'Hidden' gun safes?

[Jay Sco]

Finally all moved into my new house! That's the good news, the bad news is my gun safe couldn't go upstairs, and I'm tired of watching my kids climb on it so I opted to put it in the sanctuary of my garage. As you may know, garages have big doors and when open the world can see what is in your garage.

It will be in the 1 car portion of a standard 3 car garage which I was planning on making into a lounge area anyway (couch, bar, tv). I don't have $$$ to make an all out hidden wall or anything like that. Just a simple wood (?) hutch type deal with some cabinet doors. It's about 6'x3'x3'. Standard gun safe.

So I'm looking for ideas, pics, suggestions, etc......

 

[shooting4life]

I had the same problem; I built a cabinet around my safe. I also added shelving on each side for storing other gun related items (mostly ammo and reloading components). The whole thing is framed in 2x4's the 2x4's are bolted to the concrete and the wall. The safe is also bolted to the concrete and the wall.

 

[Armstrong1720]

Wow!! That looks awesome. I never thought of such. A great idea !!

 

[bacpacker]

S4L, that is a nice looking cabinet and hides everything.

 

[Kevin54]

If someone breaks in, they're going to hit the toolbox, then they're going to open door #2 to see what's in there and find the safe. I think what I would do is run a bolt or two through the bottom and run a piece of angle iron across the front just right above the safe doors and lag that to each side stud. That would keep a couple of people from tipping the safe out of it's spot.

I know the OP stated that he was talking about when the garage door was open, but if no one is home, a lot can be done behind closed doors. Make it as hard as can be on the bastages.

 

[Angelfire]

Looks nice but doesn't protect the safe from being pried open. Place your safe against a wall such that a prybar cannot be used. These safes really aren't that impenetrable when you have a grinder or pry bar.

 

[mitchn06]

you gotta do what you gotta do, but personally i would never store weapons in a uncontrolled climate, ie: garage. prone to humidity and constant temp fluctuations. if they are worth enough and you obviously care enough about them (or your kids) to have them in a safe, invest in one that can be placed in the house away from other threats and sell the one you currently own to offset costs of the new one.

 

[shooting4life]

If someone breaks in, they're going to hit the toolbox, then they're going to open door #2 to see what's in there and find the safe. I think what I would do is run a bolt or two through the bottom and run a piece of angle iron across the front just right above the safe doors and lag that to each side stud. That would keep a couple of people from tipping the safe out of it's spot.

I know the OP stated that he was talking about when the garage door was open, but if no one is home, a lot can be done behind closed doors. Make it as hard as can be on the bastages.

The doors are locked and the inside of the left door has a cane bolt and a second bolt keep it locked up.

The safe is not going to be tipped. Like I said it is lagged to the concrete and bolted to the wall. The whole cabinet is also lagged to the concrete and bolted to the wall. It can still be pried but for it to be really successful you will have to get the safe on its back, which this makes it difficult. The whole purpose is so that people don’t know you have a safe to break into. I also keep the batteries to my power tools locked in the safe. Nothing is impenetrable, but this helps.

 

[shooting4life]

you gotta do what you gotta do, but personally i would never store weapons in a uncontrolled climate, ie: garage. prone to humidity and constant temp fluctuations. if they are worth enough and you obviously care enough about them (or your kids) to have them in a safe, invest in one that can be placed in the house away from other threats and sell the one you currently own to offset costs of the new one.

I have a golden rod in my safe and have never had a problem with rust. I live in a very mild climate however, the highes in the summer are around 85 and lows in the winter are around 30 if it is exceptionally cold over night. The garage probably stays between 40-70 degrees all year without heating/cooling.

 

[kbs2244]

I am a fan of camouflage.
I have not seen it, but a guy I worked with said he got an old upright freezer.
The kind with a built in lock.
And, working from the back, gutted it.
He slipped the safe in from the back.
When he slipped it into place it looked like any freezer.

You needed the freezer key as well as the safe key to get in.

 

[alfazer]

This one on the Gearjournal takes some beating... safeguard shelving system.
http://www.gearjournal.com/page/2/

 

[c_mccann]

Any safe is only as good as the Homeowner's insurance that backs it. The insurance coverage, photos and inventory of what's inside is more valuable than any safe. I like the safe cabinet Shooting4life, nice build..

My safe is in plain view if my garage door is open, sans the plywood leaning on it. But, it is 1500lbs. If someone really wants it, they will have to work at it. My dogs will then be on them in rare form, then there is the neighbors and the 500lb table saw in the way. At that point, I hope the thief better smile pretty for the camera. I'll enjoy gun shopping again on Farmer's Insurance's checkbook- there is so much I want...

I think all you need is a big Hello Kitty sticker and bolt it to the floor.

 

[Jay Sco]

My safe is 600+- lbs and its already lag-bolted to the concrete floor. I have upped the ins coverage on my firearms policy as well. I'm in Southern California so I'm not too concerned with temp fluctuations or humidity, and besides that the garage is attached to the house and mostly insulated. I know mostly is not good, but it's slightly better than nothing.

My main goal is just to keep it hidden from street view and neighbors that may wander up to the garage. Even if it was in the house a thief could take my cutting torch from the garage into the house, I'm sure they wouldn't worry about a little burn carpet. My garage doors I have now have the windows in them, I'm thinking of blacking them out in case I leave the lights on overnight.

Shooter, thanks for the pics. I'm thinking of something like that but maybe expand on it a little with some open shelves on the sides for car models and such.

 

[buddyboy]

I'd paint that cabinet green, add some fake dials and switches, wire up a few small red and green lights to show that it's on and then slap one of these stickers on it

depending on where you live you might want that sticker in several languages.

 

[ejkuhl]

My garage doors I have now have the windows in them, I'm thinking of blacking them out in case I leave the lights on overnight.

I like window frosting in a spray can for this. still lets most of the light through, but you can't see through.

 

[shooting4life]

My safe is 600+- lbs and its already lag-bolted to the concrete floor. I have upped the ins coverage on my firearms policy as well. I'm in Southern California so I'm not too concerned with temp fluctuations or humidity, and besides that the garage is attached to the house and mostly insulated. I know mostly is not good, but it's slightly better than nothing.

My main goal is just to keep it hidden from street view and neighbors that may wander up to the garage. Even if it was in the house a thief could take my cutting torch from the garage into the house, I'm sure they wouldn't worry about a little burn carpet. My garage doors I have now have the windows in them, I'm thinking of blacking them out in case I leave the lights on overnight.

Shooter, thanks for the pics. I'm thinking of something like that but maybe expand on it a little with some open shelves on the sides for car models and such.

I have open shelving on both sides for other garage stuff. It works out well. This project was the first thing I did at my new house; we moved in September. Before this was done I had a moving blanket covering the safe so it could not be seen from the street. Later on I am going to add a fire sprinkler over the safe as well as a camera system for the house that will also include one looking directly at the safe. But those will both be added as funds allow.
The tool box would ultimately be built into a work bench and my compressor will be in closed similar to the safe. This will make for a very plain looking garage when the door is open.

 

[GarageDan]

I like the cabinet. Sure it won't "stop" someone, but you're not advertising that you've got a safe and something worth putting in it.

I like window frosting in a spray can for this. still lets most of the light through, but you can't see through.

This is a great idea that I"ll do this weekend.

 

[ken w.]

A friend of mine put a refrigerator box around his safe. It works good to hide it,but that's being a bit cheap.

 

[vartz04]

There was a guy around here selling one of the vending machine safes. Thing was awesome and not a bad price ($900ish) fully carpeted inside with shelves and gun holders. I wish I would have had the $ for it when I saw it.

 

[HandsomeDan]

GarageDan,

If the frosting spray is too "permanent" for you, you can also get privacy stickers/film for your windows in a bunch of different textures.

 

[Bronson]

I was going to do that same thing, but I lost all My weapons in a tragic boating accident.

 

[c_mccann]

I like that idea!! Jay, where are you located? I'm in Costa Mesa.

 

[Jay Sco]

I like that idea!! Jay, where are you located? I'm in Costa Mesa.

Is this a test? I'm about 40 miles out of Costa Mesa.

 

[c_mccann]

Nope, you just said you were in So Cal- so am I..

 

[Jay Sco]

LOL, just messin. I just moved to Riverside. About 40 miles inland.

 

[jhelrey]

I lock the door to my house from the garage. I lock the toolbox including the pry bars and sledge hammer. One less thing they can use to get into my house.

 

[03protege]

I lock the door to my house from the garage. I lock the toolbox including the pry bars and sledge hammer. One less thing they can use to get into my house.

lol nothing worse than reading about being broken into by your own tools.

A business I use to work for in high school was broken into over Hurricane Katrina, they used a brick from the front garden to break a window.

 

[Jay Sco]

I lock the door to my house from the garage. I lock the toolbox including the pry bars and sledge hammer. One less thing they can use to get into my house.

Not to be a downer, but do you know easy it is to break a window, and how many people would hear/pay attention to a window breaking? I've come to the conclusion that unless I want to live like a hermit in a cave (or drop hundreds of thousands of dollars on security) I just need to take some basic precautions.

At least if my safe is in the garage someone might see a truck trying to yank it off the bolts, in the house they'd have more privacy.

 

[Jay Sco]

lol nothing worse than reading about being broken into by your own tools.

A business I use to work for in high school was broken into over Hurricane Katrina, they used a brick from the front garden to break a window.

Funny, I was still typing when you replied. Amazing how many people forget about the simple fragile window as a weak link.

 

[mdbeck1]

... Later on I am going to add a fire sprinkler over the safe as well as a camera system for the house that will also include one looking directly at the safe. ...

Before you add the fire sprinkler.... ...contact the vendor of the safe. The salesman for mine said that you should never try to cool it down in a fire. The weatherstripping on the door is not only weatherstripping but a fire activated sealer to keep the smoke out of the safe. If you cool the safe down it will be easier for the smoke to get into the safe.

...and a determined thief will get into your safe or toolbox or house or.... Do what you can to make it harder for them. My gun safe is bolted to the floor in a closet in a back bedroom.

BTW: if you have a torch or plasma cutter you might want to take a little bit of time and make a nice pretty lock box for it. You can key it the same as the toolbox. I wouldn't want to make it too easy for them.

 

[jhelrey]

Not to be a downer, but do you know easy it is to break a window, and how many people would hear/pay attention to a window breaking? I've come to the conclusion that unless I want to live like a hermit in a cave (or drop hundreds of thousands of dollars on security) I just need to take some basic precautions.

At least if my safe is in the garage someone might see a truck trying to yank it off the bolts, in the house they'd have more privacy.

But they would be doing it out in the open vs. hiding in my closed garage.

 

[shooting4life]

Before you add the fire sprinkler.... ...contact the vendor of the safe. The salesman for mine said that you should never try to cool it down in a fire. The weatherstripping on the door is not only weatherstripping but a fire activated sealer to keep the smoke out of the safe. If you cool the safe down it will be easier for the smoke to get into the safe.

...and a determined thief will get into your safe or toolbox or house or.... Do what you can to make it harder for them. My gun safe is bolted to the floor in a closet in a back bedroom.

BTW: if you have a torch or plasma cutter you might want to take a little bit of time and make a nice pretty lock box for it. You can key it the same as the toolbox. I wouldn't want to make it too easy for them.

I don't have anything like that. The only thing I have that they could use is a sawzal (battery kept in safe) and a grinder which I also keep in the wooden cabinet.

 

[justanengineer]

At least if my safe is in the garage someone might see a truck trying to yank it off the bolts, in the house they'd have more privacy.

Funny you mention that, during a recent crime spree one of my parents' neighbors had that exact situation happen to them - their own chains and car were used to remove their safe from its concrete mount in the garage. Fortunately for my parents theirs is in the finished basement. and NOT coming back upstairs without a small crane and a lot of work.

Dont get me wrong, I am a true hick at heart and miss ******* off the porch, but it definitely ***** when thieves have the opportunity to spend hours alone in your house. In my current neighborhood I feel rather lucky in that my neighbors are paranoid, tho I go gripe about it sometimes as well. Not long after I bought this place I learned that if I have company/cable guy/appraiser/other folks over and leave them alone (esp in the back acre), I need to notify the neighbors or the police get quickly called.

As for "hidden" gun safes, when I get a safe Im going to make a false wall with some drywall and moulding. Until then, my guns are safely hidden in a few false structures including an "enclosed" floor joist and my bed's boxspring to name a few.

 

[Silver6.0]

The doors are locked and the inside of the left door has a cane bolt and a second bolt keep it locked up.

The safe is not going to be tipped. Like I said it is lagged to the concrete and bolted to the wall. The whole cabinet is also lagged to the concrete and bolted to the wall. It can still be pried but for it to be really successful you will have to get the safe on its back, which this makes it difficult. The whole purpose is so that people don’t know you have a safe to break into. I also keep the batteries to my power tools locked in the safe. Nothing is impenetrable, but this helps.

I like it, but anyway your hinges are screwed on the outside. Cordless drill all the screws off one door and your in.

 

[rlitman]

I like it, but anyway your hinges are screwed on the outside. Cordless drill all the screws off one door and your in.

If you're going to these lengths to build a "safe", then why even have a safe in the center of this matryoshka doll?

The whole object of this "container" is to conceal and camouflage the safe. Make it look like a storage cabinet for dry goods, or a closet for winter coats, and be done with it.

If the lock is enough to make someone stop and reach for a prybar, that 30 seconds of time is plenty of delay to dissuade most burglars from bothering. Especially when there is no reason to think there is a safe in there.

 

[Buffalot]

I'd paint that cabinet green, add some fake dials and switches, wire up a few small red and green lights to show that it's on and then slap one of these stickers on it

depending on where you live you might want that sticker in several languages.

Then they'll break in for the copper, and believe me, they're stupid enough!

 

[RichTJ99]

I was going to do that same thing, but I lost all My weapons in a tragic boating accident.

I am sorry for your loss but intrigued by what happened?

 

[Vinci]

I am sorry for your loss but intrigued by what happened?

I suspect he's referencing a joke that has been floating around various message boards regarding where all their guns are if there is some sort of "collection" of peoples' guns in the future.

 

[shooting4life]

I like it, but anyway your hinges are screwed on the outside. Cordless drill all the screws off one door and your in.

Like said above the cabinet is so people don't know it is a safe when the garage door is open. The locks just add another level of difficulty to get in. If someone saw it they would probably think it is chemicals/cleaners/paint that need to be kept away from children.

 

[mudhog]

Perfect. I mounted my safe in my shop too. I drilled six inch deep holes in the concrete and used some anchors that claim to have 20,000 lbs pull each on holding power. The safe is against a steel wall and 2x6 studs with insulation and steel rebar running through the studs then the inside paneling that is heavy duty. The only thing I have covering my safe right now is a curtain. I got two golden rods and a dehumidifyer that works off of chemicals for back up, that I recharge about every other month. no issue with moisture yet and I'm in high humid area by the coast. If they can steel my safe they deserve it because they got to work at it and my trail cam will get me some pictures of them.