Cabinet fitting - Is this ok?

[jontymo]

Morning all,

I have cleared out the wardrobe ready for fitting my cabinet, I don't want to cut out the skirting and would like to know if anyone has sat their cabinet on top of something to raise it above the skirting level - I have a piece of sleeper that could be used as a platform and this would be screwed into after the cabinet is fixed to the wall/brickwork?

 

[Big G]

No chance, get it done properly.

 

[jontymo]

No chance, get it done properly.

Do you mean cut the skirting board out?

 

[Doctor Lecter]

that's what I've got , been passed ok for 30 years !!

 

[Westward]

To a degree it depends on your local FEO. Some prefer the safe to be bolted to the floor, no one knows why, but yours may not even be drilled for floor fixings. Personally, I can't see any physical difference to the overall security if you raise it above the skirting, but I would leave a space underneath rather than stand it on a block of wood. My safe is not bolted down and there is a very small air gap underneath because the solid wall is not quite at right angles to the floor - old house syndrome - and it's been checked okay several times.

 

[jontymo]

Thanks Doctor and Westward, I can cut the skirting out but didn't really want to, the cabinet does have screw holes at the bottom but will be bolted to the wall, wifes not to fussed as it is hidden away in the wardrobe.

 

[Daz W]

Ive got what looks like the same cabinet fitted above the skirting in a cupboard, with a skirting height gap underneath. Fixed to the brick wall with 4 off 12mm thunderbolts. FLO took one look and said "that ain't going nowhere" and left a happy man.

 

[jontymo]

Ive got what looks like the same cabinet fitted above the skirting in a cupboard, with a skirting height gap underneath. Fixed to the brick wall with 4 off 12mm thunderbolts. FLO took one look and said "that ain't going nowhere" and left a happy man.

Thanks Daz, I am using the same to fix to the wall, might do as you and Westward have done and only use the wood for placement then remove.

 

[Daz W]

Might be an idea to fit the cabinet upside down in your case, so the locks are against the other wall. Eliminates room needed for a crowbar attack on the lock side. Or if the wall to the right of the hinged side in your picture is solid, rotate the cupboard 90 deg clockwise and fix it there.  

When your drilling the wall there's a small chance you'll hit the frog in the brick, and the thunderbolt might not bite. Swap that one out for a chemically anchored stud and nut.

 

[jontymo]

Might be an idea to fit the cabinet upside down in your case, so the locks are against the other wall. Eliminates room needed for a crowbar attack on the lock side. Or if the wall to the right of the hinged side in your picture is solid, rotate the cupboard 90 deg clockwise and fix it there.  

When your drilling the wall there's a small chance you'll hit the frog in the brick, and the thunderbolt might not bite. Swap that one out for a chemically anchored stud and nut.

Brilliant, thanks Daz.

 

[Will Hewland]

Mine is 18” off the floor, so a nice height to operate with. My builder fitted it, fixed at the back. He actually fixed some big wooden blocks against the wall, then put a false MDF wall on that and bolted cabinet through to the wood. So cabinet looks like it’s just stuck to the MDF (painted) wall but it ain’t going anywhere as they say. But it is in a 3” wide room, so was practical to do so..

 

[ColinD]

If it's bolted to the wall I can't see it being a problem, mines in a cupboard raised and it's been ok for the 20yrs it's been there and inspected. Can't understand why someone says get it done properly when your bolting it to a blockwall

 

[antse7en]

This is absolutely fine - passed as recently as last year. Ignore ‘Big G’. If in any further doubt ask your FEO they’ll advise and confirm. 

 

[Lloyd]

But it is in a 3” wide room, so was practical to do so..

That’s a handy width. Just enough room to stack boxes of 28 gram cartridges sideways on.

I know what you meant, just couldn’t help myself

My cabinet is also in a three foot wide room/closet. I fixed it into the corner with the hinge away from the wall. I removed the plaster and epoxy bonded it to the bricks, then bolted through the cabinet  rear and side with four bolts each side with chem fixings into what proved to be the hardest bricks I’ve ever encountered, even my SDS drill struggled.  I also added a couple of 100mm coach screws into the floor joist below for good measure. I then completed the job by re-plastering the walls, grouting the cabinet into place.

This was my easy solution. I really wanted to custom make a safe and build it directly into the wall with a flange either side of the brickwork.

Some of my colleagues at work think I have a tendency to over engineer things

 

[Freddypip]

I agree with the bulk of the comments here - Having it raised should not be an issue if it is fixed to a solid wall.

It also helps that you have walls on two sides to restrict access and the gap at the bottom is not enough to get a crowbar in to force the cabinet off the wall.

If you are in doubt put a couple of extra expanding bolts on the hinge side to resist any attempt to prise it off the wall via that edge.

It would help if Mr G could explain what he means by "properly" in case we are missing anything.

 

[Jan Powell]

Morning all,

I have cleared out the wardrobe ready for fitting my cabinet, I don't want to cut out the skirting and would like to know if anyone has sat their cabinet on top of something to raise it above the skirting level - I have a piece of sleeper that could be used as a platform and this would be screwed into after the cabinet is fixed to the wall/brickwork?

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Absolutely fine. All that matters is that it’s securely fixed to a solid wall. Given that there’s no requirement to even use a cabinet you’ll find this will be more than adequate.

 

[Kevin2306]

I used a piece of 18mm plywood the same size as the cabinet then drilled through that and fixed cabinet with chem bolts. That allows the cabinet to sit on the floor but clears the skirting board.

on inspection, the FEO said it would have been fine sitting on top of the skirting.

as others have said, I’d wait until the call to arrange inspection is made and ask at that point.

Kev

 

[westley]

Can I ask if you have a house alarm  ?  So much emphasis is placed upon the security of the cabinet, having done both Firearms enquiries and Crime Prevention work, my concern always was based upon how easy it was to get into the premises in the first place. My property has a reliable house alarm which rings my mobile upon activation. The vulnerable windows (all ground floor, it's a bungalow) are fitted with shock detectors, which detect if the window is being tampered with.  My gun cases and slips, along with my ammo, is stored out of sight in a converted loft area. I never leave any shooting related items on view from the outside, (including magazines). IF anyone gets past my perimeter security, they still have to locate a concealed cabinet,  before I need worry about how secure that cabinet is. All of this time the outside alarm siren will be sounding along with an ear piercing inside siren. Mind you, if the burglar is as deaf as me, that probably would not deter them too much  !   

 

[jontymo]

Can I ask if you have a house alarm  ?  So much emphasis is placed upon the security of the cabinet, having done both Firearms enquiries and Crime Prevention work, my concern always was based upon how easy it was to get into the premises in the first place. My property has a reliable house alarm which rings my mobile upon activation. The vulnerable windows (all ground floor, it's a bungalow) are fitted with shock detectors, which detect if the window is being tampered with.  My gun cases and slips, along with my ammo, is stored out of sight in a converted loft area. I never leave any shooting related items on view from the outside, (including magazines). IF anyone gets past my perimeter security, they still have to locate a concealed cabinet,  before I need worry about how secure that cabinet is. All of this time the outside alarm siren will be sounding along with an ear piercing inside siren. Mind you, if the burglar is as deaf as me, that probably would not deter them too much  !   

Hi Westley, Yes the house is alarmed and we have cameras at the front and back of the house - the cabinet will be upstairs well out of the way and even if you open the wardrobe door you will not see it due to the amount of clothes the wife has hung!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!