How to Build a Faux Skylight

Adding a skylight to your home can add a lot of value and a great look. But many homeowners are frustrated with their skylights. First, they are expensive to add. Second, they may leak around the edges if they were not installed correctly. Third, they may break if there is a strong hail storm. Fourth, you must add them on an area that has a roof directly over it, which rules out many rooms of the house. But adding a faux skylight is a great solution to all of these problems. Follow these steps to add a new look to your house. It is still a considerable job for the average homeowner to tackle, but this guide will provide you with an idea to present to your contractor.

How to Build a Faux Skylight:

First, your contractor must cut a hole in the ceiling where the faux skylight will appear. It should be approximately the size of an ordinary skylight to give the same appearance.

Second, purchase a solar tube. These are available at most home improvement department stores. They are made of flexible metal tubing, and they are shiny on the inside. It should lead to the area where your ceiling has been cut. Your contractor should follow the manufacturer's instructions precisely to make sure that the roof doesn't leak around the tubing. Because of the size and ease of installation, it is much easier to install a solar tube than to install a skylight, and less prone to leaking. Because the tubing is flexible, your faux skylight can be installed in rooms that do not access the roof. You must make certain that the tubing will have ample room between studs, but bringing it down to a lower level room is possible. Simply fit it between the studs and behind drywall, and down to a lower room.

Third, you should purchase wood trim and a piece of frosted plexiglass. The plexiglass is preferred over ordinary glass because it can absorb impact much better, so if a child accidentally throws a ball in the room, it will not break the glass. Frosted is recommended because it will help diffuse the light even more, and make it look more like a natural skylight would. The wood should form a frame around the "skylight", and allow you to fit and rest the piece of plexiglass inside on the top of it. Viola! Your new "skylight" is complete.

Here are some interesting ideas you can use to customize this. You can install lighting above the plexiglass so that your lighting is not visible even at night. You can have the hole for the trim and plexiglass cut into a circle to provide a unique, modern look. You can use stained glass, or even faux stained glass to give it an antique look. One especially formal idea for a room with very large ceilings is to repeat this throughout the entire room. The wood trim is supported by tracks from the rafters, and the entire ceiling surface is glass with diffused light.

While there are easier looks to achieve, none are quite so pleasant looking as a new "skylight". And without the traditional worries of a skylight, you can truly enjoy its beauty.