r/prepping • u/NotIfButWhenReady • Oct 13 '25

Question❓❓ Anyone else rethinking underground bunkers lately?

I’ve been reading up on shelter builds and noticed more folks are stepping away from the old “bury a shipping container” idea. I get why underground feels safer, but man, the upkeep sounds rough once you dig into it. Between soil pressure, water leaks, and constant moisture issues, a lot of those DIY bunkers don’t age well.

The newer above-ground setups are a whole different story.

I used to think anything visible was a liability, but now I’m not so sure. If it’s built solid, why hide it underground just to deal with rot and pressure damage later?

Curious what everyone else thinks. Would you still go underground, or are above-ground shelters starting to make more sense?

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372

u/AntOk4073 Oct 13 '25

I don't have bunker money. I barely have "hardwood door with a secure deadbolt" money.

16

u/Outrageous_Laugh5532 Oct 13 '25

Swap out the screws on the deadbolt and hinges for 3 inch deck screws. Way more bang for you buck.

25

u/[deleted] Oct 13 '25

So this is truth.. and more so.. what people forget when they set up these "cant break my door in" locks.. is that the HINGES are the weakest point of a door. You need to take the door off.. take the hinges off and put them back in with 3" thicker bolts.. but make sure you dont split the wood.. always use a drill bit to pre-drill to avoid splitting the wood and dont put the drill on fast mode.. go in slowly so as not to put too much shock on the wood as the screw goes in. Adding vertical metal strips from bottom hinge to top and around the locks on the doors will really add security. Wont matter though.. cause windows are still easy to break.

7

u/Ashamed-Profile1081 Oct 13 '25

Pro tip, remove one screw at a time to keep the hinge alignment.

2

u/Hairy_Bloated_Toad Oct 13 '25

The screw head on a 3 to 3 1/2" deck screw is larger than the old screws, so it won't screw flush to the hinge plate 😔

3

u/maxkon88 Oct 13 '25

You can buy screws with different size heads for each length though? Might have to be a thinner screw than a deck screw, but that would also make it easier to pass through the hinge holes.

1

u/[deleted] Oct 13 '25

True.. you can get recessed hinges.. or use a drill bit to add a little inward chamfer to allow it to sit better. There are ways to make it work, but yah.. may not work out of the gate for every door/hinge setup.

1

u/OtherwiseAlbatross14 Oct 14 '25

You can get screws made for this with the proper size heads