Under-Seat Storage and Safe DIY

I really like the looks of the ESP and Tuffy storage options that get installed in the floor under the back seat. However, I could not justify spending the amount of cash they go for. Additionally, I was wanting a bit of a hybrid between regular storage bins and the security lock box options. I decided to make my own instead, and generally speaking, I'm happy with how it turned out.

The safe is from WalMart ($25).
The bins are from Target ($2 each, including the covers).
The wood is a from Lowe's ($35).
The carpet is marine/auto carpet from Amazon ($15).

It fits extremely snug, especially with the safe in there, so that entire board isn't going anywhere while the vehicle is moving. The safe is a cheap one, but it serves its purpose for now especially given the size limitations when looking at available space after cutting out the foam.

 

Well done, nice and clean!

 

Good job looks factory.

This DIY project is on my list. I too like the ESP items but like you think I can build them much cheaper. I cannot fathom why toyota wastes so much space. As far as I am concerned they should have left the foam out and put the carpet right over the sound deadening stuff. At least then there would have been space under the seats for storage.

 

Well done I like it.

 

Nice ingenuity! Did you bolt the safe down?

 

Great idea thanks for posting.

 

Nice ! Good work.

 

Very cool, I'm digging it! How did you secure your safe?

 

Hey Bill, that looks awesome! How deep are the bins? I'm guessing no cutting of the original carpet underneath?

 

Thank you! I have not yet secured the safe, but I'm thinking about using Liquid Nails. I'd rather not drill into the floor.

 

Thank you! The bins are 4 inches in depth. Based on the height of the bin and the thickness of the carpeted wood, I actually had to remove all of the foam beneath the bins and the safe in order to get the flush look you see in the photos. So, in summary, I cut the top layer of carpet, then cut the thin layer of padding just underneath the carpet, and then cut out about 4 inches of foam thereafter. I ended up going down to the bare metal (under the foam, there were not any other barriers). No noise, rattling, etc. though so I am not having any issues.

 

Sweet, thanks for the info!

 

Nice work!

 

Nice work Bill! What thickness is the plywood?