When Table Church in Des Moines, Iowa, recently acquired an existing church building, they knew a major renovation was ahead of them. As part of the upgrade, they partnered with GearTechs to design a complete, modern audio, video, and lighting solution. During the planning phase, the church looked for practical ways to manage costs. One idea was to cut long troughs directly into the stage floor, covered by a custom, removable wooden lid, to run their microphone and audio network connections. It seemed like a simple, cost-effective way to keep the stage clean and accessible without buying specialized hardware.

Why the Right Product is the Best Financial Option

However, when their contractor, Dylan Balmer of Erickson Balmer Construction, looked at the building's framing, the math shifted. Because the stage’s structural joists ran from front to back, cutting long trenches across them would compromise the strength of the entire stage and require replacing a large amount of the subfloor sheeting. Instead of forcing a custom workaround that would add unexpected structural labor costs, the team chose a well-engineered alternative: Ace Backstage Floor Pockets.

By dropping these purpose-built floor pockets between the existing joists, the church will preserve the integrity of the stage, avoid extra carpentry expenses, and end up with a cleaner, much more durable finished product. It is a perfect reminder that using the right product from the start isn't necessarily an added expense; it's usually the most practical way to save money and get the best long-term outcome.