think the steel would be easier to set up and weld, and obviously waste far less space, compared to concrete or cinder blocks. Id think it would take a lot more of a beating as well

 

[Cudruln]

Cinder blocks and concrete should be totally fine, unless you plan on being under siege for hours.

But the weight of the cinder blocks and concrete could ultimately affect the existing slab, unless it is over 4" with solid footers. It is something I am going to price out and see what would be the most cost effective and which one would have the most benefits.

 

[Cudruln]

very jealous, ive never welded. I would think the steel would be easier to set up and weld, and obviously waste far less space, compared to concrete or cinder blocks. Id think it would take a lot more of a beating as well

Welding is one of those things that is nice to be able to do. I just don't tell many people that I can, cause they are always asking for something to get welded.

But yes you can exactly beat through metal like you could concrete. Also the fact that a 12" cinder block takes up a lot of room compared to a (at most) 1/2" piece of steel.

 

[Leshaire]

Welding is one of those things that is nice to be able to do. I just don't tell many people that I can, cause they are always asking for something to get welded.

But yes you can exactly beat through metal like you could concrete. Also the fact that a 12" cinder block takes up a lot of room compared to a (at most) 1/2" piece of steel.

haha oh im sure!

thats pretty much what i was thinking especially after watching guys on youtube use cinder blocks as targets and they tend to crumble/explode pretty easily without much firepower

 

[Laufen]

But the weight of the cinder blocks and concrete could ultimately affect the existing slab, unless it is over 4" with solid footers. It is something I am going to price out and see what would be the most cost effective and which one would have the most benefits.

Even a cinder block wall would suffice. I'd put the most time and attention into a quality door. That'd be the focus of any bad guy, probably not the wall.

How about re-bar and concrete in every other cell? If it's not a vault, I'd probably just go with straight up cinder blocks.

 

[EugenFJR]

I have a safe room, that I'm about to finish, 2 sides concrete, the other side, about 1/2 up is a landing on a stair well. I'm going to put extra 2x4's in the gaps to make a almost solid wall behind the sheet rock, and then a outdoor fireproof steel door in the entrance. I'll take pictures when I start the project next month.

 

[George P. Burdell]

It depends how secure you want to make it. A decent door is going to cost around $3k from what I've seen. Also put a ton of rebar in the cinder block and don't forget about the ceiling.

 

[Willy Leadwell]

Subscribed. I plan to move and do this over the coming summer.

 

[EugenFJR]

Finally got my damn pictures to load from my phone to my PC... ( but thats another topic.)
My safe room in the basement.

 

[Cudruln]

@EugenFJR what is the plan for the ceiling and the wall that is against the stairs?

 

[EugenFJR]

@EugenFJR what is the plan for the ceiling and the wall that is against the stairs?

The ceiling I'm just going to sheet rock To get to it from the top would have to bash a hole in the wood floor, and sub floor above it. On the side with the landing, I'm going to reinforce w/ 2x4's and maybe some long bolts, horizontally, through the vertical 2x4's... I'll make it a real pain in the ass to get in that room. Not to mention I live next door to a cop, who works 6-4 Mon-Fri. and is always home with his patrol car. I'm not to worried about being robbed.

I'll also have to run a few extra outlets, that is the only one we have in the basement at the moment. And it sits right in front of the Dog room, with 3 Rottweilers.

 

[Hayata]

Y'all don't forget about ventilation.

You run in there with a Coleman lantern and it'll suck all the air out in no time.

 

[Cudruln]

Y'all don't forget about ventilation.

You run in there with a Coleman lantern and it'll suck all the air out in no time.

Good point. Can't forget to vent