Building a gun-safe room is not an easy do-it-yourself project, but building a few for clients has given me some expertise and tips I can share to help you build your gun-safe room.
The most efficient way to build a gun-safe room is by using the two P’s: Planning and Preparation. Some simple steps are common, including:
- Find an area of the house that doesn’t get much foot traffic, such as an attic or basement.
- Build an enclosure area and door, or put up a brick wall if you’re paranoid.
- Install durable locks on every entrance door and window to keep people out
- Set up the guns and ammo on racks, so it’s constantly easy to grab one when you need it.
Getting Started
It is essential to keep and secure your valuables in one place. And the best feasible option you can find in the market is hiding them in a safe or a vault. Unfortunately, most free-standing safes are displayed within the house in plain sight, leaving them open to theft.
Types of Gun Safe Rooms
A gun safe room is multi-functional. Aside from being a safe place for your guns and valuable possessions, it also serves as a storage, display room, or hiding place in the event of an attack or emergency.
To create a gunsafe room, you have to choose between two types of gun-safe rooms: above-ground or underground chambers. Each room might influence a particular space in your house, depending on its location.
1. Above-ground
Commonly, an above-ground gun safe room is on the house’s flooring surface. It is a windowless room with steel-fortified walls and a door frame for the vault.
If you have a windowless room, you may convert it into a gun-safe room by reinforcing solid walls and a door frame.
To make it even more unnoticeable, match the color and the design to your interior decor. This type does not become as prone to humidity as quickly as an underground type. However, you may still need to install AC units or add a dehumidifier to stabilize the temperature. (1)
2. Underground Safe Room
An underground safe room in the basement is commonly used. Though it appears to be an ideal location for securing your guns from disasters, fire breakouts, and even attackers, the disadvantage is the increased presence of humidity.
Thus, this type requires expert assistance, regular checks, extra accessories, and corrosion prevention.
Factors to Keep in Mind Before Building a Gun Safe Room
There are a few factors to consider when planning to build a gun-safe room.
First, you must select the best location for your gun-safe room. If you have already decided on an above-ground or underground type, determine which section of the house is the perfect location.
Second, determine how much space you will need. You should consider a bigger space if you want to use the area for anything other than storing firearms.
Lastly, choose the right door. Remember that the door to your gun safe room is the foundation of the room’s security. You have the option of using a standard door or a reinforced door. A steel door is ideal if you have an extensive collection of firearms and valuables.
The next step is to figure out how you will handle everything inside the room. In addition, the budget is the next most important consideration. A more considerable cost is needed if you contemplate having a sophisticated room.
A room with an internet connection, a phone line, a portable toilet, artistic cabinetry, and similar utilities, is more costly. However, a room for just keeping firearms and valuables will cost less than you expect.
How to Build a Gun-Safe Room
Building a gun-safe room always starts with a two P’s formula: Planning and Preparation.
1. Planning
- To guarantee that no overlooked details happen, create a design plan.
- Consider how you organize your items inside and what accessories you will utilize.
- Analyze whether you will mount your weapons vertically or horizontally.
- Perhaps you will consider adding racks or gun-safe kits, or you may decide to build your own.
- Think about the type of door you are installing.
- Consider the fittings and fixtures to be included, such as lights, spy cameras, and so on.
- Locate the ideal drill point for anchoring the gun safe.
After you plan out the room, prepare everything for work.
What you essentially need as a DIYer is;
- a toolbox with the proper gear,
- a ladder,
- new paint,
- and brush, etc.
Moreover, you will have to declutter the area.
2. Wall Options
The next concern about planning is the wall. If you choose a basement-style room, you must start over from scratch.
To build a sturdy wall, strengthen the exterior walls using reinforced concrete masonry structures.
You have two options for the walk-in gun safe room: build a new structure or convert one of your rooms into a safe gun room.
If you convert, choose a room with no windows and work on the interior wall. Make sure to fortify the walls to ensure their strength.
3. Work on a Strong Door
A secure door is an essential aspect of constructing a gun-safe room. A strong door for a gun-safe room will limit illegal access or damage.
If you want high security, use a vault door.
A vault door is built to endure extremely harsh climates and is available with manual or electronic locks.
Because a vault door is heavy, it must be stable to stay in place. You may build a disguised door by adding a regular door to the vault door to match the home texture.
4. Consider Proper Ventilation\
You can be sure that your guns and other valuables are safe if your gun-safe room has adequate ventilation. Because a gun-safe room is prone to dampness, your items will likely corrode and clog.
But keep in mind that adding ventilation might create a security breach; instead, use an AC unit to maintain a steady temperature.
5. Add necessary accessories and fixtures
LED lights, spy cameras, racks, cabinets, and necessary fittings enhance the aesthetics of your gun-safe room. As much as you can organize your items, these accessories allow you to move freely inside the room and monitor it while you are not around.
Wrapping Up
Building a gun-safe room from scratch or an unused space may be challenging, time-consuming, and costly. However, keeping your valuable items in a safe room will save money and resources. And the best part is you can limit the access inside.
Take a look at some of our related articles below.
- Gun safe door organizer
- Where to place a dehumidifier in a gun safe
- What size dehumidifier do I need for my gun safe
Reference
(1) AC units – https://home.howstuffworks.com/ac4.htm
Video References
Paramount Tactical
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