Turning closet into gun room

[Cameramonkey]

I saw a rather clever add on to make drywall harder to get through.

Strip all drywall off one side. Every 12-18” bore holes in a line horizontally across the studs. Feed metal rods through the holes BUT DO NOT FASTEN THEM DOWN. They MUST rotate freely. They can be rebar, allthread, whatever. Re-drywall normally. For bonus points rig some verticals as well.

Wall looks normal but as soon as somebody tries to cut through with a saws all, they hit the rods which will rotate with the saw blade. They may get through but it will take FOREVER.

EDIT: Make sure it is not a load bearing wall. If so consult with an engineer to figure out how to do it. Drilling that many holes in a load bearing stud will weaken it and may result in a VERY bad day eventually.

 

[BE Mike]

k, thanks for clearing that up. I assumed that's what you meant but when you mentioned hinges. I was a bit confused. Do you have a website or link that you bought from?

I edited my post above. Hope it helps.

 

[223 Gunner]

To harden walls, I have seen people use rebar between studs.

 

[223 Gunner]

Looks like Cameramonkey beat me to it

 

[Averageguy]

Thank you all for the pointers. how about the keyless part. What are the best ones out there? are there any brand to stay away from?

 

[armalitesheepdog]

You could buy thin metal sheets, drill holes for screws, mount to the wall then cover with another layer of drywall for increased fire protection and security.

Yes. And I will be happy to sell you those thin metal sheets if you get to that point.

 

[Joniki]

It sounds like you are willing to put a bit of money into this project. Would a gun safe fit in this closet?

 

[Averageguy]

Yes it would

 

[Haven]

The closet I am turning into my gun safe shares a wall with the air return. As I found out when I went to hang a TV in my office next to the closet, the walls around the air return are solid wood.

 

[1nderbeard]

Keep in mind security standards can vary if you're just looking for a spot to keep guns safe from kids or if you're looking for a vault concept. Nothing is 100% secure forever.

A cousin of mind had the same thing in his house. He was not looking for a vault concept, but more of a man cave spot safe from kids. He just put a heavy outside door with a deadbolt lock. I don't believe he completed any further armoring on the walls.

 

[Kirk Freeman]

I stumbled across this a few months ago:

 

[DadSmith]

I have no experience with such a thing, as my house has no appropriate space, but if I ever build a house I'm going to put a completely block-walled room in the corner of the basement with a solid steel door and have a massive reloading bench in there, another for cleaning/maintenance/armoring, and all my guns either hung or in racks on the wall. Digging around trying to find and extract guns from overloaded safes is for suckers and poor people (both of which currently describe me, lol)!

Why block? Use 10" reinforced concrete walls ceiling and floor, then put your steel door on it.

A theif with a 5lb sledgehammer would be through a block wall in 5 minutes or less.

 

[Cameramonkey]

Why block? Use 10" reinforced concrete walls ceiling and floor, then put your steel door on it.

A theif with a 5lb sledgehammer would be inside if a block wall in 5 minutes or less.

Or even better. If you are building, build the room OUTSIDE the footprint of the foundation. Then use something to hide the door.
If the smarter than average thief gets downstairs and looks around and sees 4 walls that match the upstairs perimeter, he's most likely done. "Nothing to see here".

And dont tell your builder what you want that room for. Or tell him its a storm cellar/safe room. Resist his suggestion to add outside access to the room since its for storms. Even better, "Its for storage, and I dont want to give up any floor space in the basement. I already have the rest of basement planned out."

 

[Max Volume]

Why block? Use 10" reinforced concrete walls ceiling and floor, then put your steel door on it.

A theif with a 5lb sledgehammer would be through a block wall in 5 minutes or less.

I thought about this if I were to build and a vault door.

Vault Doors for Sale and Home Safe Vault Door | GunSafes.com

Secure your valuables with high-quality vault doors. Find a wide selection of durable and reliable vault doors at Gunsafes.com. Protect what matters most.

www.gunsafes.com

 

[w_ADAM_d88]

Our old house, I converted an unused closet into a gun storage and hunting gear storage closet. It wasn't a safe or vault by any means. Double studs all around door opening, 4" screws to secure the door frame, 4" screws to secure all the hinges and door lock hardware, keyed doorknob and deadbolt on a metal exterior door. I used weather stripping to make it air tight and put a dehumidifier in there and also kept scent wafers hung in there for my clothing. Kept my guns safe from kids and didn't display as a safe or anything.

 

[BigMoose]

I saw this online.

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[Rapter]

Who has turned a closet into a gun room/cabinet? I have a closet in my house that we are not using and would like to turn it in to my gun room. I plan to put a solid door with a keyless entry.

I would like the do's and don'ts of doing this.

Thanks

Do's:

1. Secure the firearms: Install a gun safe or cabinet within the closet to securely store your firearms. Make sure it meets the legal requirements for firearm storage in your area.
2. Proper ventilation: Ensure there is adequate ventilation to prevent moisture buildup, which can lead to rust on your firearms. A dehumidifier might be a good addition.
3. Lighting: Install proper lighting, so you can easily inspect and access your firearms. LED lighting is a good choice as it's energy-efficient and doesn't emit heat.
4. Organization: Use racks, hangers, or gun-specific storage solutions to keep your firearms organized and easily accessible.
5. Door security: Your idea of a solid door with keyless entry is excellent for added security. It's important to keep unauthorized individuals out.

Don'ts:

1. No shortcuts: Don't compromise on security features. A flimsy door or inadequate safe can put your firearms at risk
2. Avoid clutter: Don't overcrowd the space. Keep the gun room organized, so you can easily access your firearms in case of an emergency.
3. Not educating family: Ensure that all members of your household understand the importance of firearm safety and the rules for accessing the gun room to prevent accidents.

 

[dieselrealtor]

Back in the 80's, a friend of mine installed multiple layers of drywall, then put a gun safe (primitive in the 80's) that had deadbolts in pockets so they couldn't be drilled. Not really a gun room but similar principles could be used in a gun room at relatively low cost.

3-4" of drywall glued together & screwed to studs could be formidable to get through.

 

[Kirk Freeman]

Don'ts:

Neglect local laws: Make sure you're compliant with local, state, and federal laws regarding firearm storage, and consider any legal requirements for firearm rooms.

As there cannot be any local laws, what state and federal laws are you referencing? I guess you could stretch to "don't be a prohibited person" but do you have something in mind?

 

[Amishman44]

I wont go into details or post photos for security reasons. But I rigged up a hidden room deal like this.

Some consideration.

Drywall on stud construction is exceptionally easy to hack through. Older style plaster on wood is a bit harder. So consider that your going to need to harden the walls too.

Ceilings can be a mixed bag, if it's below an upper level floor, then its harder to get into. Easier if its just an attic above.

Floors? If its on the slab, forget it.. no one getting in from below, but if its above a crawlspace.. you may have to armour the floor.

Are you going to go with a hidden door? Or something that clearly looks like an armored door everyone can see. Hidden doors can be bastard hard for someone not familiar to find, if done right.

Now mine is an larger space with a place for me to sit in with a TV, not a big room.. but still larger then a closet but I have an old house that is weird with multiple patchwork additions and odd multi levels, so it was easy for me to take an odd interior room that was under a room above. I went with the hidden door deal, with.. well I won't say what but it is a feature in a house this age that is normally built in.

Depending on what you're looking for, and it can be a tad expensive, but a good, steel, fire-rated, interior door can provide a strong degree of safety, right from the get-go...it'll stop any mere crime-of-opportunity, and only a person committed to getting past it, will be successful!
If you have painted trim / interior, it'll be easy to blend it in, if you need stained, that may require a professional application to blend it in so it's not obvious.

https://www.menards.com/main/doors-windows-millwork/exterior-doors/front-doors/mastercraft-reg-90-minute-primed-steel-6-panel-adjustable-steel-frame-fire-door-system/4141430/p-1444448363718-c-9356.htm?exp=false