# reflective material in skylight shaft?



## ilyaz (Mar 2, 2010)

We just installed a skylight. The picture is attached. Sorry for the poor cell phone quality photo, but it shows everything that's relevant.

How can we make the skylight bring more light into the room? Of course, one way is to paint the walls of the shaft white. But can we do more by, for instance, installing some sort reflective material along the walls marked with red? The most extreme example would I guess by thin mirrors cut to the shapes and sizes of the shaft walls. If this is not feasible, why? If it is feasible, what options do we have?

thanks.


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## TxBuilder (Mar 2, 2010)

I take it painting the room a lighter shade is out of the question?


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## ilyaz (Mar 2, 2010)

Well, we're going to paint it white or off-white (it's actually our kitchen, by the way). The question is about the skylight. The roof side where it got installed faces west, which means that we get most sun there in the afternoon. So the question is whether we can get the kitchen even lighter in the morning by getting light to reflect.


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## travelover (Mar 2, 2010)

Why don't you buy some of those square foot mirror tiles and install them on the vertical surfaces? You can cut them with a glass cutter. Use the same spacing rules that you'd use for tile, so you don't end up with sliver thin pieces.


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## ilyaz (Mar 2, 2010)

travelover said:


> Why don't you buy some of those square foot mirror tiles and install them on the vertical surfaces? You can cut them with a glass cutter. Use the same spacing rules that you'd use for tile, so you don't end up with sliver thin pieces.



Interesting idea, thanks. One concern is that I have to make sure they are installed really well so that one of those does not fall on my head. I am wondering if there are types of glass tile that are lighter in weight then others.


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## oldognewtrick (Mar 2, 2010)

You can get plexi-glass mirror and have it cut to the dimensions of each skylight shaft wall so it will be one piece per side. Construction adhesive and a trim piece alone the bottom.


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## travelover (Mar 3, 2010)

ilyaz said:


> Interesting idea, thanks. One concern is that I have to make sure they are installed really well so that one of those does not fall on my head. I am wondering if there are types of glass tile that are lighter in weight then others.



Usually the issue is that they are glued so securely to the drywall that you need to rip out the drywall to remove them.


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## Wuzzat? (Mar 3, 2010)

If you don't want to modify the lightwell you could try
Solatube Daylighting System and Tubular Daylighting Devices for residential or commercial daylighting and sunlighting needs are the smart, green and environmentally friendly alternative to traditional skylights

Also, someone may make some prismatic material that channels sunlight downward regardless of the sun's position.  It would go on the outside surface of the skylight.
Maybe something along these lines
Fresnel lens - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


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