Reinforced interior walls
I have a rather large room that I use for storage of my preps. It is located in my basement and has concrete on almost 3 full sides. The forth wall abuts a finished family room. Does anyone have any ideas on how to reinforce that wall, to make it less penetrable? I plan on replacing the current solid core wood door with a steel door and will be placing bars on the two small exterior windows. Thanks!
Not sure this is appicable in your situation. I have a friend who built a room in his basement on an exterior corner of his house to get 2 poured walls. He then had two additional walls poured and imstalled a safe type door. Very secure. He keep his server, security system, gun safes, and a small ham station inside. Nice storm shelter.
You could install some steel plate on either side of the door to give something solid to mount the steel door to. Or do a solid wood wall2x4 or 4x4's butted up.
The room I did in my house was a studd wall.
what I did was remove the dry wall from both sideds of the wall. I replaced the dry wall with 3/4 inch plywood on the outside, then I screwed banding straps from pallets diagonaly across each studd with a gap between the banding of 3/4 inch. Then refaced it with 5/8 drywall two layers. On the inside face I sheeted it with concrete wall board and banding straps and filled the cavity with sand in sand bags to the top. I figured your not going to bash your way in with out alot of noise n work. I know your not going to cut your way thrugh with the banding . And it should stop most small arms and pistol rounds.
Just an idea you might be able to use.
Oh and used a comercial steel door with steel frame with lag bolts every 6 inches into the cripples.
Double the studs, use strong-tie connectors at the top plates and bottom plates, 3/4" plywood walls, and at the very least that expanded metal mesh used under stucco to prevent hacking into the room with an axe or a chainsaw. I also like the idea of Hardie or cement backer board screwed to the studs. If I were gonna do that, I'd add it inside the wall to make it easier to screw to my plywood for shelves, or install drywall over it to hide the fortification. The metal banding idea is a pretty good one too. I've considered 1/8" steel plate in our master closet, but that project has to wait for a bathroom remodel that we're planning because we're going to encroach a little into the closet.
Common sense is so rare these days, it should be re-classified as a super power.
I used the metal banding because where I worked had a ton of it every day. So it was cheap [ free ] it is also tempered so your not cutting thrugh it and has a nasty hardness to it. I used a metabo to cut thrugh it and a drill press to punch holes. I also used a deck screw trugh it into every stud .
How about some tamper switches that activate 100db+ hidden sirens. When an invader tampers with your sensitive area. The sirens will make their eyeballs rattle if the decide to keep on sieging your protected room.
The future belongs to those who prepare for it.
Ralph Waldo Emerson
The only time one should “fight fair” is when one is engaged in play.
All good ideas here. Also, how about making the wood wall out of offset 2x4's on a 2x6 top and bottom plate.
And you can use armored drywall on top of the plywood and cement board
Interesting, would you go 16"oc and stagger it every 8"?Originally Posted by Fidel MD
In a shtf scenario I really like the bullet proof wall factor.
The future belongs to those who prepare for it.
Ralph Waldo Emerson
The only time one should “fight fair” is when one is engaged in play.
Yes. I had the interior walls in my house built that way, mainly for sound insulation.
My store room plans call for off set double studded wall with rebar horizontally 8 inches apart. The wall will be seethed with 3/4 inch ply and two layers of 5/8 inch drywall over that for fire protection. inside the wall will be filled with insulation. The interior will will be the same as the exterior so not only will it be fire resistant chainsaw resistant but will be will insulated and cool inside. The only reason why it is not being made out of poured concrete is I can't get a truck to my location and cost is an issue. Maybe that will change when I win the lottery.
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