You’ve got a new safe and wonder how to avoid scratches or dents on the floor? Or how to prevent your safe from developing rust? It then turned into a new question – what to put under gun safe on tile floor.
You’re in luck because this blog post will take a look at our top four favorite items for this purpose and also some related information. Check it out now!
Related Buyer’s Guide:
- Best Gun Safes for Any Budget
- 10 Best Car Gun Safes
- 10 Best Underbed Gun Safes
- 10 Best Bedside Gun Safes
What To Put Under Gun Safe On Tile Floor?
This section will discuss three suggestions on this issue.
Plywood Sheets
A safe can be a great investment to keep your guns and other valuables protected, but the inside items will put pressure on those small wheels. In the long run, it will cause damage to your flooring, especially hardwood or ceramic tiles.
You can prevent this by placing plywood sheets in your path before moving the safe over them for support.
What should I put under my gun safe?
Corner Pads
A common installation technique for gun safes is to have dense 1/4″ thick 4×6 felt pads placed under the safe’s corners. The adhesive side of these padding sticks on your floor, leaving no visible trace that you’ve installed anything there. This helps protect floors from scratching and damage by providing an additional layer between them and your large safe!
Rubber Mat
Putting rubber mat under your biometric gun safe
Laminate and tile floors are prone to allow moisture to pool on the surface, while carpet tends to soak in easily. When a big heavy safe is placed on your flooring, you may not notice how much moisture is accumulating until it’s too late! Still, all problems have solutions! You can consider installing your awesafe gun safe on a rubber mat, which will absorb any excess water and prevent rusting issues.
Large Metal Sheet
It is a good idea to attach your safe to a large piece of steel or pallets. This will ensure that the thief cannot move your gun safe around while also providing space between your floor and the safe. These materials may also be cut or broken away, so you had better prepare a piece of the heavy sheet!
Which Tiles Floor Can Support Your Gun Safe?
Almost all tile floors can hold your american gun safe, but some specific tiles can better withstand its weight. According to the Porcelain Enamel Institute, consumers should determine the tile types depending on a standard rating system.
Tile floors that well support a safe include:
- Group III – withstand medium to heavy traffic; entryways and kitchens
- Group IV – withstand heavy traffic; They’re hard-bodied tiles suitable for hard usages
- Group V – stand firm against extra to heavy traffic; Especially areas prone to include abrasive sand/dirt and excessive moisture
For ceramic wall tiles that are often used for bathrooms and kitchens, they are not sturdy enough to handle your safe’s weight. If you get one with a weight of over 1,000 pounds, ensure your tile flooring is of high quality!
Though some tiles can support the safe’s weight, it’s not a good idea to anchor it down since the pressure of bolts can cause cracked tiles. Rather than installing it on the tile floor, you can ask the safe installer to anchor it to your wall as well!
Will A Gun Safe Damage Your Tile Floor?
Surely uneven gravity can crack your tile. The area you intend to install the safe should be even and flat so that the heavyweight will spread evenly. Again, you can avoid anchoring your gun safe down to the tiles, but build into the wall!
Your gun safe can damage your tile floor.
Will Tile Floors Damage Your Safe?
It depends on the humidity. If you install the safe in a high-humidity area, there’s a chance that moisture will accumulate on your tile flooring. Your safe will soon get covered with rust, and the anchor bolts too.
What Are The Alternatives To Bolting A Gun Safe To A Tile Floor?
Glue The Safe To The Floor
What if you want to secure your gun safe to the tile without bolting it? We can help you deal with that!
Prepare some High-strength Polymer Glues first. This super glue is often used for projects related to wood, ceramic, glass, or metals.
Glue the safe to the floor
Step 1: Take The Size Of The Safe And Trace It To Your Tile Floor.
Seek an ideal area to install your safe. Carry it to that place and use a tap to trace its size.
Step 2: Glue Your Gun Safe To The Floor.
Once you’ve got the size of the safe, utilize the traced parts as a standard on where you should apply the glue. Remember to spread the glue in dots and cover all the surfaces of your traced floor.
To make it easier, use a scraper to apply the glue evenly! Don’t put too much since a little glue can still go in the long run.
Hide The Safe Under The Floorboards
Don’t think that you can’t make use of your tile flooring just because you can’t anchor the bolt down! Let us tell you this – hide your safe under the floorboards! Though this method allows you to save space, it is only applicable to wooden materials.
It also has some disadvantages which you should think about before doing it yourself:
- Not easy to access the safe
- Likely to damage your floorboard
- Deform the initial look of the floor
Hiring a professional would be easier, but if you’re ready to do a good job, check out our guide below:
What You Need:
– Prying Tool: To prize up the wooden floorboard.
– Grinder: To slice the floors in case your floorboards are too long.
This method allows you to save space
Step 1: Prop Up The Floorboards.
Use the grinder and the prying tool to prop the floorboards up. This way, you can access the empty space under them. Try to prop floorboards as many as possible so that you can accommodate the dimension of your safe.
Step 2: Make Sure There’s Enough Space For Your Safe Under The Floorboards
Let’s see if there is any pipe or mechanism under your floorboards. If not, you can get ready to place the safe under the floors.
Step 3: Place The Floorboards Back.
After your safe is already in position, you can place the floorboards back to where they are. Remember not to seal the floorboards so that you can get access to the safe whenever you need it.
Different Methods Of Bolting
Bolting is one of those familiar methods when there’s not enough space in your house.
Bolt To A Wall
Apartments and rental units often allow you to attach items to walls. If you can do this, it’s almost as good as securing a safe to the floor with bolts.
This task seems not easy, so we would recommend you hire a professional installer to bolt it to the wall. He will surely have all the necessary tools and knowledge to drill through your safe’s wall and anchor it properly to the studs in your wall.
Bolt Safes Together
Alternatively, you can consider bolting two heavy safes together. That way will make the safes impossible to move unless there is extensive labor or you attach two units apart. Keep in mind that you should do whatever you can to prevent a thief from moving your safe!
Bolt To Steel
Bolting your safe to a piece of large steel or pallet will also help prevent others from moving your safe through the door. Yet don’t forget to place a dehumidifier inside the safe to lengthen its lifespan!
Final Thoughts
We hope this blog post has helped you decide what to put under gun safe on tile floor. Plywood sheets, corner pads, rubber mat, or large metal sheets – it depends on your preferences!
Still, there are some alternatives that you can consider, such as bolting them up or having them sitting under your tile. If you still insist on that traditional way, make sure you’ve chosen an even flooring area so that it won’t cause any damage later!
Feel free to leave your experiences in the comment section below.
