Rooflights
Paul Trace, Director of Stella Rooflight
offers some practical advice when
choosing a rooflight for your home
Rooflights, or skylights as they are
often called, are an excellent way to
illuminate your home as they let in
light from the brightest part of the
sky and are not generally affected by
external obstructions, such as tress or
other buildings. They provide an even
distribution of light and can brighten
the dark areas in a room that vertical
windows could never reach.
Of course, in applications such as loft
conversions they may be your only
option to let in light. However, they are
also a popular choice for other parts
of the home where the ceiling has the
potential to be opened up, and can
make an excellent addition to kitchens,
bedrooms, bathrooms and living spaces.
When specifying rooflights there are
other aspects to consider beyond its
shape, size, and the materials that it
is made from. However, with so many
options available, choosing the most
suitable rooflight for your home can be
anything but straightforward and there
are a few key things to consider when
deciding which product is best for you.
Choosing the right frame
The first thing to consider is the
type of materials that are available
for the rooflight frame. There are
many different types of rooflight on
the market catering for the modern
contemporary style through to a more
traditional look and feel.
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Steel is the obvious choice for period
properties and barn conversions, but
they are now also being more frequently
used in sleek new contemporary houses.
Timber is a long-time favourite on
homes of any style, but getting onto the
roof to maintain the timber can be an
awkward task. PVCu is also an option
and is often the cheapest, but it will not
provide the slim frames that metal is
capable of, nor the natural look of wood.
The important thing is to select a
rooflight that matches the look and feel
that you are trying to achieve with your
home, as it should blend in with your
roof and the materials used throughout
the rest of the house.