Since you didn't say the obvious, I'll say it On most of these safes the door comes off easily (except, of course, being heavy!).

Since the door is a large percentage of the weight, it would be like moving two smaller safes instead of one big one.

John Gross

 

Maybe putting it on its back and sliding it down the steps on some 2 x 4's (or larger) might work. This would distribute the weight more evenly and not all in one spot if it were upright.

 

Have you considered just leaving it in the garage? I've never moved one down stairs, but know a guy who did and he said it was a bear. One tip I do know is for moving across a cement floor is to put some golfballs underneath it and just push it wherever you need. As you uncover the balls,just put them back in the front. Like old-time folks did using log rollers. Works great.

 

Although it will cost a little money, I'd suggest at least calling a couple safe moving companies for quotes. They have all sorts of specialized equipment for moving safes, including machines that can move them down and up stairs. It's safer than doing it yourself, and reputable places should be bonded and insured. I only say this because I know a co-worker who was helping a friend do exactly what you are asking. The safe fell on his big toe, completely flattening it and pulverizing the bones inside. I've also heard of stories of people being seriously injured and worse moving safes on their own.

 

Lowering it via a Car or Truck and a stout Rope tied to it's Bumper of Trailer Hitch, of course is excellent, if you can figure out a way to securely mount a Pulley maybe, for the Rope to pass through since there is no direct shot at it. Finding appropriate old time Pulleys now a days though is not always easy unless one already has them on hand.

If no Pulley is to be found to serve, then the Rope could be merely provided with some Boards or something tacked on to 'corners'so it does not chafe against finished surfaces, to slide against for going around corners or doorjambs and so on...and, be passed winding throuh the House that way.

Most older Wooden Stairs to-a-Basement, if built right to begin with, would handle the weight just fine, as long as the weight was being distributed by the Safe being on it's back on skids/2x4s or similar.

Is there enough room to lay the Safe on it's back or side at the top of the Stairs? So it is pointing downstairs?

But, do inspect the Stairs from their underside, the Stair Jacks or long notched Boards which hold the Treads, so see what they look like...and, if they are 'iffy', ( cracks, knots, spike knots, whatever ) then consider to shore them up using 2x4s from below running vertically, and you can just 'tack' those in so to speak, cut their ends to maatch the angle of the underside of the Jacks, and, Nail them leaving the Nail Head sticking out a little for easier removal later, just so they stay put for the procedure. The 2x4s would have to run from the floor to the underside of the Jacks, straight 'up'.

Long as you can somehow get a stout Rope secured to something, somewhere, even if passing it through a doorwar or through a Room or Hall to tie it to a Car or Truck which shall remain stationary and only serve as an Anchor, the end of the Rope or a Loop of it, could be used to attach a Come-Along or adeaute rated hand Held ratcheting Cable Winch, or a Block and Tackle, for lowering the Safe down the Stairs safely.

Taking the Door off the Safe would save lighten it by a few hundred pounds, as johngross mentions, so, well worth doing..!

 

You can strap it on an appliance dolly that enables you to go down the stairs, be sure you have adequate restraining straps to slow descent. If it does get loose it will take out a wall at the bottom of the stairs, don't ask me how I know that.
Glen

 

Well you give the dimensions of the safe as 40" and the door is only 35" ---- ???? Hows that going fit??
I'd go with the calling some safe movers and getting a quote. The guys that brought my safe in had an electric powered dolly that just sort of walked up and down the stairs. They said they'd put it any where I wanted it - even on the roof ! They did it in minutes and nobody had a hernia or crooked back afterwards. But delivery was included in my purchase price.

 

Well you give the dimensions of the safe as 40" and the door is only 35" ---- ???? Hows that going fit??

the safe is only 30" deep, turn it sideways.

i actually hadn't thought about taking the door off, i guess sometimes the obvious is just too obvious. the safe is still in the box so i haven't checked it, but i'll look into that for sure. i definitely want it in the basement, not going to leave it in the garage. i just searched the net for safe movers, but haven't found any within an hour of here, i live in rural kansas. i'll keep checking though. thanks for all the input, keep it coming!

 

I'll only state the obvious; be very careful!

 

You gotta also really consider how well it looks just where it sits.

 

take it to the landing at the top of the stairs and give it a real big push!

ok seriously, i wouldn't want to tackle that job. it seems to me that the weight could be too much for an individual step so a dolly might not work. i'd guess that laying 2x4s or plywood down the length of the stairs, putting the safe on it's side and sliding it down might be your best bet if you don't want to bring pros in to do the job.

 

Get obama over and have him walk it down from the bottom. Is there any way that you can hook a pully from some structer over the doorframe or whatever and use the winch from your quad or whatever?

 

Id call my local sporting goods store that sells safes and ask them who delivers their safes and then call them up. Also, I have a friend that bought 2 giant safes at Menards and they delivered them and put them down in his basement so you might call and see who their delivery folks are if there is a store near you. If you strike out there then you might call your local key and safe shop for their suggestions. I wouldnt try it myself, its to dangerous and the cost of the damage 900 pounds falling down the stairs would cause would far surpass paying a pro to do it the right way.

 

Call your local safe dealer. They'll come to your house with a motorized stair climbing hand truck. Although it will probably cost a couple hundred bucks, it's better than trying to do it yourself. They factored the delivery and moving cost into the price of my safes when I bought them. I had to reinforce my basement stairway with 4x4's prior to the delivery.

 

Manderson - "Call your local safe dealer. They'll come to your house with a motorized stair climbing hand truck. Although it will probably cost a couple hundred bucks, it's better than trying to do it yourself." I totally agree with this..

After talking to several collectors re: safe moving fiasco's of their own - and talking to the local safe retailer/mover -I had him move one of my safes (approx 800 lbs's up to my 2nd story office.. It only cost $125 and the whole thing took him about 1/2 hour and since he had the right tools and knowledge it was very safe. It was a 'very' well spent $125... After the experience I would never move a safe up or down a flight of stairs over maybe 250 lbs or so.. It's too dangerous and not worth the consequences if anything goes wrong..

 

Skyliner, Manderson and CSM have given you the best advice.
I can relate a few stories of those who tried to move them themselves and it cost them injuries, and damage to their homes, basement foundations, dry wall etc.

 

Hire a rigger from the safe company. Its worth it.

If you do the golf ball trick stick to Top-Flite, they are like rocks and of no use for golf.

 

I had to move mine 1 year ago next week to storage following last year's tornadoes. I just called the safe dealer, who's about 60 miles from me, to move it. The charge was $275 dollars which the insurance paid. People that move safes for a living has both the equipment and know how to do the work. It's a lot cheaper to do that than risk someone not knowing how to do it and possibly getting hurt.

Joe A.

 

I actually moved my liberty 23cuft down into the basement by myself (on its side with a 1 inch tree roping line and some basic rigging). You just need to have a decent grasp of physics.

 

As one of members mentioned earlier removing the door is approximately half the weight and also leaves hand holds for managing the move. I did the same thing many years ago with six of us when we were young strong guys. going down on 2x8's the weight of the safe - door removed still overcame us and it did not lower slowly as planned.
However looking back in retrospect i'll probably never be able to get it out of the basement - so think this over. The other alternative is to disguise or camouflage the safe in some way - think trogan horse? whichever way you go can you undo what you've done if and when necessary? peace. Jim

 

My son and I got a couple safes down into the basement. The heaviest one was around 600lb and the lighter was around 400lb. Since the ext. door and the door to the basement open up so its one straight shot from outside to the stair, we backed the pickup right up to the door. we slid the safe on its back over the tailgate and when it could pivot we let it tip down unto the floor then got it down flat on its back on the floor we left it in the cardboard box and slid it down the stair. we both had to get on the downside and push against the bottom so it didnt slide down to fast. at the bottom we tilted it back up and then walked it over to where I wanted it. They are both up agaisnt the foundation wall.
and advantage to having safes down in the basement is that if there is a fire, they wont come crashing down through the burned out wood floor above . Also noone is going to get the safe out unless they are like Hercules.

 

I've moved a 600 pounder before. 900 is getting on the realm of call the pro. problem is you can have an army to help, but there isn't space enough around the safe to use the amount of force necessary to manipulate it safely. With the proper equipment it doesn't need that many people and unless you already have the equipment, it's just better to call them.. Now moving a piano is all kinds of fun.....

 

i'll do some calling tomorrow, but searching the net, the nearest listing for safe or piano movers is in tulsa, ok which is about 1 1/2 hours from here. there is a sporting goods store about 45 miles from here that i can check with for info. on the plus side, about halfway down the staircase it does open up on one side, and the only thing at the bottom of the stairs is a wide open concrete floor. i wasn't planning on buying anything as big as i did for just this reason, but i got a deal i thought was too good to pass up.

 

called the nearest sporting goods store today and they gave me the number of a safe mover. they charge $120/ hr from the time they leave their building to the time they get back. the problem is its over a 2 hr round trip to my house and back for them. i opened the box and the door does come off. we have pallet and tire jacks around the farm that will help in taking it on and off. i think i'll try to rent a dolly with those belts on the back that will let it slide lying down, take the door off and give it a try with ropes like i did the last one. as i mentioned earlier, nothing at the bottom of the stairs but a concrete floor to tear up, i'll lay some rubber mats down just in case it does get away from us, and make sure no one gets below the safe as its coming down. the 500 lb safe wasn't hard at all, so hopefully with the door off this one won't be a whole lot tougher. it may be a few weeks before i try it, if i tear anything up real bad i'll let you all know. i don't mind hearing "i told you so" as long as its not from my wife.

 

Cost me 200 to have mine put in the basement. Money well spent..........

 

I have to stress what oyeboten said. How old is the house? Check the stairs closely. That is a serious load. If notched "stringers" are not 2x12, serious temporary propping is NECESSARY! What are the "treads?" 2x10? 1" thick particle board? Either is fine if in good shape. Chances are there is 3 notched stringers. That's over 16" spacing. Notching actually reduces the 2x12 to 2x6. Prop anyway! If the stairs give way somebody could die.

I'm a licensed builder by the way, so I actually know what I'm talking about. Good Luck!

 

the stairs were built in the late 70's. the stringers are 2x12. treads are 2x10. the front 2" of the treads are supported by sitting on top of a 2x8 on edge that closes in the front of each step. there are only 2 stringers, 42" apart. not planning on having anyone on the stairs as the safe is going down. we'll lower it down on its side with ropes from the top. there is enough room to get plenty of guys at the top to help with the ropes. the staircase opens up on one side halfway down so someone could help without being in front of the safe. who knows, i may wake up tomorrow and decide the $400 for a safe mover is a better option.