How To Build A Storm Shelter (page 3 of 3)

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How To Build A Storm Shelter: Sturdy Materials

A steel door mounted in a steel frame with three deadbolts located opposite heavyduty hinges lets only people and pets into the room, not door-busting debris. Steel and plywood sheathing is fastened with either 3-in. self-tapping screws, or 3-in. deck screws driven through pilot holes spaced every 6 in. All doubled framing members are nailed to each other with 10d nails spaced every 6 in. on each side.

Full-service lumberyards either carry or will special order all the materials you’ll need to build this room, except the 14-gauge steel sheets. Look under “Steel Distributors” in the Yellow Pages for a local supplier.

Safe rooms can be built any size you want, as long as you build them with the specifications described in the FEMA booklet. This room measures 7 x 8 ft., but it could just as easily be 4 x 4 ft.

When you’re planning the size, keep in mind the available space, the number of people you expect to protect, the secondary purpose the room will serve and your budget.

A safe room can be more than just a storm shelter. Within the house, the room can do double-duty as a storage room, walk-in closet, bath or pantry. Outside the house, it can function as a yard or storage shed. Wherever you put it, a bonus is that it’s a virtually impregnable vault for valuables, guns, documents and expensive equipment.

Buyer’s Guide
The following companies are suppliers of prebuilt safe rooms:

Weaver Precast Of Florida Inc.:
P.O. Box 770760,
Dept. TFH,
Orlando, FL 32877;
(407) 812-5552.

Storm Chaser Shelter Inc.:
Dept. TFH,
1200 Lawson Road, Fort Worth, TX 76131;
(817) 847-9000.
www.scshelters.com

Storm Shelters USA:
P.O. Box 12,
Dept. TFH, Ripley, MS 38663;
(877) 435-8371.

Remagen Corp.:
Box 796,
Dept. TFH,
Monteagle, TN 37356;
(888) 397-7142.

To order the free booklet, “Taking Shelter from the Storm,” contact

The Federal Emergency Management Agency,
500 C Street S.W.,
Washington, DC 20472;
(888)565-3896.

To examine or download the booklet on-line, contact: www.fema.gov