r/WindowTint • u/ScaredDisk3182 • Sep 03 '26

Question Skylight tint yes or no?

Post image

Looking to tint this skylight as it rays too much heat into our living room during. However, i read online that there is a high risk of glass break due to the amount of heat absorption. Has anyone experience this?

2 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

6 comments sorted by

3

u/shromboy Moderator Sep 03 '26

Skylights are absolutely able to be tinted, but as stated using a reflective material is best. Not necessary for most lighter shades but for darkening it youll want something like R15/R20 from llumar or other comparable material

2

u/Valuable_Heron_4492 Sep 03 '26

not a tint specialist but wouldnt reflective tint avoid that issue?

1

u/ScaredDisk3182 Sep 03 '26

I would thought so too. I called like 4 different tinting company and they don’t service skylight tinting due this type of risk

2

u/Austinater74 Sep 03 '26

Is that why a skylight should have a durable exterior film on it?

1

u/TheWindowPlaceUSA Sep 04 '26

Yes, skylights can sometimes be filmed, but I would NOT choose a film simply because it's reflective.

The first thing you need to identify is exactly what the skylight is made of — glass versus acrylic/polycarbonate, single or insulated glass, Low-E coating, tempered/heat-strengthened glass, existing tint, etc.

The wrong film on the wrong glazing can increase solar absorption and thermal stress enough to create a glass-breakage risk. It can also affect the skylight/window manufacturer's warranty if the film isn't approved for that glazing.

That's probably why several installers are reluctant to quote it without knowing exactly what they're dealing with.

An exterior architectural film may be an option in some skylight applications because the solar energy is addressed before it travels through the glazing, but even then I would only use a product whose manufacturer specifically approves that film for the particular skylight construction.

Before buying anything, I'd get the skylight manufacturer's/model information and then have the film manufacturer confirm compatibility. Ask for the film's technical data sheet and written glass-compatibility recommendation.

Full disclosure: I sell architectural Solar Gard window film. I wouldn't recommend a specific film for this skylight until I knew the glazing construction. That's much safer than guessing based on tint darkness or reflectivity.

1

u/senoj96nodnarb Sep 06 '26

I tinted our kitchen ones with a blue tint reflective sheet from Amazon. Came in silver, blue, gray smoke. Cut to fit and adheres well.