How to Install a Tubular Skylight in Your Family Room

In Salem, Oregon, Jeani and William Bragg anticipated Ron's arrival from their dimly lit family room. The Braggs had always been frustrated at the lack of natural lighting in this room, but there was attic space above them, so they didn't think a conventional skylight would help. When they heard that Ron was going to be in town, they hoped he might come up with a solution that they had overlooked. Ron suggested a solar tube that extends from the outside roof, through the attic space, bringing natural light all the way down into the family room. The Braggs were very grateful for Ron's bright idea!

Click Here For a list of what you will need in order to complete this project.

• A tubular skylight consists of a roof doom, light weight reflective tubing and ceiling diffuser. Sunlight enters the dome, is channeled down the reflective tubing and enters the room through a diffuser, softly illuminating up to 100 square feet.

1. Determine location:

• First, Ron asked Jeani to decide where she would ideally like to have the skylight. With a piece of masking tape, she marked her preferred location for the diffuser.

• Next she used a stud finder to locate the ceiling joists.

• Their goal was to cut a 14-inch diameter hole in the ceiling centered between the ceiling joists. Jeani began by drilling an exploratory hole where they believed the center point should be.

• She then inserted a coat hanger though the hole and into the attic.

• From inside the attic, William located the coat hanger and checked to make sure it was clear of the joists. He positioned a flashlight alongside the coat hanger and aimed the beam up to a clear spot between the rafters.

• He marked the location of the center of the beam with a pencil.

• Next, he drilled a hole through the roof leaving the drill bit protruding so that it could be seen from the outside.

2. Cut hole in the roof

• They created an unobstructed line from the roof, through the attic into the family room. The drill bit marked the center point for the opening that would need to be cut in the roof. They centered the flashing assembly over the exposed drill bit.

• William used a lumber crayon and traced a circle onto the roof along the inside of the flashing assembly. The flashing acted as a template for the opening they would be cutting next.

• They needed to prevent the hole from falling through and punching a hole in the ceiling below. Ron showed them a simple technique. They drove a screw about three inches inside the edge being cut.

• By slipping the end of a pry bar over the screw head they created a handle that allowed them to keep a grip on the cut out.

• Ron used a reciprocating saw to begin cutting the hole in the roof but soon passed the saw to William to complete the cut.

• They lifted the cut out with the make shift handle they had created.

3. Install flashing

• They slipped the reciprocating saw under the shingles and cut the roofing nails around the edge of the hole.
  

• They positioned the flashing in under the shingles creating a watertight connection.