WHO TO USE TO MOVE GUN SAFE UP FINISHED HARDWOOD STAIRS

[sebastiandangerfield]

I’m not sure this is posted in the right section. I have a friend in the downtown Pensacola area that needs a safe moved upstairs in an old historical building without damaging the stairs. Does anyone know of a good outfit in Escambia County that has the proper equipment( electronic stair step dolly) or appropriate manpower to do this? Thanks for any guidance.

 

[Rebel_Rider1969]

Will the floor hold the weight?

 

[sebastiandangerfield]

Yes it should- 400lbs placed along wall that is directly over another wall top plate- building built in the 30s- when they used real wood- tongue and groove oak flooring not sure what sub flooring is but it’s not particle board- 16x22 footprint for safe- there is a kitchen upstairs with a side by side ref/freezer

 

[sebastiandangerfield]

Yes it should- 400lbs placed along wall that is directly over another wall top plate- building built in the 30s- when they used real wood- tongue and groove oak flooring not sure what sub flooring is but it’s not particle board- 16x22 footprint for safe- there is a kitchen upstairs with a side by side ref/freezer

I appreciate the question @Rebel_Rider1969 and invite any other insights/concerns or pro tips

 

[ABlaster]

I had a company that came out with two burly guys and a couple shoulder straps and they picked up my safe and simply carried it out of the house and down the stairs. The roof clearance would be what I would be concerned about!

Made me glad I bolt my safes to the floor too. They made it look easy and it's a 900 pound safe. I'm in the Tally area, but I'm sure there are companies that do it the same way.

 

[Murfpcola]

Pensacola Lock and Safe on Langley has safes in their store so they may have suggestions if no luck here.

 

[Jester896]

Current residential raised flooring is designed to hold 600# in a 3'sq area. Second floor construction is only designed to hold 300# in a 3'sq area IIRC. What are the stair stringers rated at? 150# stair climbing dolly, 600# safe and two fat kids is what they will need to hold.

 

[dirtingd]

does the door come off? That makes a huge difference in being able to split to the total weight

 

[Jester896]

I have seen a 1+" gap under the baseboard where the floor had pulled away in an older farm houses (probably built in the 30s) that have an 800# safe full of guns in a corner.

 

[sebastiandangerfield]

Doors can’t be removed as far as I know. I think the building he lives in exceeds anything that is built to code today.- brick, interior perimeter plaster walls are on lath, put directly on the brick, his steps are oak as are the floors- I think you get the idea

 

[stage20]

Gilmore moving and storage would be the only people I would trust.
I don't know their current rate. It was 139 3hr minimum. Stairs may be a special rate.
Explain up front what you are wanting to accomplish. I would think most companies would turn away from the job. A replacement or refinish on a set of steps like that are in the thousands. Pay up front on this one.

 

[sebastiandangerfield]

Gilmore moving and storage would be the only people I would trust.
I don't know their current rate. It was 139 3hr minimum. Stairs may be a special rate.
Explain up front what you are wanting to accomplish. I would think most companies would turn away from the job. A replacement or refinish on a set of steps like that are in the thousands. Pay up front on this one.

Thanks

 

[Jester896]

most safe doors with external hinges are removable.

It does greatly depend on the construction of the stairs, whether it has wall studs on both sides, whether it had 3 or more stringers, what the width of them were, how deep the steps are...many things factor in

I would hate to be halfway up the stairs when everything went back to the first floor. I would hate to be downstairs watching a game with a bunch of friends when a large heavy item decided it was finally going to crash through the floor.

The best advice I could give is... if I had a Historical Building I would call a Construction Engineer and get an inspection to be 100% sure that all this was possible.

 

[Jevaughn]

I've spent the past 20+ years remodeling homes, with a specialization in recreating trim in homes. Yes, the materials used in the construction of 100+ year old homes is far superior to the fast-growth stuff we use today, but the construction techniques used were all over the place because building codes either weren't a thing or if they were (depending on time of build) they weren't what they are today. I would get a structural engineer out there before putting a very heavy safe on the second floor. If not, I'd put a double layer of 3/4 plywood down with glue between the layers to disperse the weight over a larger area. Make sure that you're hitting at least 2 floor joists (3 is better). You can take off the baseboard in the closet or whatever room and use a drill to find the joists if necessary, using the baseboard to cover the exploratory holes. I've seen safes do serious damage to second floor structures, and if at all possible I highly recommend putting it on the first floor if at all possible.

 

[Jester896]

I've seen safes do serious damage to second floor structures, and if at all possible I highly recommend putting it on the first floor if at all possible.

I mentioned one earlier in older construction 1st floor...but another in newer construction... was when a lady told me she didn't understand why her crown molding was pulling away from the ceiling and the drywall was cracking on her second floor hall wall. Then she showed me the gun safe on the other side of the wall.

3' sq would cover 2 joist so I'm not sure even 2 would be enough on the second floor.

 

[BluesBrother]

I would rethink the whole thing using the information gleaned in this thread.

 

[sebastiandangerfield]

All comments are well taken and I will forward to him- I know he has a fully loaded 300 lb plus side by side ref/freezer in his kitchen on the second floor that sits well away from exterior wall that has not caused any structural damage to first floor.