The Down Range Forum
Member Section => Down Range Cafe => Topic started by: billt on September 08, 2013, 08:02:38 PM
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We've been considering moving when I retire in another 18 months or so. One of the things we're looking at are manufactured homes. They cost a lot less per sq. ft., and they're really nice. One thing I wondered about are the floors. I have 2 large, heavy gun safes, and I don't know if they would support that kind of weight per sq. ft.?
I've heard many of them are stronger than site built homes. Through the years I know a few people who bought them, and were very happy. I don't much care about resale value because if we go that route, we'll most likely live in the thing until we die. I know the basic frame on these things is made from steel. But I'm not sure of what they're able to really support over time. I know a hot water heater full of water is quite heavy for it's footprint. But I think they install extra support where they put them.
My current home is on a slab, so weight isn't an issue anywhere in the house. I'm not sure about manufactured homes.
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Should hold it ok. I personally do not believe that pre-manufactured homes are as well built as a stick built one. I have had to perform many plumbing repairs on pre-fabs. Also they do not have to comply with the same codes as stick built homes so do your home work. Don't want you to be disappointed after a couple of years.
Mike Mc.
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I'm guessing that the live load of a residential floor is 40-50 pounds per sq ft.
Depending on the locale, stick built or manufactured homes have the same building requirements. Having heavy pieces nearer to a load bearing wall or supporting member will determine what you can do with the structure but that's not going to help much if you've got a thousand pound object on 16 sq ft of floor.
Some or most of the manufactured homes here in the NE have some "custom" capability but without a structural analysis based on the "dead" weight of your fully loaded safes, you're going to be guessing.
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Billt,
The sales people have the specs on more load ratings than any of us can think of. Ask and you shall hear. They will even be able to show you the engineering fact sheets.
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it depends on where it is in the house, but generally you should be fine with most gun safes, but you never know, stuff has a funny way of not being up to code or modifed later. Trust me building inspecters miss things or are down right jokes.
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I used to live in a trailer and had my safe in it. My safe weighs about 800 pounds with nothing in it.
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I used to live in a trailer and had my safe in it. My safe weighs about 800 pounds with nothing in it.
Thanks. Good to know. I was also thinking a couple of screw jacks from Harbor Freight sitting on some pre cast cement pads would take care of it. All I would have to do is check them from time to time in case they settled.
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Remember Billt that you will be moving the safe through the house to get it in place. More than the joists and beams being sized correctly, I am concerned with the OSB subflooring holding up. It would be wise to plank your way through the house.
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Try to put it over one of the frame I beams to be on the safe side, but if it holds a tub full of water it should hold your safe OK.
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Remember Tom that a small firesafe with guns can weigh as much as a standard bathtub with 40 gallons of water, and it has a footprint of about 25% of the tub. That means four times the weight per square foot! Also, manufactured homes are engineered for that tub weight and appliances in given places. But without custom upgrades they may not allow for waterbeds, hot tubs, safes or gun safes.
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You'll be fine, Bill.
Think of it the way my dad puts it...... "When you see a house mover moving a stick built house, they put it on a truck and go 2 mph. When you see a pre-manufactured house on the road, it is going 60-70 mph."
Check the specs, try to get one made to level II hurricane specs, but standard will hold up. A safe might be heavy, but the flat bottom spread the weight to a manageable level. Look at a fridge, I had a waterbed set-up guy tell me once that the fridge has the greatest load since it only has four 1" load-bearing pads.
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More like a large upright freezer full of frozen meat.
I assume the house will be placed on some type of foundation.
If necessary, perhaps support and be built up on the foundation where the safes would go.
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Ah, billt, movin' on up, eh? ? ? ? ? ;D
I had a very nice doublewide once, did not have a gun safe in it.
HOWEVER, I also did not have a basement, and I lived in tornado country. I was a mite spooked, especially after the granddaughter moved in during the summer of '07.
FWIW, I would find a site where the home can be put on a basement/foundation with a walk-out for the basement, and put the safes in the basement. Also, basement-mounted modulars are more secure and usually looked at differently by the local .govs. I actually had to buy a title ($5 and an hour of my time) so they could shred the title, just because mine was on piers and still had the VIN plate.
My new safe is in a corner of solid reinforced concrete walls and floor, so 50% of the access is secure (2 sides and bottom).
Also, check with the modular manufacturers on their recommendations for support. They can build something to spec too, if it is needed.
Also FWIW, I heard that modulars will start to shred at 120-130mph winds, whereas a true stick-built will start at around 160mph.
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I live in a triple wide and have three gun safes in one room. They've been there a couple years now with no problems. They are fairly big and mostly full and the floor is still there!
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Thanks. Good to know.
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The biggest thing is to verify the specs first......... make sure the floor joists are the right size and spacing (usually not an issue with reputable brands).