Issue 41 Spring web - Flipbook - Page 90
A guide to conservation
rooflights
There’s a huge variety of choice in the conservation rooflight market and selecting the right product
can be confusing. Paul Trace from Stella Rooflight offers some advice on things to consider when
planning your project.
What is a conservation rooflight?
Although rooflights, or skylights as they are sometimes
known as, have been around for centuries they became
more prominent during the Victorian era as technology
and building aspirations were stretched and roof glazing
boomed. One of the most famous Victorian building
projects was the Crystal Palace, which in 1851 used
glazing on an unprecedented scale to showcase just what
could be achieved.
Mass-produced Victorian rooflights for residential
use tended to be made from cast iron and the earliest
examples would have smaller, lighter panes of glass. This
was partially down to limits of glass technology at the time
but also because of excise duties, which were imposed on
glass by weight in the mid-18th century. These slim,
single glazed rooflights with multiple panels of glass were
unobtrusive in design and sat flush in the roof. Today it is
this minimalist appearance that many people are seeking
to achieve in their glazing designs.
As a result of their popularity, there are lots of
conservation roof windows on the market, which can
make choosing the right one difficult unless one can
identify what the differentiations are. An effective way to
make this distinction is to look closer at the attributes of
a true replica of a Victorian conservation rooflight.
What material is a conservation rooflight
manufactured from?
If a conservation rooflight is all frame, then there is little
point in having one. Genuine conservation designs should
be manufactured with slim clean lines and a low-profile
to match the roofline. A number of skylight companies
try to produce conservation rooflights using modern bulky
aluminium profiles, which sit proud of the roofline,
particularly slate. It is widely accepted that the most
authentic conservation rooflights are manufactured from
steel because it provides great strength while offering a
slim profile and excellent glass to frame ratios. There
are many types of steel conservation rooflights and for
unrivalled protection and lifespan, it is best to opt for
a rooflight manufactured from a marine grade 316L
stainless steel.
Considering the inside of the rooflight is also important,
and again, it will come as no surprise that there are various
options available. Nowadays most rooflight suppliers tend
to use cheaper soft wood or plastic, which is painted white
as an internal finish and these liners can result in deeper
