Installing a Wall Safe is Easy

A wall safe it the stuff dreams are made of. What adult doesn't remember, as a kid at least, dreaming of secret hidden compartments to hold special treasures in, or a rotating fireplace (think Scooby Doo) that turns to reveal a secret room, or a sliding bookshelf that reveals a hidden passageway? All of these things are only fun day dreams for many. Fortunately, they can also be realities for many others. People pay hundreds, even thousands, of dollars to have customized hidden storage made for their homes and offices, and that's great for them. However, for most of us, being content with our memories is good enough. But there is a middle ground that anyone can consider, and that's purchasing and installing your very own wall safe.

Yep, a wall safe is both affordable and installable by nearly anyone. They don't demand a huge capital outlay to purchase, don't require major construction, fancy hidden mechanisms, or anything of the sort. And the benefits of owning a wall safe are pretty obvious. You get to have something mysterious and cool, and also somewhere to hide important documents and other valuables. Here's the basics of how to install one in your house or office.

First of all you need to locate the wood studs in the wall where you intend to install your new wall safe. This is easily done with an inexpensive stud finder available at most any hardware store. These usually work off of a 9V battery and will light up when passed in front of a stud behind the drywall. Alternatively, the thump and tap method works too. As you tap firmly on the wall you can hear the difference between where there is a stud and where there isn't. Regardless of which way you choose, just mark where they are and use a drywall knife, or any other suitable tool for the job, and remove the drywall between the two studs.

Once the hole in the sheet rock is cut out for your wall safe, just clean up the edges a little bit and position the vault in the hole you just created. Some wall safes have holes on the sides for marking attachment points. If yours does, simply use a pen or pencil to mark the location of where you are going to fasten the safe to the studs and then remove it from the wall so you can pre-drill some starter holes. Once that is done, put the wall safe back into position and use lag bolts and washers to secure it in place. These normally come with the safe. Could it be any easier?

A wall safe usually comes with an integrated flange to make the appearance after installation clean and tight. So, once you have tightened up all the lag bolts, you just operate the door a few times to make sure things are square and that there is no binding going on. If your unit has shelves, now is the time to install them. Viola! You have done it. You've created a compartment suitable for securing important documents, jewelry, guns, cash, or other items that you want to secure in a safe. No big expense, no big mess, and no big time drain. Don't forget to hide it behind a picture or mirror!

Now that you have successfully installed your new wall safe, you can dream and scheme about your next big project. In the meantime, good job for a job well done.