Safes Buying Guide

Wall Safe Buying Guide: Keep Your Valuables Safe

The wall safe has been immortalized in countless films as the coolest place to store your valuables. Usually concealed by a painting or photo, these slick safes are the perfect hiding spot from burglars, intruders or just curious children or visitors. While wall safes don’t provide the same level of protection as floor safes, they are more than up to the challenge of protecting your valuables from the common thief.

With a wall safe, there are a few important things to consider before purchasing: size, installation and lock mechanism. Here are a few helpful tips for buying the right type of wall safe for your home.

Wall Safe Size

Wall safes are generally smaller than your common floor safe, as they have to fit within the structure of your walls. The depth of your wall safe will depend on where you choose to install it. The majority of safes are built to fit inside a standard-sized wall, which is usually around 3.5” inches deep. While that means your storage space will be limited, you’ll have no problem finding a safe this size. If you’re looking to install a large wall safe, then choose a place where the back of the safe can extend into an unseen space, like a closet.

It’s important to find a wall safe with a thick steel door as well as walls of considerable thickness. Safes that feature walls that are too thin can be cracked within a few minutes, so you want to make sure that you have the required thickness that will make it extremely hard on any would-be robbers. Doors should be at least half an inch thick, and walls that are less than a quarter inch thick won’t get the job done.

Wall Safe Installation

When choosing a place to install your wall safe, pick a spot that is convenient and easily accessible. A wall safe will be used regularly if it is close by. While it can be handy (and fun in a James Bondish kind of way) to conceal your wall safe behind a mirror or painting, be careful not to create too many steps just in order to open your safe, otherwise it becomes more of a hindrance than a help. Trust that your safe will keep your things protected and don’t force yourself to jump through hoops just to use it.

Many wall safes are easy to self-install, coming with predrilled bolt holes that can be bolted directly into your walls.

Lock Mechanism

The final consideration is picking a lock mechanism. The standard method used is a combination lock. While slower, these are incredibly durable and hardly ever break down. Electronic wall safes and digital wall safes are similar in nature. Both feature a keypad with a predetermined pin number that will open the door. Digital wall safes typically feature an LCD screen that displays your button presses. For an even higher level of security, a biometric wall safe requires a thumbprint ID in order to open, so only authorized people will be allowed access.