If you've been dying to get more natural light into any room with a flat roof, you need a roof lantern. They are a great way to add natural light and ventilation to a building, and they are made from several panes of glass.
You can install a roof lantern so that your plants can get sunlight in your conservatory. You can give your kitchen an exciting contemporary look by installing a roof lantern above the kitchen island. Lighten up your dining area and make the ceiling appear as though it has extra height.
The main types of roof lantern in the UK are rectangular, square, 2-way (apex), 3-way, pyramid, octagonal and contemporary slimline designs, with aluminium, uPVC or timber frames. For most kitchens and extensions, a rectangular aluminium lantern is the best all-round choice for light, strength and slim sightlines. Below we explain each type so you can choose the right one for your space.
What Are the Different Types of Roof Lantern?
The main roof lantern designs are rectangular, square, 2-way (apex), 3-way, pyramid, octagonal and contemporary slimline. Rectangular lanterns are the most popular because they suit kitchens, dining areas and long extensions, while octagonal and pyramid styles create a more ornate focal point.
Roof lanterns are a type of skylight that is typically installed on a flat roof. Common forms also include flat, apex and pyramid designs. When it comes to choosing a roof lantern for your home, there are many different types to consider, with several shapes and designs available, including Pyramid, Octagonal and Contemporary options. Roof lanterns can draw attention to central areas such as a dining table. Make sure you have the right planning permission when building or doing an extension, as roof lanterns usually protrude above roof level and approvals may depend on the project.
What Is a 2-Way Roof Lantern?
2-way designs are perfect for those who want to add a touch of class and style to their property. Similar to an apex roof lantern, they have a classic peaked design that suits a range of architectural style choices and shapes while helping maximise natural light for maximum light, better daylight, visual impact, and a brighter room. It gets its name from the fact that it has two pieces of glass - one on each side - that allow sunlight to enter from both sides. This makes it much more effective at lighting up a room than a one-way pitched roof lantern would be.
What Is a Contemporary Roof Lantern?
Our contemporary designs are sure to impress if you’re looking for something a little more modern. Featuring clean lines and minimalistic designs, our contemporary roof lanterns are ideal for contemporary homes and modern homes, while slimline options use narrow frames, larger uninterrupted glass surfaces, and discreet glazing bars to suit modern architecture, bring maximum natural light into open plan kitchens, and create stronger visual impact.
What Is a 3-Way Roof Lantern?
A 3-way design has glazed sections on three sides and is often specified with opening vents for better ventilation and temperature control. The 3-way lantern is a great choice for those who want to add a sleek look to their home while enjoying better airflow.
What Is an Octagonal Roof Lantern?
The octagonal roof lantern is the most adventurous. Octagonal roof lanterns are ideal for polygonal rooms. This roof lantern is sure to make your home stand out and give it a more ornate feel.
What Is a Rectangular Roof Lantern?
Rectangular roof lanterns are the most popular. They are well suited to everyday living spaces such as a kitchen, lounge or dining room. For maximum light, a roof lantern often works best when it covers around 15–20% of the roof area, helping bring more daylight into the living space. Roof lanterns are available in bespoke sizes and custom sizes, with common dimensions ranging from 850mm to 6000mm depending on the space.
What Is a Square Roof Lantern?
Square roof lanterns suit square rooms that have even dimensions. A square roof lantern can make a small room feel much bigger. They are ideal for flat roofs.
What Are Roof Lanterns Used For?
Roof lanterns are used to bring daylight into the centre of rooms with flat roofs, most often kitchen extensions, orangeries, dining areas and side returns, where they also create a focal point above an island or table.
Roof lanterns are a type of skylight that is typically installed on flat roofs. They are a popular choice for both residential and commercial buildings as they allow light to enter the space, creating a bright and airy atmosphere in a living space. When weighing the key differences between roof lanterns and flat rooflights, roof lanterns are often more expensive than flat rooflights, so roof lanterns cost can matter when comparing options. Their many benefits include strong visual impact, and the key benefits often make them an ideal choice depending on the design. Roof lanterns can also improve kerb appeal and potentially increase property value. Roof lanterns can be used in a variety of ways, including:
How Do Roof Lanterns Create a Focal Point?
Roof lanterns can be used to create a focal point within a room. They are often installed above kitchen islands or dining tables, providing a unique and eye-catching feature.
How Do Roof Lanterns Improve Natural Light?
In addition to enhancing the aesthetics of a space, roof lanterns also help to improve the quality of light entering the room. The right glazing specifications and glazing options improve energy performance as well as light quality, with high performance glazing options helping regulate indoor temperatures, support better daylight, and lower energy bills through a strong u value and reduced energy costs year round. Solar-control glazing or solar reflective coatings can help reduce overheating in a south facing room, while thoughtful glazing choices can also help reduce energy costs and manage energy costs more effectively. Glazing options can include clear glass, blue or privacy-tinted glass depending on the room.
Can Roof Lanterns Provide Ventilation?
Some roof lanterns include opening vents to provide ventilation, helping to regulate temperature and reduce humidity levels within the space; some specifications include laminated glass for added strength and safety during installation. Thermally efficient glazing can help maintain indoor temperatures year-round and reduce energy costs, which may also lower overall energy costs. Check out more benefits of roof lanterns.
Why Are Roof Lanterns Popular With Homeowners?
Homeowners choose roof lanterns because they bring far more daylight into the middle of a room than wall windows, make ceilings feel higher and rooms feel larger, and add an architectural feature that appeals to buyers.
There are a few reasons why all types of roof lanterns have become popular with homeowners. Timber roof lanterns offer a warmer, traditional appearance, though they usually need more maintenance than aluminium options. One reason is that they can help to create the illusion of more space in a house. They also let in light, and you can take in the beauty of the outdoors.
Additionally, roof lanterns can help improve a home's energy efficiency by reducing the need for electric lighting during the day. Thermally broken aluminium frames with double or triple glazing also help limit heat loss.
Another reason why roof lanterns may be particularly appealing to homeowners is that they can be used in a variety of different ways. For example, they can be used as a standalone feature or incorporated into an existing roofline.
Other features that make them popular include thermally broken frames, a hard-wearing powder-coated aluminium exterior and made-to-measure sizing.
What Colours Do Roof Lanterns Come In?
Roof lantern frames are most commonly available in anthracite grey, black and white, with many suppliers also offering bronze, copper and other RAL colours. The glass can be clear, blue-tinted or privacy-tinted. Matching the frame colour to your doors and windows creates a consistent look.
If you want something that stands out, tinted glass is an option, although clear or solar-control glass is the most practical choice for most rooms. Find out more about how much light a roof lantern lets in.
Roof Lantern Types FAQs
What is the difference between a roof light and roof lantern?
Roof lights and roof lanterns are both types of skylights, and the key differences come down to shape, profile, and the effect they create. They are installed on the roof to let in light. The main difference between the two is that flat rooflights are typically square or rectangular with a more minimalist look, while roof lanterns are more ornate and often have a dome shape. Roof lanterns are also generally larger than roof lights, which can make either option the ideal choice depending on the style of the space. In terms of roof lanterns cost, flat rooflights are often the lower-cost option, while roof lanterns usually cost more because of their raised structure and design impact.
What's the difference between a skylight and a roof lantern?
Skylights are typically installed flush with the roof, while roof lanterns sit on top of the roof. Roof lanterns also have a frame around them, while skylights do not. Additionally, roof lanterns are typically much larger than skylights.
Are roof lanterns worth it?
One of the biggest benefits of roof lanterns is that they let in significantly more light than other types of skylights. Self-cleaning glass also supports easy maintenance by helping roof lanterns stay easier to look after over time. Roof lanterns also provide an unobstructed view of the sky.
What is a lantern-style roof?
Lantern-style roofs are a type of skylight that is typically installed on flat roofs. Traditional lantern-style roofs often include decorative ridge details and classic proportions, which can help them suit the property's architectural style. These roofs are made up of a frame that supports glass panels, which allows a lot of light to enter the home. Lantern-style roofs are a popular choice for homeowners who want to add more light to their home without having to install a traditional skylight.
What is a roof lantern?
A roof lantern is a raised, glazed structure fitted over an opening in a flat roof. Its angled glass panels sit on a frame and upstand, letting daylight into the room below from several directions and adding height to the ceiling. They are most common on kitchen extensions and orangeries.
Can I put a roof lantern on a conservatory?
Not on a traditional fully glazed conservatory roof, but many people replace a conservatory roof with a solid, insulated roof that incorporates a roof lantern. This creates an orangery-style room that is warmer in winter and cooler in summer. The new roof will need building regulations approval.
Do roof lanterns open?
Many roof lanterns are fixed, but some designs include manual or electric opening vents, and some have trickle vents for background ventilation. Opening vents are worth considering on south-facing lanterns to help control summer heat.
Which roof lantern size do I need?
As a guide, the glazed area should be around 10–20% of the ceiling area, centred over the main feature of the room. Our guide to what size roof lantern you need explains how to measure, and our roof lantern cost guide shows how size and type affect price.
