How to Make a Fireproof Safe Cheaply

Almost identical to mine

The ground acts as a natural barrier between any buried objects and a house fire. Objects buried underground have very little oxygen surrounding them. For this reason, fire does not have enough fuel to burn. If you do not want to invest in a fireproof save, you can easily construct your own by using the ground in your basement as a fireproof barrier.

Things You'll Need

• Plastic lockable waterproof container
• Circular saw
• Masonry blade
• 5-lb. sledgehammer
• Shovel
• Tamper
• Additional dirt

Instructions

1. Select a lockable, plastic waterproof container. You can use a metal alloy container, but choose one that will not rust, such as aluminum. It is essential that the container you choose is waterproof. Fill the container with the items you wish to protect, then lock it.

2. Place the box on your basement floor in an inconspicuous place that receives very little foot traffic. Trace around the box on the concrete floor or dirt floor to ensure you prepare a hole large enough for the box.

3. Cut through the concrete with a circular saw equipped with a masonry blade. Cut straight lines into the concrete to create the outline of the box on the floor. Pull the portion of concrete away from the floor. If necessary, break the concrete into smaller pieces with a 5-lb. sledgehammer. If your basement floor is dirt and not concrete, skip this step.

4. Dig a hole in the floor to hold your container. Dig deep enough to allow the top of the container to remain 24 inches below the surface of the ground.

5. Place the container in the ground, then backfill the hole with dirt. Pack the dirt with a tamper to remove excess oxygen from the soil. A tamper is a metal pole with a flat plate on the end. Lightly strike the metal plate against the surface of the dirt in an up-and-down motion to pack the dirt down. Do not use excessive force, or you could crack or crush the container you buried. After packing the dirt down with the tamper, add additional dirt to the hole and tamp again. Do this until the backfilled dirt rests level with the surface of the ground or concrete. This will avoid a tripping hazard in the event anyone walks over the surface.

Tips & Warnings

• Just think what is fireproof and think how you can use it.

• Use your imagination

• Do not hold me responsible if you do something like this and it burns. My safe has (thankfully) not been tested.

• This is mainly for fire, not theft.

• If you build something like mine, prepare for an eyesore. Keep it in your garage or someplace out of sight!

References

• Preparedness: Container Examples
• SWRI: Burning Dirt