How to Bolt Down a Safe & When Not To

As you consider where to install your gun safe, you’re likely questioning, “do you have to bolt down a gun safe?” Since 1988 we’ve delivered and installed thousands of safes. We’ve also helped dozens of customers dealing with attempted break-ins.

Based on this experience our answer is almost always yes — and for good reason. Bolting down a safe offers more security.

To give you a more complete picture, this post will cover:

• Why Bolting Down Your Safe Matters

• When Not to Bolt Down Your Safe

• Alternative to Bolting Down Your Safe

• How to Bolt Down a Safe the Right Way

• Bolting Down a Safe FAQ

Why Bolting Your Safe Down Matters

Bolting down your safe is one of the most effective ways to enhance both its security and safety. Here’s why:

• Dramatically Improves Security – A properly anchored safe is 3 to 5 times harder to break into. When a thief can tilt your safe onto its side, they can use move leverage with a pry bar to pry open the door. Bolting your safe down will make it much more difficult to pry open.
• Prevents Theft – Many people assume that a 500-pound safe is too heavy to steal. But experienced criminals can move safes in that weight range surprisingly easily. We’ve even seen safes over 1,000 pounds get stolen.
• Prevents Accidents – It’s not very common, but a safe that isn’t bolted down can tip over, especially if someone leans on the door. This is particularly important in areas prone to earthquakes (such as the greater Seattle area). This issue is also more prominent of safes with a higher center of gravity, such as a closet gun safe or a safe that is shallow yet wide which makes the safe naturally want to come forward, towards you.

When You Should NOT Bolt Your Safe Down

We almost always recommend bolting down your safe. We can’t stress that fact enough. However, there are a few scenarios where it might not be the best option:

1. In-Floor Heating Systems

If your home has radiant in-floor heating, bolting your safe could damage the heating lines beneath the concrete. If you’re unsure where those lines are, it’s best to avoid drilling into the floor.

2. Post-Tension Cables in Concrete

This is not a design that we typically encounter in the Pacific Northwest. However, some homes (especially in areas like Arizona and California), have post-tension cables in their concrete foundations. Drilling into these can cause structural issues. Specialized equipment can detect these cables, but if you’re not willing to go that route and decide to bolt down, the risk of causing foundation damage isn’t worth it.

3. Rental Homes & Condos

If you’re in a rental home, apartment, or high-rise condo, your lease or HOA may prohibit drilling into floors.

4. Risk of Damaging Hidden Utilities

While it’s rare, utilities like water lines or electrical conduits can sometimes be embedded in concrete slabs. We’ve only encountered this issue once in over a decade, but to protect both you and our team, we now have a liability waiver to confirm no known utilities are present before bolting.

Alternative to Bolting Down Your Safe

As we just outlined, there are instances when bolting down a safe isn’t viable. In these cases, there are alternative solutions that can offer stability and security. If you are unable to bolt down your safe, one solution we’ve provided is bolting the safe to a heavy steel plate.

You want the steel plate to be larger than the room’s rough opening. This large base will prevent the safe from being easily slid from the room.

How to Bolt Down a Safe the Right Way

We may be a bit biased, but we believe not all bolting techniques are equal. We come by that belief honestly. We’ve seen other companies use low-quality bolts or improper tools that make it difficult (or impossible) to safely remove the safe later.

That’s never a fun situation for a safe owner or the safe movers!

At NW Safe, we use professional tools and supplies to ensure your safe is securely bolted and can be easily unbolted. These include:

• Simpson Strong-Tie Anchors

• A Roto Hammer

• An Impact Driver

With this technique, uninstalling a safe is a simple process of backing out the bolts and filling the holes with epoxy—leaving no lasting damage.

5 Steps to Bolting Down a Safe Correctly

1. Place Safe in Desired Location

2. Finish Any Remaining Setup of Accessories (lights, humidifiers, etc.)

3. Level Safe (includes checking for proper door swing)

4. Bolt Safe Down

5. Re-Check Proper Door Swing

Bolting Down a Safe FAQ

Can Bolting a Safe Improve Fire Resistance?

One common question we get is whether bolting a safe increases its fire protection. The short answer? No. Most safes are fire-tested with pre-drilled bolt holes in the floor, meaning bolting does not negatively impact fire resistance. However, we do not recommend bolting a safe to the wall, as that can compromise fire protection. If fire resistance is a priority, we recommend reviewing our guide to the best fire rated safes.

Will Bolting Down My Safe Make it Less Water Resistant?

Nearly all safes come with pre-drilled holes specifically for bolting them to the floor. Not bolting them down won’t make these holes disappear. In fact, not bolting them down leaves this entry point for moisture even bigger.

Additionally, it’s important to note that there are no waterproof gun safes or home safes. While manufacturers work to make the gaps as tight as possible, safes do not have a complete seal. Water can (and will) get inside a safe if it is submerged. If water damage and/or flooding is a concern, we recommend reviewing our guide to protecting valuables from water damage. 

Cost of Installing a Gun Safe

Bolting down a safe is just one of the services needed to professionally deliver and install a gun safe. The total cost of getting your gun safe installed is based on five key factors, including:

1. Size & Weight of the Safe

2. Delivery Path

3. Expertise

4. Professional Tools

5. Transportation Expenses

While there’s a host of gun safe moving companies in the greater Seattle area and throughout Washington, not all companies have the tools and expertise to handle extremely heavy weights. They may not also have the necessary experience to properly bolt down your safe so it can be easily moved at a later day.