I was recently blessed iwth an opportunity to parter with Hold Up Displays who asked if I had a vault room and was interested in trying their products. You've likely already seen some of it in videos on our second channel where it has served as a backdrop because instead of "the armory" as I call it, being an eyesore it's become something I'm proud of. Before I get into Hold Up Displays I'd like to cover the merits of a vault room versus a safe as either can be better.
Why a Vault Room? Everyone's circumstances are different, but when I first began using a vault room instead of safes in the garage it was for security and preservation of the firearms. Safes typically end up in the garage, sometimes bolted to the floor, sometimes not. In the modern age when anyone can order a remote scanner off the internet, garages are one of the least hardened areas of the house. With a $15 scanner a thief can have your garage door open, wrap a chain around your safe and drag it out with their truck to take it somewhere else to crack. Additionally, I could never trust those dehumidfiers I kept in the safe (and I had multiple types) to keep the air in there dry enough to not rust my guns.
In the house, the air is circulated constantly and kept dry by the HVAC system. Additonally, any efforts to harden the house against theft (tamper alarms, alarm system, upgraded locks and doors) protects everything in the house, not just my guns. This makes it a lot easier to get approval from your significant other if needed. Everything you do to secure your home also secures your firearms.
The other factor for me was organization and access. As you well know, I need near constant easy access to my firearms to create content for you, so burrying something three rows deep in a safe, or having to rememeber which safe is a no-go. Converting a spare room into a secure and healthy place to store things simply makes sense.
You can take a look at the process in the video below. I'll also break down some of the features and process beneath the video.
The HoldUp Display Process was an easy one. You'll need measurements of the walls you want to cover, and the helpful staff at HoldUp Displays will consult with you to make sure you're getting the right sizes. The pannels are naturally 6 1/2" tall and 48" long and can be cut from there for your needs.
As discussed in the video you'll need a stud finder and power drill. My two stud finders had trouble agreeing, and I'm not sure I hit stud every time, but so far everything's holding up. Scan the wall from both directions a couple times before deciding there's a stud there. I also learned that building codes be damned, you cna't rely on your studs being the exact distance your state dictates, so scan, scan, scan. Also be on the lookout for wires or plumbing that might be in your walls as the screws included are not short.
One tip to to remember what affect the color of the display wall will have on the area. I chose a lighter shade than my first instinct and am glad I did because will the walls covered the room is much darker. I picked up some cheap LED strips from Amazon and magnetic lights to add some brightness.
Getting those screws in straight is a breeze thanks to the guides included in the kit. They do wear out it seems (at least in my amature hands) so don't toss any "extras" until you're done. From there it's decor time. HoldUp Displays offers a variety of hangers to fit most needs. You can expand on that with any "slatwall" accessory of which the commercial market has several.
If you have any questions or comments I'm happy to see them in theh comment section below. All of this was done after hardening the security of the house in ways I won't full describe for obvious reasons. This article was made possible thanks to HoldUp Displays and has really transformed "the armory" and improved my quality of life. I highly recommend something like this for anyone with something they'd like to display or a multitude of objects they want access to and quick visual identification of.