Anyone with experience recessing a safe?

[savetheclaypigeons]

Hey all.

I have a bedroom closet whose back wall adjoins to dead space.





One thought led to another and I'd like to recess a safe into the wall. I want to steer away from junk or shallow safes and go with something fire resistant. This started off for papers, jewelry, etc. I initially came across the AMSEC WFS149, but I may as well utilize to the best of my abilities... right?

If I keep the safe height smaller than 4.5 ft, I should be able to add a clothes hanger that covers the safe. The width of a larger safe would be hard to camouflage if I chose a large, 16-24 gun safe, It can be up to 22-24" deep. Am I naive to think I could just cut a hole in the wall, slide the safe back into it, and perhaps put some wood trim around it to frame it in (aesthetics only of course)

The rectangular dead space does house the furnace vent in the opposing corner. The depth is 22" from the interior of the studs. I stopped by Dicks last night and something like a 16-24 gun safe is small enough to fit (55" tall 29" wide -a bit more than I want, and 20.25" deep). Decisions decisions.

Thoughts? Concerns? Long term, this won't be my primary safe. I'm planning on adding another in the basement in a few years when I straighten that mess.

 

[gearchecker]

The only thought I have on this would be that you want to bolt the safe into any solid structure you can. Bolt it into the floor, and at least one side or back stud. The more anchor points, the better. If you can take some time and build a custom studded structure so the safe can be bolted in on 3 sides plus into the floor, that would be your best option. Drywalling in a closet is really easy. All you need to do is make it appear smooth. Texture paint or texture spray covers a world of drywalling issues quickly. The heater duct is a free dry room bonus. It'll keep the area dryer than other parts of the house. Just put up the drywall, don't insulate the closet. You could put a small 4x10 vent in the bottom and top of the wall nearest the ducting so you can get some of that heat to transfer into the closet.

Regards,
Gearchecker

 

[oldillini]

Just be careful with those dead spaces. Some times the circulation is not good and they can be excessively hot or damp. Might want to check it out.

 

[Buckeye71]

I have no experience recessing a safe, but that "dead space" may be a return air duct for your furnace/air conditioner. If it is, blocking it with a safe could cause serious heating/cooling problems. For the size safe you are considering it would be necessary to remove some wall studs and construct framing around the studs removed (similar to window or door framing). Is this wall a load bearing wall?

 

[savetheclaypigeons]

I appreciate the comments guys!

The wall is not load bearing. The pic may be a bit misleading, the heater vent is on the far left, perhaps past the closet.

At the moment I'm thinking of getting something along the lines of a 24 gun safe and recessing it in the back right so the door will be flush with the wall. The safe width would then come out to about the middle. With a clothes rack long the back, I don't think many would see it. This set up shouldn't be intrusive for any heater/air flow actions.

Great points about securing it. Perhaps I'll build a cage of sorts with joists.

 

[CB900F]

Savetheclay;

T'were me, I'd concentrate on getting a good U.L. listed fire safe in that space. Particularly since you're going to get a gun safe in the basement in the future. The thermal protection given by a true fire safe will be several hundred percent better than what is sold as a gun safe in the big box stores can offer. You think I'm kidding about the difference in thermal protection? I'm not.

900F

 

[savetheclaypigeons]

 

[<*(((><]

Nice work on that!

 

[Rat Robb]

Looks good, I have something like this in mind for one day. The only thing I plan on doing to frame all the way up to the door of the safe, the top, sides and bottom. Only downside is you'd have to sell with the house or cut the wall when you move, lol.

-Robb

 

[heeler]

Good job and a great use of space.