Common Problems with Installing a Vault Door

Helping customers design and build their dream vault or safe room is one of the best parts of our job. Choosing the right vault door and picking out the interior features is like having a kid at a candy store. Our vast selection of quality American-made doors offers customers dozens of options in finishes and features.

However, with nearly 40 years of experience selling, delivering, and installing vault doors, we’ve encountered our fair share of problems. Roughly 25 percent of the doors we are hired to install encounter an issue.

To help you avoid any vault door installation hiccups, we’ve put together the five most common problems we encounter and how to avoid them. This post will cover:

• 5 Most Common Vault Door Installation Problems & How to Avoid Them

• Problem 1: Wrong Rough Opening Size

• Problem 2: Wrong Finished Size (Not Enough Room for the Door Flange)

• Problem 3: Installation Path Is Obstructed or Extremely Difficult to Traverse

• Problem 4: Timing with Contractor or Builder is Incorrect

• Problem 5: The Wrong Door Swing Was Chosen

• What Happens When There’s Issues Installing a Vault Door

• Worry-Free Vault Door Installation

5 Most Common Vault Door Installation Problems & How to Avoid Them

Problem 1: Wrong Rough Opening Size

Each vault door has specific requirements for the wall's height, width, and thickness (known as the ‘rough opening size’). An experienced delivery and installation crew can sometimes overcome small inconsistencies in the rough opening size. However, installation must be postponed when the discrepancy between the rough opening requirements and the existing structure is too great.

Rough opening issues can include:

• Too small of a rough opening, and the door won’t fit

• Too big of a rough opening, and the door can’t be secured into place

• Rough opening is not plum, level, and square

Solution 1: Detailed Engineering Sketches & Cut Sheets

Once you pick your vault door, we will provide you with engineering sketches and cut sheets detailing the following critical design elements:

• Rough opening size

• Finished size with flange

• Clear opening of the door

• Door swing

We provide these details to ensure you and/or your contractor have the right information and dimensions when building your vault or safe room.

Problem 2: Wrong Finished Size (Not Enough Room for the Door Flange)

Despite clearly communicating these critical specifications to all parties, things can still go wrong. It’s not uncommon we show up for a vault door install and discover the finished size won’t accommodate the door flange.

A door flange is the ridge, lip, external rim or internal rim that protrudes from the edge of the door. The falange attaches to the wall, helping to stabilize and guide the door’s movement.

Reasons the Door Flange Doesn’t Fit:

• Wall is too thick

• Wall is not thick enough

Given the heavy nature of a vault door, if the flange doesn’t fit, the door cannot safely be installed.

Solution 2: Expert Site Inspection

We recommend one of our vault door experts perform a site inspection to prevent wrongdoing. This is a service we regularly provide, during which we come to your home or construction site and meet with you and the builders to discuss all options and appropriate specifications.

The inspection can happen at any point during construction, though the earlier in the process, the less room there is for error. The following are inspection schedules based on where you are in your build:

Design is Not Complete & Construction Hasn’t Begun

• Select the Door You Want

• Site Inspection During Construction Process

• Site Inspection Before Delivery

Construction is Underway

• Site Inspection Before Purchase to Determine Vault Door Options

• Site Inspection Before Delivery

As you can see, the earlier you include your vault door in your design and build, the more options you will have.

Problem 3: Installation Path Is Obstructed or Extremely Difficult to Traverse

The installation path is typically no big deal if the door is going into a shop or ground-floor garage. If your vault door is going into a basement and we have to take it down a steep slope or a staircase, it can prove substantially more challenging.

When we’re dealing with vault doors, it’s not uncommon that an installation requires:

• Special precautions need to be taken

• Additional tools need to be brought

• Additional machinery needs to be utilized

If our delivery crew requires any of the above and shows up unprepared because a customer or builder failed to communicate, installation will be delayed.

Solution 3: Expert Site Inspection and/or Video Review

If you haven’t caught on, site inspections are hands down the best way to avoid issues. Performing a site inspection gives our team the best information on how we will bring the door into the desired space and if there are any limitations or adversity regarding installation.

Our delivery crew has installed hundreds of vault doors. They are incredibly skilled at evaluating an installation site, identifying potential problems, and developing a creative solution.

Problem 4: Timing with Contractor or Builder is Incorrect

As in many construction projects, timing is everything. If we show up when painters are spraying your house or a plumber is working in the same space as our crew, your vault door installation will likely be delayed.

Solution 4: Provide a Clear, Unobstructed Path

Ensuring our team has a clear, unobstructed path and open workspace will ensure a smooth installation. To help customers provide this path, we call:

• 1-2 Weeks Before Delivery Date to Reconfirm

• 2 Days Before Delivery Date to Reconfirm

• Call 30-60 Minutes Before Arrival (the final call comes from our delivery crew while en route)

Problem 5: The Wrong Door Swing Was Chosen

An architect or engineer often determines the appropriate door swing and hinge side for the space. Unfortunately, not all architects and engineers are familiar with vault doors. Choosing the wrong door swing can cause problems ranging from preventing total use of your space to preventing installation.

Solution 5: Expert Site Inspection

At this point, you may feel like we’re beating a dead horse. But the truth of it is, an inspection can save you a lot of time and money in the long run.

What Happens When There’s Issues Installing a Vault Door

When installing a vault door is problematic, it costs time and money. From rescheduling a delivery for a later date to potentially ordering a new door, installation issues are a headache you don’t want to face.

Worry-Free Vault Door Installation

We always want your dream vault room and panic room to be an exciting project (without the headache). That’s why we take great pride in providing the best service through expert design, guidance, and inspections possible. The earlier you get us involved in the process, the less likely you are to run into problems.