"Safe" or "Panic" room pictures and ideas.

[DukeNukem]

I know very little about construction, but I know a lot about coming up with an idea, then when it comes time to implement it, it goes down nothing like I thought it would, usually erring on the side of overkill. If it were me, this is what I'd consider before I start coming up with a blueprint.

Plan for the most likely scenario - a common break-in...

Saferoom would be only big enough for all family members to enter and remain long enough for police to arrive. For instance, if you can fit the family in the Master bedroom closet, it doesn't need to be any bigger than the closet's dimensions. (if it's the end of the world and no police will ever come, I suggest shooting anyone who steps foot on your property...problem solved)

Most likely time of attack would be at night. Consider locating it close to the bedroom side of the house for quick access.

It should be constructed in a manner to where cell phone calls would not be blocked by the structure's thickness, construction materials, or location (underground).

Make sure the door can be easily opened from the inside, and no chance of a person or child getting trapped or stuck.

Consider ventilation with battery operated fan. In the summer in the middle of a power outage, it could take police an hour or more to arrive. A small confined space full of people breathing heavily could cause someone to have a panic attack in the panic room.

Optional: If you have the giant panic room with all the extras at the far end of the house away from the bedrooms, then as an optional back-up, put reinforced lockable doors on one or all bedroom closets in case the bad guys are situated between you and the big panic room. Also optional, a panic button activated only from inside the panic room that activates flashing red lights inside and out and an ear piercing "oogah" horn. I grew up a criminal. Every time I set off an alarm, I panicked and ran.

For me, a rec room size panic room would be extreme overkill and too expensive. However, if cost isn't an issue, it would be a great multi-purpose room to store valuables. A small reinforced closet sized room would be better for me. If a builder asks what the room is for and you don't think it's any of their business, then be creative...for instance, "my wife collects high-end vintage clothing...we lost a fortune from smoke damage in our last house. She wants to make it somewhat theft resistant too" or "my neighbor lost all their family photos and her grandparent's furniture in a fire..." You get the idea, protecting valuables, but nothing worth someone breaking in and stealing, or make it sound too big and bulky to walk off with.

[rocsteady]

These are more current than I remembered (2008). Good info in them.

Taking Shelter From the Storm: Building a Safe Room For Your Home or Small Business
Includes Construction Plans and Cost Estimates
FEMA 320, Third Edition / August 2008

In-Residence and Small Business Safe Room Designs, DHS, Rev 2, August 2008

I'll also send the docs to those requesting them. Please send me your email address.

pm sent.

thanks much

[Thump_rrr]

If building a new home with survival in mind the first thing that needs to be thought out is the topography of the land.
If your house needs a sump pump you're already doing it all wrong.
Building a room in the basement for long term supplies or security then having to have electricity to keep it dry is pointless.

As others have mentioned before a safe room is something used for a short period of time till help arrives.

My job has me sometimes making holes in reinforced concrete up to 24" thick.
I haven't met a slab of reenforced concrete that a diamond core drill couldn't get through.
Time is the only enemy.

[Land Shark]

Not to hi jack this thread but I am in the process of using the Closet/room that is under my stairwell in the middle of the house to store ammo, gear, and firearms. Concrete floor, stud wall on 3 sides and CMU wall as the 4th. It has a regular door and is not finished with a concrete floor. I am looking for ideas as to what to really do to it as to not ruin my "stuff" I have already lined the CMU wall with plastic and installed (2) bar type electric De-humidifiers. Installed a dead bolt on the door so that you can only enter with a key. Any suggestions to make it "better"

Thanks in advance

LS

[whiskey lake]

In my opinion, the best safe room is a room that "doesnt exist". Any wall or door can be breached...and usually a lot easier than you think. You best option to wait it out is to be somewhere that "doesnt exist". Then you shoot anyone who "discovers" you.

[TheTick]

I know very little about construction, but I know a lot about coming up with an idea, then when it comes time to implement it, it goes down nothing like I thought it would, usually erring on the side of overkill. If it were me, this is what I'd consider before I start coming up with a blueprint.

Plan for the most likely scenario - a common break-in...

Saferoom would be only big enough for all family members to enter and remain long enough for police to arrive. For instance, if you can fit the family in the Master bedroom closet, it doesn't need to be any bigger than the closet's dimensions. (if it's the end of the world and no police will ever come, I suggest shooting anyone who steps foot on your property...problem solved)

Most likely time of attack would be at night. Consider locating it close to the bedroom side of the house for quick access.

It should be constructed in a manner to where cell phone calls would not be blocked by the structure's thickness, construction materials, or location (underground).

Make sure the door can be easily opened from the inside, and no chance of a person or child getting trapped or stuck.

Consider ventilation with battery operated fan. In the summer in the middle of a power outage, it could take police an hour or more to arrive. A small confined space full of people breathing heavily could cause someone to have a panic attack in the panic room.

Optional: If you have the giant panic room with all the extras at the far end of the house away from the bedrooms, then as an optional back-up, put reinforced lockable doors on one or all bedroom closets in case the bad guys are situated between you and the big panic room. Also optional, a panic button activated only from inside the panic room that activates flashing red lights inside and out and an ear piercing "oogah" horn. I grew up a criminal. Every time I set off an alarm, I panicked and ran.

For me, a rec room size panic room would be extreme overkill and too expensive. However, if cost isn't an issue, it would be a great multi-purpose room to store valuables. A small reinforced closet sized room would be better for me. If a builder asks what the room is for and you don't think it's any of their business, then be creative...for instance, "my wife collects high-end vintage clothing...we lost a fortune from smoke damage in our last house. She wants to make it somewhat theft resistant too" or "my neighbor lost all their family photos and her grandparent's furniture in a fire..." You get the idea, protecting valuables, but nothing worth someone breaking in and stealing, or make it sound too big and bulky to walk off with.

If you tag the most likely scenario as a "common break in", then you need to change the plan to focus on day time.

Most residential burglaries are day time when the burglar believes no one is home. Most home invasion robberies occur at night when they expect you to be home. There is an incredible difference in the two. Most common residential burglars are criminals of opportunity and looking to score stuff to sell to feed a habit and try to avoid confrontation. Robbers targeted you specifically and initiate the confrontation.

Regardless, have your plan in place and, in the minimum, it should include rounding up the family in a room that preferably has a lockable door that opens out and line up a muzzle on the door. My wife is told to let them have the run of the house, but if they pry the door open even after repeated verbal commands, then let the chips fall where they may.

No one touches the kids without paying a price...

[Alex V]

I am a licensed structural engineer in multiple states. If anyone needs safe room advice, please PM. I have designed structures from tornado shelters to federal courthouses (including blast/progressive collapse analysis).

Im an Architect... we can team up lol.

I did a residence which had a "safe room" in the lower level of the home.

Won't post plans on here since its prolly not a good idea, but I can just bring up some ideas.

If you have an existing structure such as a single family home and want to create a reinforced room the chances are the existing slab in the basement of a slab on grade may not be able to support any type of reinforced wall built above it. rdbse can further explain but depending on the soil bearing capacity and span of the slab, it will not support the loads that are required for a hardened room.

Recently I was thinking of the easiest way to create a hardened room in a home, and since I mostly work on banks, why not use the same system bank's use for their vaults?

Diebold makes a 6 sided vault made from individual panels. They are prefabricated and easily assembled on site. Panels are made from relatively high strength reinforced concrete (6000psi) the mix has small stainless steel fibers in it making drilling through it all but imposable.The panels are roughly 2 or 3 feet wide and as tall as the vault (height depends on your design) The slab needs to be recessed 5" to allow for the floor panels to be laid down with leveling compound and shims to align with the top of slab. Since the weight of the vault is spread over the area of the bottom plate we have found that a 5" WWF reinforced slab will be able to support the weight with almost all soil conditions. The wall panels are then installed, welded to the bottom plate and seams grouted in. Roof goes on and vault door is installed. One of the top plates will have an opening designed to allow ductwork to be attached to it, but will not allow anyone to crawl through it by design.

Just a thought.

You could also build it using concrete block, #5bar every 32" with those cores filled with concrete, corners reinforced in the same manor.

If its new construction, the easiest way would be pored in place concrete.

[joelives]

Hi
It is a good thread and I choose not to post much,but I will add a little.A previouse post recommended Joel M. skousen excellent idea,his book The Secure Home in my opinion is very good.A few points from my experience (28 years in construction ,8 of it in concrete)
Your panic/ safe room is also a vault for everything you don't want stolen or burned.
This room should be outside of your building envelope :not in your basement etc
If your house burns every thing falls in to your basement/crawl space:think Dutch Oven-not good
A septic tank works well,as do 6' +diameter fuel tanks
They can be put in next to your house with a culvert to join them to your basement or crawl space
A small low door will hide much better than a 82" - standard vault door ,a 30"x30" door will fit behind a cabinet etc
Think about water,air,sanitation,escape tunnel and water table.

I do realize this is costly but how much do you have in guns ,ammo ,food, preps and family.For those wanting a cheaper secure wall or room you need to explore GRAVEL WALL CONSTRUCTION.Simple steel studs,3/4 ply and gravel will stop repeated hits up to .50cal better than concrete.2 1/2 inches of gravel will stop all .308 ,eats it up.It is cheap and you can do it!It is a little heavy so think about load.Keep it quiet don't tell your neighbor ,get Joel's book it's good

Thanks Joe

[officerX]

I thought this was going to be a picture thread. =/

[HES]

Hell, I'd just like to see some links to 2D floor plans at least.