Whether you want to add warmth to a small room or attic, or looking for a more energy efficient way to use light in your home or business, skylights offer a unique alternative to traditional lighting and windows. Frames and domes are the two parts that make up a skylight. There are a variety of frames to choose from as well as what material the dome will be constructed with.
Frames
There are 3 main types of frames made by Marco Plastics, a leader in skylights. Their aluminum frames are available in two colors, mill, and anodized bronze.
- Self-Flashing Frame
A self-flashing frame has a large flange at the base of the frame. This frame is mounted directly to the roof deck, flashed to prevent leaks, and then shingles are installed.
Self-flashing frames are acceptable to use on roofs that have a pitch of 3:12 or greater. It is not recommended for a roof with less than a 3:12 pitch or flat roofs.
- Curb Mounted Frame
A curb mounted frame is mounted on top of an existing curb that is flashed into the existing roof deck. The curb mount skylight sits on top of the existing curb and is secured using screws.
Curb mounted frames are mainly used on a flat roof but can be used on pitched roofs if the curb is built and flashed properly.
- Tandem Frames
Tandem skylights can be built using either a self-flashing frame or a curb mounted frame. A tandem skylight will have 2 or more skylight dome sections built into one frame. This design is used for large skylights that are longer or wider than traditional skylights.
Domes
Skylights can have one or two acrylic domes built into the frame. They can be built using flat insulated glass lenses that are impact resistant and can be gas filled to reduce heat transfer. The standard lens colors are bronze, white, and clear. We also offer flat glass lenses in clear and bronze.
Skylight lenses can be made out of:
- Acrylic
Acrylic Sheet – Commonly referred to as plexiglass, acrylic sheeting offers great light transmittance and strength. Acrylic is naturally UV stable and will withstand years of abuse from the sun. Due to its natural strength, acrylic sheeting is the preferred material for skylight domes.
- Impact Modified Acrylic Domes
Impact Modified Acrylic Sheet – Like standard acrylic, this product is produced to be UV stable. This product comes in several different levels. The most common and SG 5, and SG 7. Each number refers to the percentage of modifiers inherent within the panel. The SG 5 is 50% impact modified, while the SG 7 is 70%. These panels are about 10 times stronger than normal plexiglass.
- Polycarbonate Domes
Polycarbonate Sheet – With trade names like Lexan™ and Makrolon™, polycarbonate panels are the epitome of strength and durability. Polycarbonate is 200 times stronger than glass and 15 times stronger than standard acrylic sheets. This material type is a great solution for areas where panels need to undergo extreme abuse.
- Flat Glass Lenses
Flat Glass Sheets – Cardinal Glass™ is a commonly used brand of flat glass lenses that are laminated for extra strength and an optional LoE366 coated glass to help you save energy. Flat glass lenses are offered in clear and with a bronze tint to reduce the sun’s glare.
Specialty Skylights
Custom skylights can be built to meet special standards such as:
- TDI – Texas Windstorm (Zone 1)
- Florida Dade County (Hurricane)
