- 2 min read
Your safe’s door and walls are its first line of defense in keeping crooks out. The thicker the steel, the better security protection your safe will provide. Here is what you should know about the thickness of the steel used to make your Liberty safe and its military-style locking bars even more secure.
Understanding Gauge Thickness
The concept of steel gauge can be a little confusing. Sheet metal uses what is called a retrogressive scale. The lower the gauge number, the thicker and stronger the steel. As the gauge number increases, there is a drop of 10 percent of thickness in the steel.
When it comes to being certified as a UL-Listed Residential Security Container (RSC), steel thickness definitely matters. A safe cannot receive an RSC certification unless it has a steel gauge measurement of 12-gauge or lower.
Liberty Uses 5 Different Steel Thicknesses
There are five different steel thicknesses used to build Liberty’s various safe models. The thickness used helps determine the safe’s security level:
- Level 1 safes, like the Centurion are built with 14-gauge steel
- Level 2 safes, like the USA are built with 12-gauge steel
- Level 3 safes, like the Colonial and Fatboy 47 are built with 11-gauge steel
- Level 4 safes, like the Franklin and Fatboy 64 are built with 11-gauge steel
- Level 5 safes, like the Lincoln are built with 11-gauge steel
- Level 6 safes, like the Classic Select are built with 11-gauge steel
- Level 7 safes, like the Classic Plus are built with 10-gauge steel
- Level 8 safes like the Presidential and Magnum are built with 7-gauge steel
To put the strength of lower gauge steel into better perspective, consider this:
- 12-gauge steel is 2.86 times stronger than 14-gauge steel
- 11-gauge steel is 1.45 times stronger than 12-gauge steel
- 10-gauge steel is 1.42 times stronger than 11-gauge steel
4 Different Steel Thicknesses for Military-Style Locking Bars
Steel military-style locking bars are much more secure than traditional round steel pins. Liberty uses three different thickness of steel for our military-style locking bars, including:
- Level 1 safes, like the Centurion are outfitted with 3/16-inch thick, locking bars
- Level 2 safes, like the USA are outfitted with 1/4-inch thick, locking bars
- Level 3 safes, like the Colonial and Fatboy 47 are outfitted with 1/4-inch thick, locking bars
- Level 4 safes, like the Franklin and Fatboy 64 are outfitted with 1/4-inch thick, locking bars
- Level 5 safes, like the Lincoln are outfitted with 3/8-inch thick, locking bars
- Level 6 safes, like the Classic Select are outfitted with 3/8-inch thick, locking bars
- Level 7 safes, like the Classic Plus are outfitted with 3/8-inch thick, locking bars
- Level 8 safes, like the Presidential and Magnum are outfitted with 1/2-inch thick, locking bars
Yes…Thicker Steel is Priced Higher
It’s always a good idea when shopping for a safe to choose one with the thickest steel that will fit your purchasing budget. Thicker steel does add to the price of a safe, but it is well worth the extra money because of its strength and heavier weight.
