I would love to see construction pics if possible. I just moved (in an apt until I sell my other house), and my next house (barring a miracle and me getting the wife to move north out of MA) I plan to stay in for a long time and would want to construct as secure a room as I can.
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Building a gun room
- Thread starter Tim94gt
- Start date
Maybe not as awkward as it would be if the regular door opened out and the storm door opened it.
![[shocked]](/xen/styles/default/xenforo/smilies.vb/007.gif "Shocked [shocked]")
Ken
I need to clean and remove everything from the room this weekend. Its filled with junk now, I'll take pics of before and post em. This is my winter project, so it might take time before it's finished.
Thanks for all the input guys.
![[smile]](/xen/styles/default/xenforo/smilies.vb/001.gif "Smile [smile]")
RFWAVELENGTH
Banned
My size-9 Herman Survivor boots would do the same thing with a few good kicks. Another thing that would concern me would be moisture. I have been inside many homes during my life and I can count the number of really dry basements that I found on one hand. And that was in good weather! At the very least, he would need a damn good dehumidifier if he plans on storing firearms and ammunition in a basement room.
Actually my basement is suprisingly dry. I will be using a dehumidifier though. Firearms/ammo have been in this room already for 25+ years and never been an issue. The only difference is they will be displayed rather than hidden behind stuff or in rafters
Mark from MA
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I was thinking building a room like this above my garage. Right now I have a basement room with safe and dehumidifier...works fine. I was tinking false plywood wall, or some other type of thing....but I think it's just better off to have a safe or multiples in the room. This may be a winter project for me....the thought of getting the safes upstairs really kills me though...plus I've got to put heat up there.....and knowing me once I start, it'll cost double what I intend to spend, even doing the work myself.....
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A bit of advice to anyone that has constructed (or is considering it), a gun room, I'd suggest securing any tools
that would assist any thieves in gaining/forcing entry (pry/crow bars, mauls/sledge hammers, sawzall, drills, etc).
If you have a cutting torch, lock up the tips, regulator, etc.
It's rare that any thieves would bring along the above tools with them. Why make their job easier by providing them with those tools?
I used 4 heavy duty hinges mounted with 3" screws. To solve the hinge pin problem, I drilled a 3/8" hole through both sides of the hinge, then drove a 3/8" inch hardened steel rod through one hinge side and into the frame. I left about 3/8"-1/2" protruding so that when the door is closed the pin is inserted through the other side of the hinge and into the door.
that would assist any thieves in gaining/forcing entry (pry/crow bars, mauls/sledge hammers, sawzall, drills, etc).
If you have a cutting torch, lock up the tips, regulator, etc.
It's rare that any thieves would bring along the above tools with them. Why make their job easier by providing them with those tools?
I used 4 heavy duty hinges mounted with 3" screws. To solve the hinge pin problem, I drilled a 3/8" hole through both sides of the hinge, then drove a 3/8" inch hardened steel rod through one hinge side and into the frame. I left about 3/8"-1/2" protruding so that when the door is closed the pin is inserted through the other side of the hinge and into the door.
Ask me how I know this...Most entry doors do not swing outwards due to the fact that most (stressing MOST) stair landings are not large enough to accomodate the door as well as a person. you would need ot step back down as you swung the door towards you.
I was a millwork installation punchlist monkey.
Keri
I was a millwork installation punchlist monkey.
Keri
Yup. Anyone who has ever been in a frat house (and still has enough brain cells to remember) knows how easy it is to put holes in drywall.
flintoid
Banned
Yup. Anyone who has ever been in a frat house (and still has enough brain cells to remember) knows how easy it is to put holes in drywall.
Or kick in a door when your frat brothers crank up their stereos, leave their room and lock their doors
If you're going to do a 'gun room' you better have some pretty heavy duty multiple latch doors! It's pretty easy to blow a dead bolt through a wood frame with a well placed kick
![[wink]](/xen/styles/default/xenforo/smilies.vb/002.gif "Wink [wink]")
I would place the chain link fence in the wall w/ the horsehair plaster and all, and then electrify it with 100,000 Volts. AMF: Try cutting or hammering through that $hit.
OR...maybe... ADT and secure the entire room w/ motion and door jamb sensors? I did that with my room and safes...no one is going in there as the entire house is covered w/ all entry ways and windows protected (yes, it was $$$ but worth it).
But YMMV on what you want to do... Personally I like the 100,000 Volts.
OR...maybe... ADT and secure the entire room w/ motion and door jamb sensors? I did that with my room and safes...no one is going in there as the entire house is covered w/ all entry ways and windows protected (yes, it was $$$ but worth it).
But YMMV on what you want to do... Personally I like the 100,000 Volts.
Two words... BURGLAR BOMB. I highly recommend checking out this website - makes things a little bit harder for the bad guys. I've used an alarm in combination with burglar bomb products for the last bunch of years.
http://www.burglarbomb.com.
http://www.burglarbomb.com.
I need to clean and remove everything from the room this weekend. Its filled with junk now, I'll take pics of before and post em. This is my winter project, so it might take time before it's finished.
Thanks for all the input guys.
Excellent, thanks!
I know you just wanted to have a locked room - but you might want to think about adding just a little bit more insurance against break in
A person who knows how to - can get thru just about anything. Even a poured concrete wall. What gets very hard to get thru however - is something with multiple layers.
A concrete wall - using the concrete with the fibers in it, laced with rebar, - and maybe the galvanized fencing suggested in a previous post - with a layer of plywood on the outside - would be damn hard to get thru easily.
If you are interested in just building a room that is decently resistant to breakin - build the walls out of 2x4's , screw - and GLUE a layer of plywood to the outside, apply a layer of sheetrock to the outside - and reinforce the door opening with some steel around the edges - and then use one of those steel framed industrial type doors - with a Medeco lock (not pickable) on it. It will be almost as good as most of the safes you can buy - which you can just cut thru the 1/8 steel they typically are made from in not much time. If you want to avoid people cutting thru the wall of the 2x4/plywood room - embed some of the chain link fence suggested by the previous poster in the wall under the sheetrock to destroy the blade on the saw they are using.
A person who knows how to - can get thru just about anything. Even a poured concrete wall. What gets very hard to get thru however - is something with multiple layers.
A concrete wall - using the concrete with the fibers in it, laced with rebar, - and maybe the galvanized fencing suggested in a previous post - with a layer of plywood on the outside - would be damn hard to get thru easily.
If you are interested in just building a room that is decently resistant to breakin - build the walls out of 2x4's , screw - and GLUE a layer of plywood to the outside, apply a layer of sheetrock to the outside - and reinforce the door opening with some steel around the edges - and then use one of those steel framed industrial type doors - with a Medeco lock (not pickable) on it. It will be almost as good as most of the safes you can buy - which you can just cut thru the 1/8 steel they typically are made from in not much time. If you want to avoid people cutting thru the wall of the 2x4/plywood room - embed some of the chain link fence suggested by the previous poster in the wall under the sheetrock to destroy the blade on the saw they are using.
![[puke]](/xen/styles/default/xenforo/smilies.vb/023.gif "Puke [puke]")
![[puke2]](/xen/styles/default/xenforo/smilies.vb/031.gif "Puke2 [puke2]")
After reading all of this, I still think that stealth and alarms beat hardened physical barriers any day of the week. A thief cannot steal what he can't see or find. You cannot normally tell that my gun room is a gun room and you certainly can't tell that its closet holds two gun safes, which are both located behind a false wall.
Meanwhile the house alarm and the independent gun room alarm are blaring.
I've watched those assorted megabuck gun safe broken in minutes videos... and they do certainly make their point.
CLMN
Meanwhile the house alarm and the independent gun room alarm are blaring.
I've watched those assorted megabuck gun safe broken in minutes videos... and they do certainly make their point.
CLMN
Speaking of stealth...
I've toyed with the idea of taking an old 275gal oil tank and converting it into a secret gun vault.
The design part wouldn't be that difficult... hidden access hatch/door, firearms mounted on a rack that slides in and out on rails, dummy plumbing, etc.
Constructing (the cutting and especially cleaning it out and disposing of the sludge), it would be a major PITA though.
Sure. I've probably seen the same video. Two guys who know what they are doing, armed with very long, heavy pry bars, who tip the safe over on its back, so that they can use their considerable weight to help them pry the door.
1) It's quite a bit harder when the safe is bolted to the floor. So bolt your gun safe to the floor so that they can't just tip it over.
2) Your average smash-and-grab thief isn't carrying 4' long, heavy pry bars.
3) Your average smash-and-grab thief doesn't know how to attack a safe.
4) Your average smash-and-grab thief will jiggle then handle, try to turn it, and move on.
5) Most house breaks are done by smash-and-grab thieves, who want to get in and out quickly.
A true pro who knows enough to get into your safe in a couple minutes also knows how to bypass an alarm.
Is stealth good? Yes. So is an alarm. And so is physical security.
Yup. Anyone who has ever been in a frat house (and still has enough brain cells to remember) knows how easy it is to put holes in drywall.
The human head can easily punch thru most drywall.
That's a cool idea. I would just buy a new one from HD thought and start the mods from there.
Probably overboard, but I just came across these two listings on craigslist:
Full Size BankVault Door w/ Frame - $8000 (Montgomery Center, VT)
STEEL VAULT - $1000 (FRANKLIN)
Full Size BankVault Door w/ Frame - $8000 (Montgomery Center, VT)
STEEL VAULT - $1000 (FRANKLIN)
my uncle has a pretty cool set up. similar to "pocket doors" he can slide a section of his wall out from the rest of the wall. I'm not sure how they lock, but it's pretty cool to see a wall pull out of the door jam with guns mounted inside
shotcrete walls and ceiling and window, raise floor, install dehumidifyer, buy a vault door
Buy a big safe cover that on shotcrete. Lock all your guns in a safe locked inside the safe room. Heck while you are at hit do a hidden door http://www.hiddenpassageway.com/?gclid=CPXulJnk6J0CFcNx5Qod3SHsKg
of course $$$ is a key factor. my century safe bolted down inside a 2x4x 3/4 plywood locked cabinet in my 6x8 space I share with the heater and oil tank, tons of crap in the way to get to it, if you get past the funky 4 door bathroom thingy in my WTF where they thinking basement.
Buy a big safe cover that on shotcrete. Lock all your guns in a safe locked inside the safe room. Heck while you are at hit do a hidden door http://www.hiddenpassageway.com/?gclid=CPXulJnk6J0CFcNx5Qod3SHsKg
of course $$$ is a key factor. my century safe bolted down inside a 2x4x 3/4 plywood locked cabinet in my 6x8 space I share with the heater and oil tank, tons of crap in the way to get to it, if you get past the funky 4 door bathroom thingy in my WTF where they thinking basement.
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