So I bought some hammer bolts and drilled into the floor. BoltS were 3 in. I used a drill bit 6 inches long and would test fit the inner part of the bolt. Every single time the bit popped through with no resistance at the end.

Is this bad?

Can ya move the safe?

Frank will know. He will be along shortly to answer your question.

My take. This is a good thing. You have penetrated to the dirt below concrete. When you someday remove the safe, instead of having to cut things off you can just hammer them down.

Better caulk if you hit dirt.

I almost always drill completely through the concrete (for several reasons), and have never had a water issue.

I use self tapping anchors the majority of the time, which reduces and/or eliminates a lot of issues you see with the other types.

Are you only concerned about the holes, or are you saying your anchor is going through without grabbing?

I was concerned about water issues. I did not caulk. The bolts did bite and the safe is secured to the floor. New house. No water table issues that I knoW of. Have a sump pump that never runs. Thoughts.

Your slab is probably only 4 inches thick. I did the same thing and never noticed any issues.

quote:

I was concerned about water issues. I did not caulk. The bolts did bite and the safe is secured to the floor. New house. No water table issues that I knoW of. Have a sump pump that never runs. Thoughts.

The odds of you having problems are very unlikely. Do you notice water bubbling through your floor in other areas? If not, you shouldn't be getting water through the bolt holes.

In commercial construction a 4" floor is 4" just about anywhere you drill. In residential construction I find that I can have 2" on one corner of a safe, and 6" on another.

Frank,

Why do you prefer to drill through the floor?

When using a wedge type of anchor, it allows you to knock the anchor down flush with the floor as opposed to cutting it. When using an anchor that taps itself, you don't have to worry about debris clogging the hole.

Combine that with the fact that residential concrete tends to be uneven in thickness, and odds are good you're going to punch through anyway. If this were a structural application, or there were other engineering concerns (like stressed slabs) then holes that stop at certain depths are important. Won't make any difference with a safe on a typical slab in your home.

Why can you put some caulk, silicone, whatever in the hole with the anchor either before or after the anchor?

quote:

Why can you put some caulk, silicone, whatever in the hole with the anchor either before or after the anchor?

You could, although any of the anchors are going to fill the hole up fairly well.

If you have enough hydraulic pressure that water comes up through the bolt holes, it's also going to be coming up through any crack or seam.