Gun Room/ Safe room

[DavidJ]

So I have been looking lately for a new gun safe as I have run out of room in my current 1. (Good problem to have) After looking at pricing I am starting to lean toward building my own gun room / safe room. I had thought of building the room before but I really had no real need. I would route my security system and be able to monitor my cameras from this room. The room is already incased in Block concrete. My only concerns are the door and ceiling. Has anyone built a room before who can share some of their experiences. For the ceiling I saw to either fill the joists with Steel and or concrete with chicken wire. I can not access this from above so trying till fill it with concrete may not be do able. I also don't want something so crazy that if I ever sold my house it couldn't be used as a locked office and or storage room.

Was thinking of just a Steel security Door
L.I.F Industries 36 in. x 80 in. Gray Flush Left-Hand Security Steel Prehung Commercial Door with Welded Frame-UWS3680L - The Home Depot

 

[Bananabandit]

Sounds like you need a panic room type of structure.

 

[MilesTeg]

I've been looking into this myself. I will be building my forever home soon and I got the go ahead from the wife to pour a gun room in the basement. I plan on having a poured ceiling also, so I wont have the same problem as you. I plan on just using an steel exterior door at first and after a couple of years saving installing a safe door. Most of the major safe manufactures make doors just for this type of application.

If you are intending on using this as a panic room or any type of extended occupancy room, you will have to address ventilation. I have gone over a few ideas my situation but have yet to settle on solution yet. Right now I am planning on running 2 vent tubes out the roof or into the attic. I like the attic better for the concealability, but I don't if my house will have one yet. The other idea was to make a hidden vents to the interior of the house. The problem with all these options is if there's a fire you will run the risk of inhaling toxic fumes. The problem with a short run outside with metal pipe is the ease of accessibility.

As to your problem with the ceiling, how are planning on doing the work? Do you have access from the top or just underneath?

If from top, you can drill the floor joints and put some re-rod in. Build form work from underneath and pour a concrete celling. Make sure you support the forms well enough and afterwards rig up some sort of reinforcement from underneath. You need to get that load from the concrete from the floor joint system to the ground or your reinforced walls efficiently. Or it wont take much to break through from the top and kind defeats the whole purpose.

If you just have access from underneath, there is 2 options.
1. Hang a layer of sheetrock from the ceiling. Then hang a layer security mesh(google "security mesh" there's a ton out there). Then add one more layer of sheetrock to cover up the mesh. Keep in mind this will be heavy and thick so make sure you use the proper screws.
2. Use the same materials as above but instead of hanging them on the ceiling hang them between the joists and do multiple layers. this would be pretty hard to break into also would give some fire rating.
For either of these options you might want to explore the use of glue between sheetrock and mesh layers.

 

[Greywolf224]

Be careful on the poured overhead cement.
A 10' x 10" foot room with a 4" pour will place a 5000 lb weigh over your head. Unless you are pouring over corrugated steel panels that is either supported by cement walls or lolly columns specifically made for this and not wood, I would avoid using cement.

 

[DavidJ]

yeah I wont have access overhead as that was recently replaced with a new pergo floor and I'm not ripping that up again. The over head really would just be in the safe room type situation. The above room already has AC/Heat pipped in so I will probably tie into that for ventilation with a emergency connection outside for fresh air. I'm not looking for a 100% bomb proof room, more you cant break into it with out a huge amount of work. The ceiling I will have to look into more.

 

[Magnus]

The top definitely depends on whether or not you like to breathe.... If you're going to install a ventilation system seal it up air tight. You can also just put a fire retardant drop ceiling with an exhaust for smoke or gases.

 

[GOYABEAN]

In my next life I'll get something like this

 

[Greywolf224]

In my next life I'll get something like this

Does it come with Arnie the terminator!

 

[speedkills27]

In my next life I'll get something like this
what will yo tell the neighbors this is

 

[Automan21]

yeah I wont have access overhead as that was recently replaced with a new pergo floor and I'm not ripping that up again. The over head really would just be in the safe room type situation. The above room already has AC/Heat pipped in so I will probably tie into that for ventilation with a emergency connection outside for fresh air. I'm not looking for a 100% bomb proof room, more you cant break into it with out a huge amount of work. The ceiling I will have to look into more.

Im not an engineer but what about bolting steel plates to the ceiling joists then cover with sheet rock using building adhesive.

 

[MilesTeg]

Barrier Mesh for Security | ClarkDietrich Building Systems

Here's what I was talking about. It's lighter and cheaper than solid steel. I've seen videos of people trying to break through it and they needed cutting tools to get through. An axe couldn't even touch it. This is what I would use for your situation.

 

[thegatman]

You could build it underground like the old fall out shelters. Have a tunnel to the house but a stand alone safe room.

 

[Saltwater60]

Maybe too simple or too stupid, but why not put a metal roof on the ceiling from the inside.

 

[Phauxtoe]

Does it come with a Batmobile?

 

[pontiacmrc1]

In my next life I'll get something like this

I would totally put one of these in my yard....

 

[DavidJ]

Metal roofing might work but I'm looking for a nice finished product. Something that if I sold my house someone might go hmm I could use this for my office or maybe a secure storage area.. VS OMG this looks like shit, gonna have to gut it all if we use it for anything what a waste of money.

 

[Toecutter]

First rule about secret gun room is you don't talk about secret gun room.

Of you want concrete ceiling your gonna have to use corragated steel supported by steel girders and columns. Your could hide all of this with sheet rock if you want it finished, if you are real serious about it I would contact a contracted who specializes in this sort of stuff.

 

[Greywolf224]

Metal roofing might work but I'm looking for a nice finished product. Something that if I sold my house someone might go hmm I could use this for my office or maybe a secure storage area.. VS OMG this looks like shit, gonna have to gut it all if we use it for anything what a waste of money.

Not metal roofing which very different than corrugated steel used for a cement pour. These ceiling are supported by steel columns and girders.
Under the girders you fasten ceiling joists to which you fasten sheet rock or, tile or what have you.

 

[MilesTeg]

I'm just saying the mesh bye passes all of these concerns.

 

[Greywolf224]

I'm just saying the mesh bye passes all of these concerns.

Absolutely it does and for a homeowner not doing a new build it is the best way to go.
I did help a buddy of mine once actual fastened those steel corrugated panels I pictured above under the present sheet rock ceiling of his basement and then fasten fire rated sheet rock to the bottom of the panels. It was his re-loading room in a cement walled basement and above it was living space. Did it in case of an explosion.

 

[DavidJ]

I do like the mesh idea, its not bullet proof but if someones shooting down from above on me I've got other issues at that point

 

[MilesTeg]

I look at the mesh as a time saver. It puts normal robberies out of the acceptable time frame to gain entry. If your within side and bad people are breaking in I hope you and whoever is inside is fully locked and loaded ready to unleash hell on the bad guys as soon as there is an opening.

 

[Bananabandit]

I may look into that mesh. Looks pretty solid.

 

[MilesTeg]

I really wish I could find that video. They showed someone trying to break through with all sorts of common tools. If I remember right the only thing it worked was a demo saw and a torch.