Skylight Selection Guide


Choosing the right skylight for your home involves more than simply selecting a product size. Roof orientation, ceiling type, room use and ventilation requirements all influence which daylighting solution will deliver the best result. 

This guide will help you understand the key factors to consider before selecting a skylight for your home. 


What Size Skylight do I need? 

The ideal skylight size depends on: 

  • Room size 

  • Ceiling height 

  • Roof orientation 

  • Ceiling type 

  • Interior colours and finishes 

  • The amount of natural light already entering the room 

As a general guide, larger living areas typically require larger skylights than bathrooms, hallway or walk-in robes. 

A well-positioned skylight can often deliver more useful daylight than a larger skylight installed in a poor location. 


Roof Orientation and Sun Movement 

Roof orientation has a major influence on the amount of daylight entering your home throughout the year. 

 

In Australia, the sun moves through the northern part of the sky. North-facing roof sections generally receive the greatest amount of sunlight, while east-facing roofs receive morning sun and west-facing roofs receive afternoon sun. 

 

North-facing skylights often deliver the highest daylight levels and can sometimes be smaller than equivalent skylights installed on south-facing roof sections. 

 

East-facing skylights are ideal for kitchens, breakfast areas and bathrooms where morning sunlight is desirable. 

 

West-facing skylights can provide strong afternoon sun and may benefit from blinds during summer months. 

 

Online tools such as SunCalc (www.suncalc.org) and SunEarthTools (www.sunearthtools.com) can help visualise the sun's path for your specific location. 

 

 

Diagram showing how the sun moves across Australian roofs in summer and winter, helping homeowners choose the best skylight orientation and placement for natural daylight.

 

Ceiling Type and Daylight 

The type of ceiling in your home can significantly affect skylight performance. 

 

Homes with cathedral ceilings allow roof windows to be installed directly into the roof structure, providing maximum daylight transmission and direct views of the sky. 

 

Most Australian homes have flat ceilings with roof space above. In these situations, daylight is transferred through a light shaft between the roof and ceiling. 

 

Tubular skylights offer another solution, delivering natural daylight through a highly reflective tube without requiring a large constructed shaft. 

 

The deeper the roof cavity, the more daylight can be lost before it reaches the room below. 

Comparison of tubular skylights, flat ceilings with light shafts and cathedral ceilings, showing how ceiling type affects skylight daylight performance. 

Which Skylight is right for Your Home? 

Different rooms, roof types and ceiling constructions suit different daylighting solutions. 

 

Understanding the strengths of each product type can help narrow your selection. 


 


Tubular Skylights 

Ideal for: 

  • Hallways 

  • Bathrooms 

  • Laundries 

  • Walk-in robes 

  • Internal rooms 

Tubular skylights capture natural daylight at roof level and transfer it through a highly reflective shaft to a ceiling diffuser below. 


Fixed Roof Windows 

Ideal for: 

  • Living rooms 

  • Kitchens 

  • Dining areas 

  • Open-plan spaces 

Fixed roof windows provide abundant natural daylight and a direct view of the sky. 


Opening Roof Windows 

Ideal for: 

  • Kitchens 

  • Bathrooms 

  • Cathedral ceilings 

  • Rooms requiring ventilation 

Opening roof windows combine natural daylight with fresh-air ventilation.


Solar Lights 

Ideal for: 

  • Multi-level homes 

  • Apartments 

  • Hallways 

  • Ensuites 

  • Areas where a traditional skylight is impractical 

Solar lights use a roof-mounted solar panel to power an LED ceiling light. 

 

Unlike a skylight, they do not provide natural daylight. Instead, they provide daylight-style electric lighting powered by solar energy. 

 

We design the system to mimic a natural skylight, so the light gradually increases during the day and fades with sundown. The large LED panel delivers a daylight-white colour temperature of approximately 5500K, creating a softer and more natural effect than a conventional downlight. 

 

These systems also include a 240V driver, allowing the light to be switched on after dark when required. 

 

Comparison between a tubular skylight delivering natural daylight and a solar light using a roof-mounted solar panel to power a daylight-style LED ceiling light.

 


Is the Skylight within Reach? 

The location of the skylight can influence the type of operation required. 

 

If the skylight is within reach, manual operation may be suitable. 

 

Where the skylight is positioned high above the floor, electric opening roof windows provide a convenient solution and can be operated via wall switch, remote control or automation systems. 

 

Skylight Placement Tips 

The position of the skylight is just as important as the size. 

Consider where you want the daylight to fall within the room: 

  • Above a kitchen island 

  • Above a dining table 

  • In the centre of a living area 

  • Over a stairwell 

  • Above a bathroom vanity 

Natural light reflecting from walls and ceilings often produces a brighter and more even result than direct sunlight falling onto the floor. 

 

For roof windows, installations are generally most effective in the upper half of the roof slope where they can capture more of the available sky and deliver the light further into the room below. 


Need Help Choosing? 

Every home is different. 

 

Our team can help you select the most suitable daylighting solution based on your roof type, ceiling construction, room size and orientation. 

 

Contact us for product recommendations, sizing advice and technical support.