Moving a Safe
Moving a safe isn’t easy — especially when it weighs over a ton. If you’d rather not pay extra for professional White Glove delivery or a safe-moving service, here are some practical tips for doing it yourself.
Curbside Delivery
With curbside delivery, the driver leaves the safe at the street or end of your driveway. From there, it’s up to you to move it into your garage or home.
Moving a Safe Into Your Garage
The easiest tool for this job is a pallet jack, which you can rent from equipment rental companies such as Home Depot. Make sure the jack is rated for your safe’s weight.
Another option is a refrigerator dolly (two-wheel or four-wheel). A four-wheel dolly provides more stability, but a heavy-duty two-wheel dolly will also work.
To use a refrigerator dolly:
- Line the dolly up with the side of the pallet.
- Push the safe at the top with both hands while sliding the dolly underneath with your foot.
- Move to the opposite side of the safe. Always push from the top, never from the center.
- Roll the safe into the garage. If you have a sloped driveway, recruit help for extra pushing power.
- To remove the dolly, push gently on the top of the safe and pull the dolly out from underneath.
Unbolting Your Safe From the Pallet
Most safes are bolted to their pallet for shipping. Before installation, you’ll need to unbolt it. Gather these tools:
- Vice grips
- Phillips screwdriver
- Flathead screwdriver
- Socket set with ratchet
Steps:
- Empty the safe — remove shelves, gun racks, or other interior pieces. This gives you room to work.
- Locate the anchor holes inside the safe (usually covered with small black caps). Remove the caps to expose the bolts.
- For rear bolts, use vice grips to hold the nut underneath the pallet.
- From inside the safe, loosen the screws with a screwdriver or socket. When the vice grips drop, the bolt is free.
Removing the Safe From the Pallet
For this step, you’ll need:
- A crowbar or pry bar
- A roller bar (a piece of ¾" PVC pipe works perfectly)
- At least two people for safety
Steps:
- Insert the crowbar into the gap between the safe and the pallet. Pry gently and slide in the roller bar.
- Tilt the safe back 5–6 inches, then lower it onto the roller bar.
- Move to the other side of the safe and push — it will roll on the bar.
- When the roller bar slips free, pull the safe down carefully until it rests on the ground.
- Lift slightly on the opposite side, slide the pallet away with your foot, and set the safe flat on the floor.
Need Help?
If you have questions about moving your safe, unbolting it, or removing it from a pallet, call or text us at 901-422-8124. We’re happy to help.