New Safe, worried about floor

[andywmu]

Just purchased a safe from TSC.
http://www.tractorsupply.com/en/store/cannon-ts6026e-challenger-gun-safe-24-gun-capacity#BVRRWidgetID

Should I worry about weight on the floor? It is 345lbs unloaded.
Problem is I rent the house I am in. Should I worry about the floor if it is placed on an outside wall/corner?
The house was built in the 60's with wood floors if that helps. I can't get access to the floor since the basement is finished and has dry walled ceilings.
Any need to worry?

[steve581581]

I wouldn't worry. I had a 70gal fish tank set up for a few years without any trouble. It's roughly 600lbs full with a 4sqft footprint.

[bkglad]

Just purchased a safe from TSC.
http://www.tractorsupply.com/en/store/cannon-ts6026e-challenger-gun-safe-24-gun-capacity#BVRRWidgetID

Should I worry about weight on the floor? It is 345lbs unloaded.
Problem is I rent the house I am in. Should I worry about the floor if it is placed on an outside wall/corner?
The house was built in the 60's with wood floors if that helps. I can't get access to the floor since the basement is finished and has dry walled ceilings.
Any need to worry?

No i would not worry. thats 345 pounds over a square area. Me as a 280 pounder stands in one spot with feet together thats roughly 280 pounds in a square foot. Do I fall through no. Have you ever heard of those 600 pound men having people come in and reenforce floor joists? You should be alright.

[MSGT]

Sounds like the same wgt safe that i bought, no problem.

[MI-1911]

Should I worry about weight on the floor? It is 345lbs unloaded.


Aretha Franklin weights more than that.

[YelloDog1]

Aretha Franklin weighs more than that.

So, he's safe unless she is standing right in front of his safe?

[costanza]

So, he's safe unless she is standing right in front of his safe?
Now that's funny! But he'd be ok, unless there was food in the safe!

[Revdrshad]

Not even remotely an issue...

Your house should be 2x10's floor joists. Someone else might chime in with some technical stuff, but they will hold up thousands of pounds with no problem...

I'd be more worried about why the basement ceiling is "finished."
Usually pipes need to breathe and sweat. If it's just a drop ceiling, pull the tiles down and check for damaged wood.
You should be fine.
Edit:
Just noticed you said dry walled ceiling. Be careful if you plan on someday buying this house... Sounds like something fishy is being covered up.

[teecro]

Not even remotely an issue...

Your house should be 2x10's floor joists. Someone else might chime in with some technical stuff, but they will hold up thousands of pounds with no problem...

I'd be more worried about why the basement ceiling is "finished."
Usually pipes need to breathe and sweat. If it's just a drop ceiling, pull the tiles down and check for damaged wood.
You should be fine.
Edit:
Just noticed you said dry walled ceiling. Be careful if you plan on someday buying this house... Sounds like something fishy is being covered up.

Pipes do not need to "breathe or sweat" and basement ceiling are finished quite regularly... The only time I've seen pipes sweat is when they are not insulated and the incoming water is dramatically colder than the surrounding area...

As to the OP placing a safe on the floor... 385 pounds plus guns is not very much loading to worry when you consider that the weight is completely spread out over the entire area as the safe is likely completely flat underside. The worst culprit in a home is going to be the refrigerator as they weigh quite a lot and put their load on 4 small area.

[elwarpo]

No problem I have a fully loaded 420lb safe. Being on an exterior wall in a corner is even moer stable since you are not in the middle of a joist, which is the weakest spot.

[andywmu]

Floor is fine, loaded the safe down with ammo and it is still there.

[Revdrshad]

I tend to think of weight in terms of people. Two big sized people standing in the area is equal to your safe.

A few years ago I had to pick up some roof shingles. I drive a Taurus.
So I thought, 1800 pounds of shingles spread out over three trips... 600 pounds a trip. That's basically a 200 pound passenger, and two 200 pound people in the backseat.
I had no problems...

YMMV.

[Marcus]

The problem isn't that the safe will fall through the floor.
For instance,
If a floor max load is designed for 45lbs/sq of load, if loaded heavier, deflection outside accepted limits (usually less then 3/4 in over the span of the member) you will have excessive settling over time. That means cracked drywall and squeaky floors.

It is less if an issue when the safe is in the corner or ext wall, but I would still try to spread a big safe over 2-3 joists


If you want to stick your big monster 36gun safe in the middle of the room and load it full of brass, lead, steel and gold it would be best to stick a post underneath the floor to take the pointload down to the basement floor. Its not technically correct without a footing but it should be fine

[langenc]

And those joists set over the plate which is probably atop a block wall. The corner is very sturdy. Make sure that the floor dont slope too much. In other words make sure the area where the safe will be is level-front to rear and side to side.

Is there some way the safe can be bolted to the wall/floor?? or both?

[upgunowner]

Aretha Franklin weights more than that.

I met a 430lb roofer once.said he had only fell thru once (a roof).

[donald150]

I only have one question that is more important than the weight of the safe.

You say it is a rental house...........






...........Did you bolt the safe to the floor?

[andywmu]

Can't do.

[50 BMG]

The problem isn't that the safe will fall through the floor.
For instance,
If a floor max load is designed for 45lbs/sq of load, if loaded heavier, deflection outside accepted limits (usually less then 3/4 in over the span of the member) you will have excessive settling over time. That means cracked drywall and squeaky floors.

It is less if an issue when the safe is in the corner or ext wall, but I would still try to spread a big safe over 2-3 joists


If you want to stick your big monster 36gun safe in the middle of the room and load it full of brass, lead, steel and gold it would be best to stick a post underneath the floor to take the pointload down to the basement floor. Its not technically correct without a footing but it should be fine

Marcus has the right idea, but in actuality, between dead load (the actual weight of the building materials & permanent fixtures) and the live load (you and your furniture/gun safe) a house is designed to carry about 70lbs/SF. Since the material weight of where your safe is going to be placed is probably nowhere near 20LBS/SF, you have a LOT of wiggle room with such a light safe... Yes, that IS a light safe... I have a 600lb safe in my upstairs hallway... No problem...
I was more worried about the STAIRS when I took it to the second floor than I was the actual floor once I got it up there... Near an exterior wall would be best for support and for fire reasons (You DO know that most safes end up in the basement if there is a serious house fire right?!?)...

[Marcus]

Marcus has the right idea, but in actuality, between dead load (the actual weight of the building materials & permanent fixtures) and the live load (you and your furniture/gun safe) a house is designed to carry about 70lbs/SF. Since the material weight of where your safe is going to be placed is probably nowhere near 20LBS/SF, you have a LOT of wiggle room with such a light safe... Yes, that IS a light safe... I have a 600lb safe in my upstairs hallway... No problem...
I was more worried about the STAIRS when I took it to the second floor than I was the actual floor once I got it up there... Near an exterior wall would be best for support and for fire reasons (You DO know that most safes end up in the basement if there is a serious house fire right?!?)...

This^^^