Help needed - Large Gun Safe on Laminate Flooring OK or Not?

[puma guy]

We are going to install laminate flooring, either wood based or vinyl - my wife hasn't decided on that factor yet. This particular safe is 22"X30"X 60" and contains approx 18 rifles and Shotguns and about 15 pistols as well as miscellaneous items -mainly a collection of knives. Significant weight added. The substrate is cement slab where the safe is so no problem with the sub-floor holding the weight. I'm looking for any one who has experience with this issue and whether damage (depressions) occurred or if a dense rubber pad or plywood square should be used to distribute the weight should be used. I Googled this and got differing answers for safe manufacturers as well as flooring makers. None were really definitive. Thanks!

[AF-Odin]

I have a really old Treadlock Horizontal safe (don't think they even make it anymore due to safety with the lid issues). It is 53" long by 23" wide and 18" deep. That means that there is less PSI for the footprint than if it was a stand-up safe. We have had it on a vinyl laminate floor for over 10 years and it has not made any significant issues. In fact, it has held the vinyl down where it has come un-stuck in other places in the bedroom. Sub is like your's, concrete slab. We have wood laminate in all of the house except the bedrooms and have vinyl in them. Really wish that when we did the bedrooms (about 10 years after the rest of the house) we had gone with the wood laminate rather that the (so called) Luxury Vinyl Laminate--constant battle with the rubber mallet to keep it from popping up--probably just bad installation.

[Ruark]

We have porcelain tile flooring throughout our house. We had an issue with a metal filing cabinet that, over a couple of years, developed some rust underneath the metal bottom where I guess moisture collected in minute amounts. That left some rust stains on the tile. Fortunately we were able to remove the rust stains, since porcelain is quite impermeable. In general, I cut a rectangle of 3/8" plywood and put it under anything like that, with about an inch sticking out around the edge.

[puma guy]

I have a really old Treadlock Horizontal safe (don't think they even make it anymore due to safety with the lid issues). It is 53" long by 23" wide and 18" deep. That means that there is less PSI for the footprint than if it was a stand-up safe. We have had it on a vinyl laminate floor for over 10 years and it has not made any significant issues. In fact, it has held the vinyl down where it has come un-stuck in other places in the bedroom. Sub is like your's, concrete slab. We have wood laminate in all of the house except the bedrooms and have vinyl in them. Really wish that when we did the bedrooms (about 10 years after the rest of the house) we had gone with the wood laminate rather that the (so called) Luxury Vinyl Laminate--constant battle with the rubber mallet to keep it from popping up--probably just bad installation.

Thanks! I am leaning toward wood laminate myself.

[puma guy]

We have porcelain tile flooring throughout our house. We had an issue with a metal filing cabinet that, over a couple of years, developed some rust underneath the metal bottom where I guess moisture collected in minute amounts. That left some rust stains on the tile. Fortunately we were able to remove the rust stains, since porcelain is quite impermeable. In general, I cut a rectangle of 3/8" plywood and put it under anything like that, with about an inch sticking out around the edge.

Thanks! I am thinking I will put plywood under mine as well. We have tile in our den, kitchen and living area and I will have to move the safe into the den, so I will definitely put down plywood to wheel it over the tile.

[cmgee67]

I just installed some wood laminate from Lowe’s that’s supposed to be the waterproof and scratch proof blah blah blah. My sub floor is concrete as well. So far it holds up to the claims. If it was me I’d definitely put something down. You could either put down plywood, a carpet square that matches the floor, or maybe a rubber mat. For example that thick rubber that the ranch stores sell for horse mats that you can cut to size. I wouldn’t necessarily be worried about the safe hurting the floor but, if you have to move it or lift it up on one side or the other I think having something like a spacer of some sort under it would benefit you.

[Rafe]

This particular safe is 22"X30"X 60" and contains approx 18 rifles and Shotguns and about 15 pistols as well as miscellaneous items...

Wait. You were with me on that deep-sea fishing trip in the Gulf last summer. We lost all our guns when the boat capsized!


Seriously, though I can't say for certain... Ours is laminated wood, and I've always been cautious with it...just because. I used 3/4" plywood with an expanded footprint, meaning making the plywood a few extra inches larger around all sides. I confess I haven't moved the safe since it was installed that way, so I honestly can't tell you what it looks like under the plywood. But judging from the edges the flooring should be fine underneath.

The 3/4" plywood is under the safe as well the heavier stuff in the home gym, including the lifting cage, weight stands, and dumbbell racks. The greatest constant pressure on the floor is one of the DB racks that weighs 770 lbs plus the rack itself (call it about 850 lbs total) on two 2"x18" feet, or only 72 sq inches in contact with the plywood that's in two 12"x24" pieces sitting on top of the floor. I rearranged things in there about four years after setting it up, and the laminate underneath the plywood still looked fine despite that psi.

[puma guy]

This particular safe is 22"X30"X 60" and contains approx 18 rifles and Shotguns and about 15 pistols as well as miscellaneous items...

Wait. You were with me on that deep-sea fishing trip in the Gulf last summer. We lost all our guns when the boat capsized!


Seriously, though I can't say for certain... Ours is laminated wood, and I've always been cautious with it...just because. I used 3/4" plywood with an expanded footprint, meaning making the plywood a few extra inches larger around all sides. I confess I haven't moved the safe since it was installed that way, so I honestly can't tell you what it looks like under the plywood. But judging from the edges the flooring should be fine underneath.

The 3/4" plywood is under the safe as well the heavier stuff in the home gym, including the lifting cage, weight stands, and dumbbell racks. The greatest constant pressure on the floor is one of the DB racks that weighs 770 lbs plus the rack itself (call it about 850 lbs total) on two 2"x18" feet, or only 72 sq inches in contact with the plywood that's in two 12"x24" pieces sitting on top of the floor. I rearranged things in there about four years after setting it up, and the laminate underneath the plywood still looked fine despite that psi.

You're right about the fishing trip. I forgot...I'm old and can't remember stuff. I store my antique brick collection there now. And also...uh!... what were we talking about???

[flowrie]

I have two safes, on carpet. I cut a 3/4” oak plywood rectangle to match the foot print of the each safe and place that between the safe and the carpet. The purpose is to prevent any rust stains on the carpet. If I were to place the safes on tile, laminates or any other surface, I would do the same as for the carpet. Just my opinion.

[puma guy]

I have two safes, on carpet. I cut a 3/4” oak plywood rectangle to match the foot print of the each safe and place that between the safe and the carpet. The purpose is to prevent any rust stains on the carpet. If I were to place the safes on tile, laminates or any other surface, I would do the same as for the carpet. Just my opinion.

Thanks. Yes, I am going to cut a piece in 3/4" plywood to place under the safe.