Foam voids (and wood boxes) have been around for a while. They're cheap, lightweight (styrofoam: 5–10 lb; wood: 30–50 lb), and easy to stick to the form. But anyone who's actually worked with them knows the catch: chipped concrete edges, time spent cleaning out the void, and a beam that doesn't sit quite right. What looked easy on paper turns into a headache in the field.
Golden Beam Pockets are a prefab, engineered steel pocket (32 lb, one-person install) that eliminates the mess and takes the guesswork out of beam setting. Unlike site-built wood or foam voids, our product is delivered ready to install—no cutting, no assembly, and no variable effort. If you're still using foam or building wood boxes, here's a real-world breakdown of why more crews are switching.
1. Setup & Assembly Time
Foam Voids:
They go in fast, but that's only part of the story. After the pour, you're chipping foam, cleaning up concrete, maybe re-cutting grout. Assembly usually takes 15–60 minutes (cutting, fitting, screwing or nailing wood or foam, and placing anchors). If the pocket's out of position, you're burning crane time waiting for fixes.
Golden Beam Pockets:
Clamp to the inside of the form and screw in place—3–5 minutes, one person, no special tools. They go in once, stay aligned, and support the beam as soon as it's dropped in. In most cases, the whole thing's installed and ready for pour in under 15 minutes. Beam install after pour? Under 10. No shimming. No welding.
2. Structural Support & Load Distribution
Foam Voids:
Foam is just a placeholder. Once it's gone, your crew's responsible for shaping, leveling, and grouting a clean seat. Weight is transferred onto steel shims, stabilized with grout. Capacity ranges from 60,000–140,000 lbs depending on beam flange width and grout taper. All of that depends on conditions in the field—something engineers and inspectors don't love.
Golden Beam Pockets:
These are pre-engineered steel units. The BP-SMALL and BP-ICF (with 1/4" plate) handle up to 124,800 lbs once grouted. The BP-LARGE (with 3/8" plate) supports 164,000 lbs. Heavier plate options (up to 1/2") are available if you're dealing with beam weights over 18,000 lbs. Loads distribute vertically through the bearing plate, grout, and steel angle into the concrete—no sketchy field fixes, no shims. The structural steel angle also stabilizes anchor bolts and protects the shear plan, keeping everything in position during the pour.
3. Safety, Labor & Edge Protection
Foam Voids:
Removing foam after a pour means dust, noise, and workers using tools overhead—often with a crowbar above grade or on a ladder (fall risk). Edges are exposed and vulnerable when the void is removed early, often when the concrete is weakest—making it easy to break or chip. Add in shimming or welding and you've got delays, hot work permits, and extra inspection requirements. Finger injuries are a real risk during beam setting and shimming.
Golden Beam Pockets:
No on-site welding. No shims. Just screw it into the form and pour. One-person install and removal—no above-grade crowbar work required. Metal edges minimize concrete edge damage, and the steel angle stabilizes anchor bolts and protects the shear plan. The anchor bolts are built-in (1/2" for SMALL/ICF, 3/4" for LARGE), so you're not fishing for hardware later. Setting the beam is safer—adjust the plate, set with a crane, and fine-tune with a wrench in 5–10 minutes, with no risk to fingers.
4. Waste, Sustainability & Removal
Foam Voids:
They're single-use and non-recyclable. Most of the time they end up in the dumpster. Same with extra shims, cut steel, and foam debris. Removing the void means detaching concrete form boards and carefully removing the foam or wood—often taking 15–60 minutes per pocket.
Golden Beam Pockets:
Stay in the wall. Minimal packaging. All steel components are recyclable and LEED-credit eligible. No jobsite trash, no cleanup crew needed. When it's time to remove forms, just unscrew and remove the boards and shelves (all recyclable)—3–5 minutes, no mess.
5. Job Outcome, Adjustability & Cost
Foam Voids:
They'll work—if your pour goes perfectly, your crew hits their marks, and the beam doesn't move during set. If not, you're looking at rework, delays, and a conversation no one wants to have with the inspector. If the concrete or anchors shift, repairs mean re-drilling or torch work—adding 30–120 minutes per pocket.
Golden Beam Pockets:
Code-compliant, field-tested, and reviewed by licensed PEs. If anchors shift, the system is easily adjustable with hold-downs—no redrilling, no torch work, and no lost time. Available in:
- BP-SMALL: W6–W16 steel or wood (with optional WP-1 plate)
- BP-LARGE: W16–W27 steel beams
- BP-ICF: For insulated concrete forms (same range as BP-SMALL)
Adjustable bearing plates compensate for imperfections in formwork and placement—no redrilling, no guesswork.
Purchase Price: Beam Pocket: $139–$149; Void Form: $100–$150 (materials only).
Total Cost in Place: Beam Pocket: $300–$350 (✔ Faster install, ✔ No shims, ✔ Less trash); Void Form: $900–$1200 (✘ More time, ✘ More crane time, ✘ More corrective work, ✘ Less safety, ✘ More waste).
Summary Table: Beam Pocket vs. Void Form
| Feature | Beam Pocket (BP-LARGE) | Void Form |
|---|---|---|
| Beam Type | W21X93 | W21X93 |
| Description | Prefab metal beam pocket (32 lb, one-person install) | Site-built wood (30–50 lb) or styrofoam (5–10 lb) void |
| Installability | One person, 3–5 min | Variable effort, 15–60 min |
| Load Distribution | Bearing plate, grout, steel angle; 160,000 lbs capacity | Shims & grout; 60,000–140,000 lbs |
| Edge Protection | Metal edges protect concrete | Removed early, concrete vulnerable |
| Shear Plan Protection | Steel angle stabilizes anchors | Prone to damage during removal |
| Remove Forms | Unscrew, remove boards—3–5 min | Detach boards, remove void—15–60 min |
| Set Beam | Adjust plate, crane set, fine-tune—5–10 min | Shim, repeat—15–60 min, finger risk |
| If Concrete/Anchors Shift | Easily adjustable with hold-downs | Re-drilling/torch, 30–120 min repair |
| Safety | One-person install/removal, no above-grade crowbar | Worker on ladder with crowbar = fall risk |
| Purchase Price | $139–$149 | $100–$150 (materials only) |
| Total Cost in Place | $300–$350 (✔ Faster, ✔ No shims, ✔ Less trash) | $900–$1200 (✘ More time, ✘ More crane, ✘ More corrective work, ✘ Less safety, ✘ More waste) |
Final Thoughts
Foam pockets might seem "good enough," but in practice they leave too much up to chance. Golden Beam Pockets are for builders who'd rather do it once and do it right—with fewer delays, lower total cost, and better structural performance.
Ready to stop babysitting foam? Ask your engineer. Or better yet—ask the guy holding the crane remote. Odds are, they've already seen the difference.
Need specs? We've got beam charts, PE-reviewed load data, and a full assembly video for the BP-70. Get in touch if you need more.