Find the Best Safe for You!
Are you looking to buy a safe in the near future? If you are a first-time buyer then you might not know where to start. Is the cheapest safe the best? Is it the largest box the best to buy? Well, although it just seems like that, there are other more important factors you should consider before making the purchase. Continue reading our guide to find which safe is best for you.
Before we start off, there are 4 vital factors you have to look at before making your purchase.
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Price
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Door Thickness
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Bolt Strength
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Side Thickness
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The Safe’s weight per Cubic Volume.
How much should I pay for a safe?
Safes come in many shapes and forms and just like that the price tag also differs vastly. Now, it is important to understand what exactly you want to put in that safe. If the valuables you are putting in the same do not amount to the price tag of the safe itself, then you probably do not want that.
If your main concern is to keep some of your documents and pictures safe during a fire. Well then, by all means, you can definitely opt for an inexpensive safe. However, for cases where you want to put your expensive and investment-type valuables into the safe then lower price points should not be your priority. If your valuables are of high-value then strength and sturdiness of your safe should be the precedence.
Do keep in mind, you can purchase inexpensive safes — for the purpose of fire protection or so, in most places. They do not require much assistance, since in most cases for safes it is about “you get what you pay for…”
How Thick Should the Safe Door Be?
If the security of your valuables is your priority then in most cases the vital factor you should concern yourself with is the door thickness. When someone is infiltrating your safe their first thoughts are to open the safe through the door, which is what you should focus on for security.
Here is the deal though, when we are talking about door thickness we do not mean the overall door measurements. Rather a secure door thickness is actually the metal protective plate over the door. Therefore, the thicker the protective metal covering the more secure the door of the safe is. This, however, doesn’t necessarily translate into thicker the safe door the more reliable it is. When thinking of a door thickness — the metal protective casing, it is a good idea to look for a solid anti-drill steel plate.
For reference though, if you are looking to protective something of high value and want maximum security then look for solid steel plates of at least 3/8 to 1/2 inches. Such sized steel plate covers are the most expensive but are the most guarded as well.
How Big Should the Safe Bolts Be?
Bolts are often overlooked but little do you know that these are what will keep your safes sturdy when someone is prying it open. What kind of a bolt should you look for though? The easiest way to explain it would be that the bigger the bolt, the more it distributes the force, providing better protection.
Usually, a diameter of 1 to 1.5 inches is what is recommended to protect valuables. Some manufacturers even install bolt reinforcements with thicker steel rings around the bolt. This can range up to 1/4 inch thick and are on the most solid of the safes. As for the length of the bolt, it should be long enough to ensure that the bolt is fully inside when the door is locked. Preferably, the bolt would be at least 2 3/8 inches long.
How Thick Should the Sides of the Safe Be?
Although the first instinct for perpetrators is to attack the door, it is, in fact, the sides of the safe that are the weakest. The important part of the security is not the thickness of the wall itself but rather the sheet metal wrap. Therefore, it is a better idea to look for thicker metal sheet covers that are fire-proof and drill-proof.
A good measure would be for valuables to be at least 11 gauge metal (1/8 inches thick). For more sturdy and reliable walls it would be recommended to go for 8 gauge metal wraps.
For reference, when talking about gauge metal sizes 10 gauge is thicker than 12 gauge, and 12 gauge metal is thicker than 14. So lower the number the thicker.
To install safes or to ensure your locks are secure on your safe make sure to contact State Locks and Keys! Call us: (786) 577 3677