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Skylights are more than just regular windows; they are efficient for top-story and small spaces in apartments or homes. Even though they are designed to provide a stunning view, they also allow a lot of light to come in, especially in the morning. This is one of the main reasons people look for ways to shade their skylights.
With skylight blinds and shades, you have more flexibility to cover your skylights to prevent unwanted cold, heat, or light. Even though they don’t usually require a covering, you get a more enhanced aesthetic appeal, light control, and privacy with the proper coverage.
Ultimately, it will increase the energy efficiency of your home. However, the process of shading a skylight can be tricky due to its location and design. In this article, you’ll find easy methods to help you create DIY skylight shades. Keep reading for more.
Why Are Skylights Great?
Skylights offer many benefits to homes, including their ability to increase the natural light that enters your room. The interesting thing is their ability to provide more light without affecting your wall space or privacy. Another fascinating thing about skylights is that they make it easier for people to reduce the amount of electricity they use, making their homes more energy efficient.
Skylights are primarily located on the ceiling, which makes them somewhat difficult to cover. For people with a skylight in their bedroom, the only thing to do is to shut the doors to block out the light. However, this can make daytime sleeping difficult because of the constant light from the sun. You can always hire an expert to install a blind quickly, but this can be expensive.
The good news is that you can simply create a DIY skylight shade to save costs. Interestingly, you don’t need many tools and materials for a DIY skylight blinds project. Some of the materials you’ll need include the following:
- Drill
- Blackout curtain fabric
- Screwdriver
- Sewing tools and sewing machine
- Measuring tape
- Rotary cutter ruler and mat
- Long dowel sticks
- Café rod
The Importance of Skylight Blinds
Skylights offer many advantages, so you’ll find them in many homes. However, if you have one, you’ll understand the disadvantages that need balancing. For this, you’ll need window blinds, window films, window shades, or skylight coverings, especially those designed explicitly for skylight windows. Here are some of the reasons why skylight blinds are essential:
- Improving the décor: An exposed skylight window can be an issue for a room with a tasteful interior with delicate items. With blinds, you can enhance the style of the room quickly. All you need to do is select a material that is aesthetically appealing and complements the décor of your room.
- Blinds are window covers that keep interiors cold during the hot season. The solar heat during these seasons can be very uncomfortable, but with blinds, you can easily block out excess heat and keep your room cold.
- They make it easier for people to control natural light that seeps through the skylight. Even though natural light helps to keep dark rooms bright, it’s not always needed, especially in cases where you want to sleep during the day or watch a movie. With the correct type of blind, you can quickly achieve this.
Skylight Blinds and Shades Purchase Considerations
Skylight blinds and shades are aesthetic and functional designs that you can use to easily cover skylights while increasing the interior décor of your room. They are available in different types, which range from retractable blinds, Venetian blinds, cellular shades, pleated shades, thermal blinds, and motorized skylight shades.
These skylight types remain the best options for covering skylight windows, and it’s essential to consider the following when choosing one:
- The style of the blinds
- The function of your window
- The direction they will face
Many people prefer honeycomb or cellular skylight coverings, which come in different varieties, including light-filtering and blackout fabrics. They are also energy efficient and can effectively trap unwanted cold and block light.
How to Measure Your Shade
To ensure that you get it right, here are some measurements you’ll need to take correctly:
- First, install the café rods on both ends of the skylight. Ensure that they are placed towards the edges and have sufficient room for the ends of the rods to fit on both sides.
- Fix the rods in the brackets and take measurements of the distance on the exterior side of the rods. You can label this measurement A and note it as the distance of the shade length.
- Take measurements of the width between the brackets, and label it “B,” which will represent the width of the skylight shade.
- The following measure is the distance between the interior part of the café rod and the wall. Take this measurement and label it “C.”
- Finally, measure the distance between the outside edge of the café rod and the wall and mark it “D.”
DIY Skylight Shades
The easiest and most common way to install skylight shades is to buy an already-made kit. There are many of these kits available at different home improvement stores, and you can also buy them from online stores. These kits usually come with screws and tension rods you’ll need to install on your own.
For this, you only need to follow the directions provided by the manufacturer to carry out the installation effectively. Alternatively, you can hire a handyman to help out with the installation. Besides buying the kit, another option to consider is to DIY your skylight shades. You can use a tension rod or curtain rod, sewing materials like a sewing machine or needle and thread, and fabric.
You’ll also need household tools to make the shades yourself. With everything in place, the first thing to do is to take measurements using tape, as highlighted above. Next is to install the hanging brackets or tension rods on both ends of the skylight. You might need to use a power drill for this step.
After that, you’ll need to sew the curtain. The thickness of the curtain and the type of material you use for the curtain depends on your preference and needs. If you want to keep out light, choose a darker color, but if you want to control airflow, thicker material is better. Lastly, hang the shade to cover your window, and you’re done.
Other DIY skylight coverings
Depending on your preference, there are other DIY methods to try. For example, you can choose to install frosted glass instead of fabric material. Even though this may not be a DIY method, it’s an option to consider. Frosted glass is also effective and helps to filter light so that the sun does not create glares in your room.
Another option to consider is to get an adhesive cover and place it on the windowpane of the skylight. This is a budget-friendly option to consider, and there are different adhesive covers you can try. You can use dark or transparent covers, depending on what suits you best.
In addition, you can also place the cover from outside. However, this is a more intense option because you’ll need to climb to the top of your roof. There are many permanent and temporary materials that you can use to cover your skylight from the outside.
Examples include boards, roofing materials, and a weighted-down tarp. If you want to consider any of these options, it’s vital to ensure that it’s on a good day, when the weather is nice, and you have help.
Shading Your Skylight Perfectly
When it comes to skylight blinds and shades, you have many options to consider. With these options, you have more flexibility and won’t need to remove your skylight altogether.
Regardless of the type of skylight you choose, the most vital thing is to ensure that it aligns with your needs and budget. The DIY option is available for people looking to cut costs, but you can always hire a professional to help install a skylight shade perfectly.
