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It's been in the back of my mind for a while and I think it's about time to get it over with. Any experiences, tips or advice anyone would like to share? I intend going straight into concrete and am scheming on "vapor barriers" to prevent rusting.

Redheads are pretty easy to drill in. Just use the right size bit for the size redhead.

I bolted my safe down on my shop floor with wedge anchors and didn't install a barrier - actually I didn't realize that was something to consider . I should have used lag shields (flush to the concrete) instead of the wedge anchors with a standing stud. I welded on two brackets to the top of the safe and used the loader bucket to lift and position the safe over the studs - at least it's very secure and not going anywhere soon .

Moby wrote:Redheads are pretty easy to drill in. Just use the right size bit for the size redhead.

The installers bolted mine down when they delivered it, so I don't have personal experience with bolting a safe down, but back when I used to install machinery in my previous life I used redheads a lot. As long as you drill the right size hole and blow the dust out before installing them, you shouldn't have any problems.

Has anybody bolted their safe down to a post tensioned concrete foundation? This is what I'm running into now and I'm not sure there is a good option for bolting a safe down.

SQLGeek wrote:Has anybody bolted their safe down to a post tensioned concrete foundation? This is what I'm running into now and I'm not sure there is a good option for bolting a safe down.

Not sure I understand your question........you are still able to drill holes for some anchors.

Question: "Has anybody bolted their safe down to a post tensioned concrete foundation?"

Yes. And musta got lucky and not hit one of the cables bacause I had forgot all about it until now. Methinks if you do happen to hit one, the concrete drill bit will let you know it.

I didn't bolt mine down just because of post tension cables. You DO NOT want to run a bit into one of those cables.

I opted for lag bolts into wall studs.

I paid a locator to scan my floor and show me where the cables were before drilling. It was worth the cost for my peace of mind. I photographed my floor showing a tape measure pulled off walls to the pieces of tape that we marked the cables with for my future reference should I ever install a larger safe with a different bolt pattern.

Just curious, why do you think you need a vapor barrier?

jocat54 wrote:

SQLGeek wrote:Has anybody bolted their safe down to a post tensioned concrete foundation? This is what I'm running into now and I'm not sure there is a good option for bolting a safe down.

Not sure I understand your question........you are still able to drill holes for some anchors.

Post tension cables are just that, cables that are streched immediatly after the concrete is poured. If you happen to hit one and it breaks it will shatter a line of concrete from one end to the other. Also if it happens, just hope you are not standing over it.

There are now companies that scan or x-ray for the cables. I deal with this in commercial HVAC work as we are always having to core holes between floors with post tension cables.

A Several years ago an electrician was drilling a 1" hole on the 3rd floor of a building without x-raying. Suere enough he hit one and it snapped. I was on the 6th floor and it sounded like a gun went off next to me. Cost that company tens of thousands of dollars for the repairs.

AggieLCP wrote:I paid a locator to scan my floor and show me where the cables were before drilling. It was worth the cost for my peace of mind. I photographed my floor showing a tape measure pulled off walls to the pieces of tape that we marked the cables with for my future reference should I ever install a larger safe with a different bolt pattern.

Just curious, why do you think you need a vapor barrier?

I don't want a physical vapor barrier so much as I'd like some rust preventative method. I'm thinking a small space between the safe and surface, ventilated enough to avoid moisture, lock might do the trick as well.

eureka40 wrote:I didn't bolt mine down just because of post tension cables. You DO NOT want to run a bit into one of those cables.

I opted for lag bolts into wall studs.

This is what I was considering as a compromise because you're right, I sure don't want to hit one. I'm not real keen on not bolting the safe down at all though where I am planning to put one would require quite a bit of effort to remove.

Hiring a locator may also be the way to go though I'm wondering if drilling into the foundation will void my warranty also? I'll have to look into that. Thanks for the info and my apologies for the thread jack.

If there is one of those cables close enough to hit it with the drill bit for lag screws then the cable was installed wrong or else your bit is too long. My cables are way down in the slab, not near the surface where a bit would hit it.

Anygunanywhere

Using hockey pucks to get the safe off the floor is popular with folks installing them in basements. Place the pucks under the mounting holes and drill throught them into the concrete. This gets you separation, but not too much.

FWIW I used Tapcon bolts and am very pleased with the results.

anygunanywhere wrote:If there is one of those cables close enough to hit it with the drill bit for lag screws then the cable was installed wrong or else your bit is too long. My cables are way down in the slab, not near the surface where a bit would hit it.

I watched and photographed every stage of my house being built. The cables are at least 6" below the surface. The anchors they used to bolt my safe down are, maybe, 2" long. The holes are the same depth as the anchor length. There was no chance of hitting a cable.