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Our desire to showcase the glitz and glam of tiny living comes from our experience living the tiny lifestyle so far.
While the structural integrity of your home is what you should focus on, away from that, we firmly believe that your small house needs to look all shades of exceptional in addition to its structural design.
And guess what, installing a skylight in your tiny home is one of the exciting ways to switch things up from frumpy to fabulous.
While having a skylight will add beauty to your home, it will also magically light up your space.
Besides anything else, making provision for openable skylights in your tiny home will undoubtedly improve the atmosphere within your small home.
This is what fascinates many tiny house owners in the first place.
By installing at least four skylights in your tiny home, your home is guaranteed to look all shades of awesome.
On the one hand, it allows natural light to filter into your home.
On the flip side, it lets in lots of fresh air.
And the best part is that you also get to listen to the sound of the forest right from your comfort zone if you live off-grid.
When to use a skylight for a tiny house
There are so many beautiful things to say about skylights.
Besides allowing ample natural light to filter into your home, skylights will make your home very comfortable during hot weather, and the reason is because of the extra ventilation it adds to your home.
The minute you open your skylight, you’ll feel refreshing air movements filter into your cabin.
While it is true that hot air will rise, the moment you open the skylight, all that hot air will escape outdoor, allowing more refreshing air to come in.
Since skylights have different designs, an excellent place to learn about skylight installation is to check the manufacturer’s installation manual sheets.
That said, if you live in a tiny home, there are a few technical tips to guide you every step of the way, regardless of the type of skylight you decide to use.
Skylight Installation
One of the reasons why modern skylights are more practical and reliable is because of the flashing they offer.
When skylights found their way to America, 30 years after their invention in Europe, what we got here were skylights that relied heavily on caulking to prevent water leaks.
This design flaw was a recipe for failure, giving skylight a bad name.
But things have changed significantly since then as modern skylines have dealt with the issue of leaks.
Except, of course, it isn’t properly installed; you shouldn’t be worried about your skylight leaking.
If you plan to install a skylight in your home, an excellent place to start is to create a skylight hole on the roof immediately after installing 2×8 roof boards.
Also, cut the holes before the insulating roof panels are fitted.
Many tiny house enthusiasts make the mistake of cutting through both panels and roof boards, and from experience, we know this doesn’t work.
Another thing you should keep in mind is that skylights are held in place via nails drilled through some kind of flange, just around the perimeter of the skylight frame.
To avoid messing things up, we strongly suggest you opt for 3 ½ long roofing nails, as they provide a better result when installing skylights.
Another thing you should never forget is that skylights are installed after you must have applied ice and water shield.
Once that’s done, you can install shingles, self-sticking flashing to prevent any type of leakage, and metal flashing along with roof shingles.
If you’re finding it hard to do it yourself or don’t have the time to get your hands dirty, you can opt for the services of a professional to get the job done.
The only issue with going this route is that it will cost you more money.
But if you don’t mind spending extra on installation, getting a professional to install your skylight wouldn’t be a wrong decision.
Why your tiny home should have a skylight
Sure, having a skylight in your tiny home has many exciting benefits.
And because we want to make things easy for you, we have put together a list of some of the top reasons why you should have a skylight installed in your home.
Skylights allow natural light to flow in: With a skylight in your home, your loft space will be overshadowed by warm natural light.
While this dramatically spices things up, it can also make your space feel bigger than it is.
Sure, living in a tiny home means downsizing your lifestyle, but having a skylight in your home will make a remarkable difference.
Skylights lights are brilliant: If you have spent time checking out tiny home designs and photos, we are sure you’ll be mesmerized by the sheer thought of having natural light filter into your space via a uniquely designed skylight.
Well, your space is guaranteed to look stunning with a skylight installed in your tiny home.
Skylights double as entry and exits: Despite looking miniature, especially when installed in tiny homes, skylights act as entrances and exits.
In many homes, skylights were used as alternative entry and exits during emergencies.
While your front door will most likely be the easiest way to enter and exit your home, in case of an emergency, say a fire outbreak, squeezing through a skylight may save your life.
Also, some pieces of furniture may not be able to fit into tight space, so having a skylight will be an alternative way to lower such items into the right spots.
Skylights usher in heat: You’ll agree that you need all the warmth and comfort you get in your home, and with a skylight installed, you’ll enjoy ample heat.
Of course, this depends on where your tiny house is located and the direction it is facing.
Unfortunately, living in some locations doesn’t give you the luxury to install a skylight.
Enjoy uninterrupted sleep under the stars: Have you always wanted to experience what it felt like to sleep under the stars?
Now is a great time to install a skylight in your tiny home.
With a skylight in your home, you’ll enjoy an unobstructed view of the night sky.
Cool right?
We thought so too That said, remember that this largely depends on where you live and whether or not you’re interested in astronomy.
Skylights increase ventilation in your home: Looking to add more ventilation to your tiny space?
Well, why not install a skylight in your home.
While a skylight will allow natural light to flow into your space, it also lets in plenty of fresh air.
The downsides of having a skylight
Even though skylights offer a lot of benefits, it has a few letdowns you should know.
Here are some not-so-cool things about skylights.
Skylights tend to leak: One of the biggest complaints against skylights is that it tends to leak.
We have spoken to quite a few builders, and they have always expressed their displeasure about skylights because of the sheer fact that they tend to leak after some time.
And when you live in a tiny home, especially one on wheels, installing a skylight could be a nightmare.
Because of this precise reason, many tiny house enthusiasts don’t even consider it in their design.
Installing skylights can cause heat loss: Having windows in your tiny home provides an escape route for heat.
And with a skylight installed in your home, you are providing alternative options for heat escape.
To be on the safe side, we strongly recommend you use the best insulating materials you can find.
Unfortunately, opting for higher quality materials means more expenses.
So for those on a budget, you may want to kiss goodbye to having a skylight in your home.
The excellent aspect of having a skylight is that it will keep your loft area warm, especially during severe weather conditions.
Skylights mean less privacy: We know that having a skylight in your homes will magically transform your space, but guess what, it also means less privacy.
Let’s assume that your tiny house on wheels is parked near the shadows of a more prominent building; you’ll enjoy some moment of privacy.
But as soon as the shadow is no longer present, you lose privacy.
That’s precisely how your home looks with a skylight installed.
Installing skylights means living by the sun: With a skylight installed in your home, your space will look bright all day.
Unfortunately, you’ll have to live by the sun.
If that doesn’t sound too cool, you’ll need to buy a skylight shade to manage the sunlight filtering in.
failure to do that means your sleep will be interrupted once the sun comes up.
On the flip side, if you’re one to start your day early, you’ll appreciate having a skylight in your home.
How much does a skylight cost?
No doubt having a skylight installed in your home will cost you extra money, but when you consider the perks of having one, we are sure you won’t have any complaints.
And since there are different brands on the market, you can opt for one that is affordable if you’re on a budget.
And if you have the bucks to spend, you can go all out for the best.
In terms of pricing, a fixed skylight will cost you anything from $150 to as high as $500.
On the other hand, if you prefer skylights that allow you to control the amount of light filtering in your space, you will pay a little more.
For instance, a venting skylight with a manual opening process will cost you between $300 to $600, and that’s minus installation costs.
How much does it cost to install a skylight?
For those, who don’t have the technical know-how or no time to install a skylight, you’ll have to opt for the services of a professional.
The average installation cost for a skylight is $1000; if you’re lucky, you can negotiate the price.
Add that to the skylight cost, and you’ll agree that it is pretty expensive.
If you’re looking to cut installation costs, we suggest installing the skylight yourself.
Thankfully, there are tons of great video tutorials on how to go about this.
So make sure you take advantage of them.
Sure, it may take time to have everything up and ready, but the good part is that you get to save some extra bucks.
Should your tiny house have a skylight?
Have you ever imagined sleeping under the stars and having lots of natural light in your home?
Then now is a good time to consider installing a skylight in your home.
Besides lighting up your space with ample natural light, having a skylight in your home will remarkably transform how your room looks.
And while there are many options on the market, we suggest you go for quality skylights that are easy to install.
With a quality skylight, you get a detailed instruction manual on installing it, saving you the extra cost of paying a professional to handle the job.
Frequently asked questions
Why do I need a skylight in my home?
Besides the modern appeal of having a skylight in your house, skylights add depth to your home.
On the one hand, it lights up your space by allowing natural light into your home.
On the flip side, it ensures your home stays warm even during the excruciating summer heat.
Can I install a skylight in a cabin?
A skylight in your cabin will give it a definitive look to other houses.
It also ensures that your home looks all shades of fabulous.
So yes, skylights are a brilliant addition to any cabin.
Can I handle the installation of skylights?
If you don’t mind getting your hands dirty and have the time, there is no reason you shouldn’t go the DIY route.
Doing it yourself will save you some bucks.
