Ideas for Mounting Two Cabinets

Kvon2 · June 5, 2017, 03:32 PM

So this coming weekend I'm going to purchase my second stack on cabinet and I'm going to be moving both cabinets down in to my basement in the utility room.

The room is secure BUT it would be a lot easier for someone to get in and drag the whole cabinet(s) out of the door and in to a vehicle if they really wanted to. My other concern is if we had a flood it would like be in that room first.

My thought is to build some type of wood platform to bolt the cabinets down to. This would help elevate the cabinets from water and also make it more of a pain to move the cabinets.

I'm thinking a large wood pallet might get the job done and I might be able to get one for free but I'm looking for other ideas/opinions.

Thoughts?

FrankenMauser · June 5, 2017, 05:27 PM

In addition to the safes, I have a couple of the Stack-On cabinets for things I want locked up, but aren't really valuable (like ammunition, spare/cheaper scopes, and crappy parts guns).

For the cabinets, I used some dunnage hardwood blocks to level and raise the cabinets about 1-3/4" off the floor. Once everything was arranged the way I wanted it, I super-glued the blocks to the concrete floor and glued the cabinet to the blocks (to prevent the blocks from shifting - not for security or holding it in place).
Then I drilled through the back of the cabinets and lag-bolted them to wall studs.

Not going to fall over. The whole cabinet can't easily be taken. And I've got an easy 1-1/2" leeway before water is an issue.

But, of course, the door can still be pried open with a plastic spoon. (Yes, that's an exaggeration.

)

Armed_Chicagoan · June 5, 2017, 06:48 PM

Can you bolt them to the wall? Preferably a concrete wall?

FITASC · June 5, 2017, 06:57 PM

My safe is sitting on a raised platform made up of 4- 4x4's with 3/4" plywood on top and a piece of thin commercial carpet to protect the safe bottom. Works great. Got the idea from the gun show where I bought the display safe and how they had them. That was 30 years ago.

Kvon2 · June 5, 2017, 07:18 PM

I COULD bolt them to a concrete wall but they won't be facing a sensible direction for the space. Also wouldn't solve the water problem. I just found a source of free wood pallets so I might start there.

FITASC · June 5, 2017, 07:28 PM

Pallets are made of the crappiest wood possible - concrete blocks with a rubber horse stall mat would be better

sgms · June 5, 2017, 08:21 PM

I have 3 stack-Ons mounted on concert blocks bolted too a concert wall and bolted together on the touching sides through a 3/4" steel plate inside each cabinet.
They will be able to break into them with a bit of time but not tear them off the wall and hand cart them out the door they are too wide & tall to fit through the door. will not stop a determined thief but hopefully will aim most of them to the easy to cart stuff.

HiBC · June 5, 2017, 09:01 PM

I went with essentially a park bench height riser made of 2x12. I like the height,and there is ammo can storage under. Side by side,bolt them together,to the base,and to the wall.

Berserker · June 5, 2017, 09:25 PM

Everything in the basement should be on bricks. Freezer, boiler,s furnaces, ect.

SHR970 · June 5, 2017, 09:51 PM

Cinder Blocks for risers; bolt (not drywall screw) to studs or lag to concrete wall in at least two places; preferably 4 since they are on risers. If you have a concrete floor; put lags in the floor and fill the cinderblocks with quickset to anchor to the lags. Set anchors into the top of the quickset to run bolts into. Lag the bottoms of the cabinets to the blocks and the top backs to the walls.

Thieves can still get them out but they will have to EARN it through hard work.

Also coat the tops of the blocks and quickset with water seal to keep moisture from wicking up into the cabinet and silicon seal the bolts. Put a mat in the bottom of the cabinets to protect the butts of the guns from the bolt heads.

Hal · June 6, 2017, 06:45 AM

Quote:

My thought is to build some type of wood platform to bolt the cabinets down to

Make sure you use a synthetic or treated for any wood to concrete contact.
White wood will dry rot and stink to high heaven if there's even the smallest amount of moisture under the concrete pad. Moisture barriers didn't exist in basement construction until about the late 1970's. A synthetic (like Azek or Trex) won't rot, but, they have little to no shear strength.

It's also a very unwise thing to poke holes in a basement pad & for sure you don't want to poke holes in the block walls at any point below grade.
If for any reason yu have to, either anchor the fastener in hydraulic cement or use Tapcons - or similar - that "fill the hole".

Quote:

Thieves can still get them out but they will have to EARN it through hard work.

1:18 - - - less than 90 seconds - - - is about all it takes to get into a typical RSC (residential security container). That's not a whole lot more than the time it takes me to open mine via the combination lock!

Berserker · June 6, 2017, 07:35 AM

I don't have anything screwed to my block walls. But if I wanted to I would just read up on it. Not sure if they make anything special for below grade or any kind of sealer.

I would not be worried about it. Inside of block should be dry anyways. Less to worry about if you have poured walls.

rpseraph · June 8, 2017, 02:24 PM

My gun cabinet is anchored to the wall with bolts and to the floor joists above :-P If I am home, I'm awake and heading in their direction or I'm already dead! If I'm not home... I hope to at least make life difficult for the jerks.

June 5, 2017, 03:32 PM	#1
Kvon2 Senior Member Join Date: January 4, 2016 Posts: 757	Ideas for Mounting Two Cabinets So this coming weekend I'm going to purchase my second stack on cabinet and I'm going to be moving both cabinets down in to my basement in the utility room. The room is secure BUT it would be a lot easier for someone to get in and drag the whole cabinet(s) out of the door and in to a vehicle if they really wanted to. My other concern is if we had a flood it would like be in that room first. My thought is to build some type of wood platform to bolt the cabinets down to. This would help elevate the cabinets from water and also make it more of a pain to move the cabinets. I'm thinking a large wood pallet might get the job done and I might be able to get one for free but I'm looking for other ideas/opinions. Thoughts?

June 5, 2017, 05:27 PM	#2
FrankenMauser Senior Member Join Date: August 25, 2008 Location: In the valley above the plain Posts: 13,424	In addition to the safes, I have a couple of the Stack-On cabinets for things I want locked up, but aren't really valuable (like ammunition, spare/cheaper scopes, and crappy parts guns). For the cabinets, I used some dunnage hardwood blocks to level and raise the cabinets about 1-3/4" off the floor. Once everything was arranged the way I wanted it, I super-glued the blocks to the concrete floor and glued the cabinet to the blocks (to prevent the blocks from shifting - not for security or holding it in place). Then I drilled through the back of the cabinets and lag-bolted them to wall studs. Not going to fall over. The whole cabinet can't easily be taken. And I've got an easy 1-1/2" leeway before water is an issue. But, of course, the door can still be pried open with a plastic spoon. (Yes, that's an exaggeration. ) __________________ Don't even try it. It's even worse than the internet would lead you to believe.

June 5, 2017, 06:57 PM	#4
FITASC Senior Member Join Date: December 6, 2014 Posts: 6,441	My safe is sitting on a raised platform made up of 4- 4x4's with 3/4" plywood on top and a piece of thin commercial carpet to protect the safe bottom. Works great. Got the idea from the gun show where I bought the display safe and how they had them. That was 30 years ago. __________________ "I believe that people have a right to decide their own destinies; people own themselves. I also believe that, in a democracy, government exists because (and only so long as) individual citizens give it a 'temporary license to exist'—in exchange for a promise that it will behave itself. In a democracy, you own the government—it doesn't own you."- Frank Zappa

June 5, 2017, 07:28 PM	#6
FITASC Senior Member Join Date: December 6, 2014 Posts: 6,441	Pallets are made of the crappiest wood possible - concrete blocks with a rubber horse stall mat would be better __________________ "I believe that people have a right to decide their own destinies; people own themselves. I also believe that, in a democracy, government exists because (and only so long as) individual citizens give it a 'temporary license to exist'—in exchange for a promise that it will behave itself. In a democracy, you own the government—it doesn't own you."- Frank Zappa

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June 5, 2017, 06:48 PM	#3
Armed_Chicagoan Senior Member Join Date: July 18, 2013 Location: Albany Park, Chicago Posts: 776	Can you bolt them to the wall? Preferably a concrete wall?

June 5, 2017, 07:18 PM	#5
Kvon2 Senior Member Join Date: January 4, 2016 Posts: 757	I COULD bolt them to a concrete wall but they won't be facing a sensible direction for the space. Also wouldn't solve the water problem. I just found a source of free wood pallets so I might start there.

June 5, 2017, 08:21 PM	#7
sgms Senior Member Join Date: May 30, 2010 Location: Arizona or Ohio depending Posts: 1,021	I have 3 stack-Ons mounted on concert blocks bolted too a concert wall and bolted together on the touching sides through a 3/4" steel plate inside each cabinet. They will be able to break into them with a bit of time but not tear them off the wall and hand cart them out the door they are too wide & tall to fit through the door. will not stop a determined thief but hopefully will aim most of them to the easy to cart stuff.

June 5, 2017, 09:01 PM	#8
HiBC Senior Member Join Date: November 13, 2006 Posts: 8,283	I went with essentially a park bench height riser made of 2x12. I like the height,and there is ammo can storage under. Side by side,bolt them together,to the base,and to the wall.

June 5, 2017, 09:25 PM	#9
Berserker Junior member Join Date: April 6, 2015 Location: WI & UP Posts: 284	Everything in the basement should be on bricks. Freezer, boiler,s furnaces, ect.

June 5, 2017, 09:51 PM	#10
SHR970 Senior Member Join Date: January 24, 2011 Posts: 1,427	Cinder Blocks for risers; bolt (not drywall screw) to studs or lag to concrete wall in at least two places; preferably 4 since they are on risers. If you have a concrete floor; put lags in the floor and fill the cinderblocks with quickset to anchor to the lags. Set anchors into the top of the quickset to run bolts into. Lag the bottoms of the cabinets to the blocks and the top backs to the walls. Thieves can still get them out but they will have to EARN it through hard work. Also coat the tops of the blocks and quickset with water seal to keep moisture from wicking up into the cabinet and silicon seal the bolts. Put a mat in the bottom of the cabinets to protect the butts of the guns from the bolt heads.

June 6, 2017, 07:35 AM	#12
Berserker Junior member Join Date: April 6, 2015 Location: WI & UP Posts: 284	I don't have anything screwed to my block walls. But if I wanted to I would just read up on it. Not sure if they make anything special for below grade or any kind of sealer. I would not be worried about it. Inside of block should be dry anyways. Less to worry about if you have poured walls.

June 8, 2017, 02:24 PM	#13
rpseraph Senior Member Join Date: October 23, 2015 Location: MinneSNOWta Posts: 454	My gun cabinet is anchored to the wall with bolts and to the floor joists above :-P If I am home, I'm awake and heading in their direction or I'm already dead! If I'm not home... I hope to at least make life difficult for the jerks.