OT-A safe question to ask...

[reo]

I have a 540 pound safe I want to put in the basement. One flight of stairs, inside, standard wood construction. Anyone have any suggestions besides several buddies? Will the regular appliance dolly work or is their something better?

[mescalero1]

Usually a hand truck is operated by one guy, 540 pounds is a lot to handle going down stairs, I could see it getting away from you.

[Duff L Bagg]

In this case I would hire a mover or contact a locksmith. Pay a little to have it moved and let someone else assume the liability for any possible damages.

[Hobie]

I've moved a 500 lb safe down stairs on a dolly and it needed several fellas. We one on top to control/aim it and two on the bottom to slow it down. It was a file cabinet style so gave us some room on the stairs. This was NOT a residence and these were steel and concrete stairs. I've seen these let move a little too fast and break wooden treads. The NEXT time I had to move one I did it myself on the dolly but rolled it down the hall out a ramp and a little over a quarter of a mile in a parking lot to get it to the lower level almost directly below where it had been. I preferred the second experience.

I think the idea of using bonded/insured movers is an excellent one. Keeps the wife from being mad at you and lets her direct that they-messed-up-my-house-anger at somebody else!

[reo]

Thank you all, my first thought was movers, then the cheap side of me relentlessly attacked until I was powerless. After all of your wise words it has been put back in check.

[brucew44guns]

My safe weighs 675 empty, I would be reluctant to go down wooden treads ----period, with any dolly. But a 500 pounder, which is a little over the weight of a drum of motor oil, I would take her down. If the stairs are made well, not rotten, and you have an appliance dolly with a good strap and big wheels on it, just get 2 strong oxes in front to control it and drop her down one step at a time----carefully. Just keep the handle tilted back good enough so she don't flip forward and kill those oxes!!!

[HEAD0001]

It is easy to move a safe. First cut a sheet of plywood in 1/2--long ways. Lay the plywood end to end on the steps. Find a heavy throw rug. 4 feet long is plenty. Lay the rug at the top of the plywood. Lay the safe down on its side(not the back), and on top of the throw rug. Use a rope around the end of the safe, and lower the safe down the steps slowly. The rug will slide easily on the plywood. If the plywood is a little rough then put a couple of wraps of duck tape to hold the safe to the rug. I have moved several safes by myself in this manner. I moved pianos in college, and we were trained this way by Kimball. If you are afraid the carpet will not slide then put several throw rugs on the plywood, and the safe will slide on top of the rugs. Tom.

[mescalero1]

I used to move concert Grand pianos, that post reminded me that we would take concert Grands down stairs on a piano board in a simular fashion.

[Last Spike]

If you can remove the safe door, do so and take it down separately. It will make it easier to take the safe body down.

[TedH]

Mine's about 550 empty. I moved mine into the basement of our previous house with an appliance dolly and a big, strong friend of mine. I steered from the top and he controlled the downward motion from the bottom. It wasn't easy, but we got it down there. When we moved out of that house, I took the door off of the safe. That lightened it probably 80-100 pounds. coming up the stairs wasn't too bad at all. I'd say if you can get a couple strong guys and a good dolly, you'll be fine as long as your stairs are in good shape.

[Ysabel Kid]

If you don't go with the professionals (highly recommended), then getting a bunch of buddies - the more the merrier - and going VERY SLOW will work, assuming the stairs are in good condition. The key is to take your time - easier on you and your friends, easier on the stairs, and easier on the safe.

[AJMD429]

Use a rope around the end of the safe, and lower the safe down the steps slowly.

I'd still have the guys under it. The rope if anchored securely can be a good safety mechanism. A small hole in drywall near floor level and a plate on the other side of a wall could anchor it really well. The wood/carpet should protect the stairs, prevent 'bouncing' over treads, and help distribute the weight on the stairs.

They DO make "assemble on site" safes for this very reason, and I understand they are pretty solid affairs - I don't remember the brand, but something to think about.

If you can't remove the door, LOCK it, because my son just about lost his leg when the door flopped open and pinned him between the door and a large rock outside the back door.

Finally - not to throw water on the fire - think about this - your basement MAY become a swimming pool someday if there is a flash flood, or a bad plumbing leak when you are awake. Don't depend on sump pumps in my opinion. Also, if there is ever a fire, the basement might become a hot pit of embers which burns for along time.

[kimwcook]

AJMD429, +1

[Sixgun]

It is easy to move a safe. First cut a sheet of plywood in 1/2--long ways. Lay the plywood end to end on the steps. Find a heavy throw rug. 4 feet long is plenty. Lay the rug at the top of the plywood. Lay the safe down on its side(not the back), and on top of the throw rug. Use a rope around the end of the safe, and lower the safe down the steps slowly. The rug will slide easily on the plywood. If the plywood is a little rough then put a couple of wraps of duck tape to hold the safe to the rug. I have moved several safes by myself in this manner. I moved pianos in college, and we were trained this way by Kimball. If you are afraid the carpet will not slide then put several throw rugs on the plywood, and the safe will slide on top of the rugs. Tom.

Head0001 has it right! Thats almost exactly how I moved a 1000 lb. safe downstairs with just one other guy. I did brace the stairs in the middle with a pair of 4X4"'s and used a 3" X 14" long board to slide it down on. I left the cardboard on the safe for friction and used a rope. It was so easy, I surprised myself.------------Sixgun

[Sixgun]

Also, if there is ever a fire, the basement might become a hot pit of embers which burns for along time.

Doc, what you say is 100% true but I will disagree on the basement thing. My brother-in-law is a builder and he tells me the basement is the safest place for a gunsafe. He tells me he has rebuilt houses that have completly burned down and others that have been partially burnt. According to him, the heat rises and the dropping embers are of low temps. Yea, I guess there would be water damage but unless the basement is majorly flooded, things inside the safe will be fine.----------Sixgun

[kirkwood]

Also, if there is ever a fire, the basement might become a hot pit of embers which burns for along time.

Doc, what you say is 100% true but I will disagree on the basement thing. My brother-in-law is a builder and he tells me the basement is the safest place for a gunsafe. He tells me he has rebuilt houses that have completly burned down and others that have been partially burnt. According to him, the heat rises and the dropping embers are of low temps. Yea, I guess there would be water damage but unless the basement is majorly flooded, things inside the safe will be fine.----------Sixgun

Flood damage to basement safes is very common during a major fire. The safe can survive the fire and the contents are ruined from sitting in water for days. There are flood resistant safes (I have one), but hwo well they work depends on how deep the water gets and how long it sits in the water.

[El Chivo]

the nicer safes have gaskets that swell in the heat and are airtight, that should be watertight too.

[O.S.O.K.]

Why don't you just get a couple of those magic straps that they sell on TV and carry it on down? Heck, just get your wife to help you

Seriously, using the rope, boards and carpet is the way to go - and do get some buds to help out. Laying the safe down and using the boards disperses the weight over a greater area and will prevent damage to the stairs and increase control over the thing.

[DavidF]

Call around to your local equipment rental shops and rent a stair climbing appliance dolly. Have a friend there to help keep it steady and let the tool do the work.