Fortify a closet

[a.bentonab]

Well to be honest I live in an apartment at the moment. I'm wrestling with how to merge the clause of "must return the apartment to its original condition" with thousands of pounds of poured concrete.

Just kidding. I'm just thinking ahead to wherever I will move to after this. Those pdf's look pretty good, but I do wonder something. The one I clicked on was for a combination fallout shelter/bbq deck (look at the pics). It has an air vent that doesn't seem to have any meaningful filtration. How would that protect you?

 

[Mike_Indy]

I've thought about putting something in the under stairwell closet. In this cont6ext it would be for storm protection and maybe a last resort pace to go if retreat from a thug and fighting back was somehow not an option.

The idea is basically build a steel sided structure within the 1st floor closet, under the stairwell. It would have a series of strong anchors going into the slab and be built to hold the family and minimal supplies. (size limitation) I'm thinking it would be low profile to create a minimal mass for wind to grip. I'm actually considering building such an item. (I'd likely need to assemble within the closet or I'd loose about 8-10" of avail width.)

 

[Keith_Indy]

A ground floor 'safe-room' is an oxymoron . An f4 tornado will strip a slab foundation bare.

Properly built ground floor safe rooms can be built to stand up to f5 tornadoes. I've done the research, and the posts w/ links are somewhere on here. It's not cheap.

Examples:

http://www.depts.ttu.edu/communications/vistas/archive/03-winter/stories/clouds.php

http://www.icfresource.com/saferooms.html

Back to the OP's question, what are your goals again?

Safe room from home invasions - adding a secure metal or solid wood door to your bedroom would be a good start. Add onto that metal jamb protectors, and you'll add valuable time to your defensive plan.

If you are serious about setting up a secure room or closet, I'd recommend the book "How to implement a high security shelter in the home" by Joel M Skousen. Chapter 4 is all about "fortifying" a closet or small room. There are a lot of tips and sources in the book, as well as detailed plans on building shelters.

 

[irishfan]

Properly built ground floor safe rooms can be built to stand up to f5 tornadoes. I've done the research, and the posts w/ links are somewhere on here. It's not cheap. An example: Texas Tech University :own from the Clouds

ICF Safe Rooms

Back to the OP's question, what are your goals again?

Safe room from home invasions - adding a secure metal or solid wood door to your bedroom would be a good start. Add onto that metal jamb protectors, and you'll add valuable time to your defensive plan.

If you are serious about setting up a secure room or closet, I'd recommend the book "How to implement a high security shelter in the home" by Joel M Skousen. Chapter 4 is all about "fortifying" a closet or small room. There are a lot of tips and sources in the book, as well as detailed plans on building shelters.

I will have to check that book out!

 

[rockhopper46038]

Are there metal doors with protected hinges? I'm thinking that a closet door normally opens out, and you would need to guard the hinges from attack somehow...

 

[revance]

Check these out...

Browning Security Door Six-Panel White Primer - MidwayUSA

They look just like an interior door and are opened by entering a code into a remote keypad.

 

[revance]

I've thought about putting something in the under stairwell closet. In this cont6ext it would be for storm protection and maybe a last resort pace to go if retreat from a thug and fighting back was somehow not an option.

The idea is basically build a steel sided structure within the 1st floor closet, under the stairwell. It would have a series of strong anchors going into the slab and be built to hold the family and minimal supplies. (size limitation) I'm thinking it would be low profile to create a minimal mass for wind to grip. I'm actually considering building such an item. (I'd likely need to assemble within the closet or I'd loose about 8-10" of avail width.)

I live on a slab, so I don't have the ability to do most of the things discussed here. I have however considered the same thing you are. Take the strongest part of the house (under the stairs) and reinforcing it with steel for a small storm shelter. I have a brother-in-law with the equipment to do the welding, but I am ignorant of how to design it to withstand a tornado. Obviously given the limited space, I would want to make it as thin as possible.

I was thinking perhaps some steel square pipe and thin sheet. Weld it together in place and then bolt the whole thing down to the slab.

 

[Bigdee06]

Check these out...

Browning Security Door Six-Panel White Primer - MidwayUSA

They look just like an interior door and are opened by entering a code into a remote keypad.

I looked at that and I said "sweet", I looked at the price and said "WTF". Then I thought about it, and the size of the safe you can buy for $3,000 versus the size of the safe room you could secure with that door makes it a good deal. I've always want a complete room to keep my firearms and accesories in and if you add the fact you can use it or a storm shelter/panic room as well then I see it as a good investment.

 

[Iroquois]

OK KEITH_INDY you got me... never would have believed it without pics. One
guy in Jarrel Tx cut a manhole in the slab and dug a low ceiling shelter under the house.
He lined it with cinder block and a concrete floor. Lots of work in Texas clay, but not a lot
of $$$. He hid it in a hall closet...don't know why. ps when the second f5 hit Jarrel his wife and kids survived in the hole,with the neighbors too.

 

[jeremy]

Tag for some really good data

 

[TiminMishawaka]

When I get some free time, I'll post pics of tornado hit buildings in Joplin so you can get an idea of what parts of a house survived and what didn't. A small concrete room in a basement or partially sunken or bolted to the foundation is a darn good idea.

 

[Keith_Indy]

OK KEITH_INDY you got me... never would have believed it without pics. One
guy in Jarrel Tx cut a manhole in the slab and dug a low ceiling shelter under the house.
He lined it with cinder block and a concrete floor. Lots of work in Texas clay, but not a lot
of $$$. He hid it in a hall closet...don't know why. ps when the second f5 hit Jarrel his wife and kids survived in the hole,with the neighbors too.

Well, an above grade structure is a better 2nd choice. Underground is the best way to go, but also more costly unless you are starting on your foundation.

We hope to add a master bathroom/suite to our master bedroom. I plan on that having a shelter underneath it. The top part will serve as a "panic room" while the "basement" would be a severe emergency shelter.

The book I mentioned above is an excellent resource. Anyone interested, you might find a copy at the 1500 this weekend.

 

[Keith_Indy]

I looked at that and I said "sweet", I looked at the price and said "WTF". Then I thought about it, and the size of the safe you can buy for $3,000 versus the size of the safe room you could secure with that door makes it a good deal. I've always want a complete room to keep my firearms and accesories in and if you add the fact you can use it or a storm shelter/panic room as well then I see it as a good investment.

Would give a whole new meaning to Man Cave...

 

[ElsiePeaRN]

FEMA: FEMA 320 - Taking Shelter From the Storm: Building a Safe Room For Your Home or Small Business

This might help

 

[Wigglesdabum]

I know its a little off topic but I have seen many articles about burying conex boxes to be used as shelters and that project runs about 2000 dollars in some cases might be cheaper than the room.. just an idea

 

[Keith_Indy]

I know its a little off topic but I have seen many articles about burying conex boxes to be used as shelters and that project runs about 2000 dollars in some cases might be cheaper than the room.. just an idea

This is a viable alternative, and has been discussed on here before. An enterprising person could do a search, and append everything into a FAQ on home security & disaster shelters. They go together because the structure that can withstand 250+ MPH winds, should have a door that isn't easy to kick in.

Steel or concrete culvert pipe is another lower cost option. Need 3'+ of dirt on all sides, filtered ventilation, BOB's, spare food, water. Could also serve as cold storage.

 

[irishfan]

This is a viable alternative, and has been discussed on here before. An enterprising person could do a search, and append everything into a FAQ on home security & disaster shelters. They go together because the structure that can withstand 250+ MPH winds, should have a door that isn't easy to kick in.

Steel or concrete culvert pipe is another lower cost option. Need 3'+ of dirt on all sides, filtered ventilation, BOB's, spare food, water. Could also serve as cold storage.

Sounds like a great weekend party/DIY get together right there! I have a basement but if I didn't then a culvert pipe would be a no brainer in my yard.