FAQ – Mobile stage or conventional stage ?

The kind of stage you choose is one of the most crucial decisions you make when organizing an event. So it’s critical to have a clear understanding of the differences between the two principal types of stage – the mobile and the conventional.

Traditionally a stage is built on site. It’s an assembly of structures and materials that has to be loaded on a trailer, then unloaded on the site and moved to the spot where the stage will be constructed. All these operations require machinery, they’re labor-intensive, and they take time.

But a mobile stage not only has the advantage of being mobile, it’s also preassembled. The structure consists of floor and roof panels that deploy hydraulically, electrically or manually into a stage that’s easy to install in a short time. Stageline even goes further as many of their mobile stages offer a full hydraulic set up of stage, sound, light, wind walls and banners.

Ground support installed with ballasts & cables for stability.

A mobile stage is freestanding. Unlike a conventional stage, it requires no external ballast  or cables for stability: stability is designed and engineered right into the stage. This is true for mobile stages whose structure is conceived to resist winds of 130 km/h to 140 km/h (80 mph to 90 mph); otherwise, depending on the situation it may be necessary to consider the use of ballast for stability purposes, just as with conventional stages.

Conventional scaffold stage.

A conventional stage, since it is custom built on site,  offers a slight advantage in terms of design possibilities beyond standard configurations.

Another feature that makes a mobile stage interesting, in addition to its mobility, is that it’s safe to install, and for a number of reasons. The principal one is a conventional stage has to be built from scratch, from ground level to roof.

That type of installation requires technicians to work at heights when they’re handling and installing the various components of the stage structure. A mobile stage, on the contrary, is composed of preassembled panels that deploy at ground level, and none of the installation process requires working high up.

In other words, a mobile stage offers not just unparalleled safety but also a faster and easier setup involving much less labor.

Once you’ve determined your needs, be sure the option you decide on meets the highest safety standards. And make sure you’re well acquainted with your manufacturer and with the special features of the company’s products.