Drilling into a concrete floor to fit a safe

frembrit · 31 Aug 2015

Hi,

I have a fireproof safe that needs to be fixed to a concrete floor in my house. The house is 5 years old and has a concrete floor but I was wondering if it is ok to drill down 70mm? Would there be anything in the floor like water pipes? I know the wiring is in the walls.

The safe is to be located in the centre of the house to one side (but not against the wall). The water supply comes in to the front of the house (kitchen) on the opposite side, the bathroom is also on the opposite side, but the downstairs toilet is on the same side at the front of the house over 2 metres away. There is also an outside tap (installed during the build of the house) which is on the same side of the house to where I want the safe but over 4 metres away, however I don't know the route of the pipe work. I imagine it's run along the wall from the downstairs toilet behind the plasterboard. What are your thoughts on this please?

I've attached a ground floor plan to help show what I've described above, it's not to scale.

Thanks in advance.

noseall · 31 Aug 2015

If you have a screeded floor then the fixings are only likely to be contained within the screed material and not the actual concrete.
No one on this forum will be able to tell you whether pipes exist at the points where you wish to fix. However, laying the pipes within the screed would be a less desirable option for the plumber. Other simpler options would be explored first.

frembrit · 31 Aug 2015

Thanks. I guess I can get longer fixings than the ones supplied. Is there a standard depth the screed should be?

Attached photo is the flooring before the carpet was fitted. The other shows what the concrete blocks, which are under the screed? (not my actual house but from the same development)

noseall · 31 Aug 2015

They are B&B floors (block and beam). There will be a screed. I doubt drilling deeper will be any more of a deterrent. Most crooks would see that it was bolted to the floor and likely leave it there and go look for a key or angle grinder or O/A torch etc.

The screed thickness could be anything above 50mm.

^woody^ · 31 Aug 2015

It looks like that floor will have 50-75mm of insulation on it too before the screed.

Pipes are not buried in screed nowadays unless you have underfloor heating

frembrit · 31 Aug 2015

Thanks. So I'll need really long fixings then. I guess there is no point trying to fix it to the screed as it will be too weak and crumble?

JohnD · 31 Aug 2015

if you mean a fire safe like a Sentry, that you can carry about yourself, it will not be burglar-proof. There is a thin casing like a metal biscuit tin, then a heat-resisting compound such as gypsum plaster, then a plastic lining. You can cut the top off with a sturdy breadknife.

However, if it is an office or bank-type safe, that took four men to move it, then it will resist any burglar equipped with hand tools that were common up to about 1970. It will need an angle grinder and several minutes to cut the top off.

A braver burglar can open any unconcealed safe in two minutes using only a Stanley knife lightly held against the homeowner's throat.

frembrit · 31 Aug 2015

I know what you mean. I have a Sentry fire chest too but the one I'm referring to in this thread is a bank-type, though it's not huge.
This is the one... http://www.thesafeshop.co.uk/products/firestar-home-safe-medium.html

big-all · 1 Sep 2015

my thoughts you need to be a bit clever hear

have some loose change and old keys about £30 in a drawer or somewhere easy to find
have some cheap jewelry and about £300 to £2000 pound in a hidden but easy to find safe
in general thats what a burgular expects to find
you can then hide your valuables in clever places like under plinths [by removing the bottom drawer]
the secret is give them enough to satisfy safes are only another reason for them to to get exited unless its open then they think you are careless but happy an go with little or no further searching

frembrit · 1 Sep 2015

oh, there's plenty of other things in the house; by the time they've taken the TV, computers etc, they wont have time for a safe.

I'm not in a high crime area anyway.

^woody^ · 1 Sep 2015

Does anyone actually have those wall safes hidden behind a painting? Do burglars look behind paintings?

JohnD · 1 Sep 2015

I have used the sort disguised as an electric socket. They are not very strong but rely on the burglar not realising what they are. Mine was in a dark corner by the boiler. It was strong enough to keep out e.g. a casual and lightfingered visitor or somebody working in the house, and inconspicuous enough not to attract attention (a visible safe gives the impression you have something worth stealing).

I now have a floorboard safe which you wouldn't know about unless you roll the carpet back.

kazuya · 1 Sep 2015

^woody^ said:
Does anyone actually have those wall safes hidden behind a painting? Do burglars look behind paintings?

yep I do
and I don't think they'd bother looking because I've another one that's easier to find, bolted to the floor and wall with **** all in it just papers

noseall · 1 Sep 2015

kazuya said:
I've another one that's easier to find, bolted to the floor and wall with **** all in it just papers

Ah, a decoy! Good thinking.

JBR · 1 Sep 2015

JohnD said:
I have used the sort disguised as an electric socket. They are not very strong but rely on the burglar not realising what they are.

Good idea. Ideal for passports, I should think.

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Drilling into a concrete floor to fit a safe

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