Fireproof safe for home use.

WTF? said:
This 1 hr rated case that's 30 lbs empty was the best rating i could find for reasonable money. Its a substantial piece of hardware when placed next to my other 30 min firebox.

I keep it inside my 90 min rated safe so i can convince myself I have any sort of chance of whatever's inside being salvagable.

https://a.co/d/03ORyI4t

Fire/Water Chest | CFW20201 | SentrySafe

www.sentrysafe.com www.sentrysafe.com


when you start really diving into residential safes, it quickly becomes apparent that they're mostly selling a placebo effect of believing your stuff is secure.

Safe Dude might have some valuable input here
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For all you that are saying " Data safe " winner winner chicken dinner ! you can find old data safes for free or cheap regular gun type safe are rated for a given time mostly at 1850 deg before they reach 350 deg inside , data safes are almost always 4 ,hrs at 1850 deg before it reaches 150 deg inside your safe . although data safes are well known to keep the contents from burning up they are almost always at the low end for breakins . if you are looking for the most bang for your buck find an old TL-30 big enough for your needs anyone close to me looking for good used higher end Tl's let me know i am sitting on 6 of them as of now and getting a giant double door tl-30 that's 72x45x39 and looking for a new home as well , most TL safes have a 2 hr fire rating you can also up your chances of survival of the contents by using " fire bags and brief cases inside your other safe to sort of double up the rating
 
smurfblue40 said:
I'm thinking large diameter plastic tube (with end caps), fist full of moisture/oxygen absorbers, bury in random locations on property. :stirthepot:
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Get a better bank? We went to my mil bank last year and looked at documents that had been in there for 35 years and they looked new. We live in high humidity all year long Alabama.
 
I’d do the small safe inside a larger box deal. Gun safes use 5/8” drywall for their fire rating. I’d “think” that with heat rising, you could build a box with the sides and bottoms made from several layers of Sheetrock, and something like an 1/8” steel plate for the lid to protect it from any falling debris. You really shouldn’t need much fire proofing from the top down but don’t know for certain.
 
Gatorgrizz27 said:
I’d do the small safe inside a larger box deal. Gun safes use 5/8” drywall for their fire rating. I’d “think” that with heat rising, you could build a box with the sides and bottoms made from several layers of Sheetrock, and something like an 1/8” steel plate for the lid to protect it from any falling debris. You really shouldn’t need much fire proofing from the top down but don’t know for certain.
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Interesting concept. Since I’m wanting to protect documents vs having something burglar proof, building something out of multiple layers of sheetrock & then waterproofing it is not out of the question. Or buying a waterproof safe and lining it with multiple layers of sheetrock.
 
You could roll redguard on the inside and outside of it, and weld an angle iron flange on the bottom of a metal lid to shed water
 
If it is just documents that you are wanting to keep. Put them in a plastic tote and inside a Deep freezer. Like with meat and frozen goods.

A freezer will outlast any safe in a fire. Fire fighters often open them to find items still frozen.

If you are worried about theft for items like guns that is a whole different story.
 
Tiha said:
If it is just documents that you are wanting to keep. Put them in a plastic tote and inside a Deep freezer. Like with meat and frozen goods.

A freezer will outlast any safe in a fire. Fire fighters often open them to find items still frozen.

If you are worried about theft for items like guns that is a whole different story.
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Interesting thought. I’ll have to ask my firefighter son in law about that.
I already have gun safes (although they are all empty due to a boating accident) so documents is my focus.
 
white-rhino said:
Safe Dude
Good info. Thanks.

Why look for an old TL-30 vs new? Just the cost difference or are the old ones better?
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Because they are 1/4 of the price or less , i just picked an Amsec RF 6528 its a giant TL-30 gun safe ,2 hr fire rated, 72x35x28 over 3300 pounds for $2 K , new prices are 18-13 k . and this one is in excellent shape . i buy fix up and flip 20 or so TL's a year i flipped 18 in the last 3 months of 2025 . i just picked up 4 more TL's this past Friday i am cleaning up / working on to sell . as far as better i think they are all much the same but the older ones seem to be heavier
 
Tiha said:
If it is just documents that you are wanting to keep. Put them in a plastic tote and inside a Deep freezer. Like with meat and frozen goods.

A freezer will outlast any safe in a fire. Fire fighters often open them to find items still frozen.

If you are worried about theft for items like guns that is a whole different story.
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Huh. Something i had never considered.
 
Safe Dude said:
Because they are 1/4 of the price or less , i just picked an Amsec RF 6528 its a giant TL-30 gun safe ,2 hr fire rated, 72x35x28 over 3300 pounds for $2 K , new prices are 18-13 k . and this one is in excellent shape . i buy fix up and flip 20 or so TL's a year i flipped 18 in the last 3 months of 2025 . i just picked up 4 more TL's this past Friday i am cleaning up / working on to sell . as far as better i think they are all much the same but the older ones seem to be heavier
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****. I didn't realize Amsec were that expensive. I picked this one up for $125 at an auction a few months ago. Looks like the current version retails for over $4k. :eek:
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Tiha said:
If it is just documents that you are wanting to keep. Put them in a plastic tote and inside a Deep freezer. Like with meat and frozen goods.

A freezer will outlast any safe in a fire. Fire fighters often open them to find items still frozen.

If you are worried about theft for items like guns that is a whole different story.
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There was a lady that kept thousands of dollars in cash in her freezer. Long time, kinda forgot about it and fridge **** the bed one day.
She ordered a new fridge, delivery guys dropped it off and took away her old one.
Only after did she realize/remember the money. Called the store and checked her old fridge, money was gone. Delivery guys must have scored.
I think it was like 30 or 50 grand, if I remember right.
 
timely thread as ive been moving my safes out of the house.(we're moving). they're a mix brand random on sale gunsafes from the local farm store. i keep the dollars and papers inside the linked "fire bag" below AND inside one of those small lockable fire safes....INSIDE the larger safe. so I have 3 layers to protect the most valuable things... will it work? who knows, but ive tried. i guess. :laughing:


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My FIL use to live out in the sticks on acreage, before he sold it all off when it became to much for him to maintain. About 20 yards from his house, he built a concrete pad to mount a big ole safe he acquired somewhere. He mounted the safe to the pad, then built an rickity "out house" out of some old barn wood around it. He kept his documents there, knowing no one would bother looking there; and that it would be safe from fire. I always thought it was cool.... :laughing:
 
white-rhino said:
Interesting concept. Since I’m wanting to protect documents vs having something burglar proof, building something out of multiple layers of sheetrock & then waterproofing it is not out of the question. Or buying a waterproof safe and lining it with multiple layers of sheetrock.
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Drywall is something like 1/4 chemically encapsulated water that steams off when exposed to heat. Your **** will cook in high humidity for 30 minutes until the drywall crumbles and it all burns up anyway.
 
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