Velux v Sun tubes

Kashkai

The playroom for our kids (south east facing) is ridiculously dark, as the 2 windows are too small to light up the room which is 16ft x 13 ft. In addition, there's a row of large trees 10ft from the windows blocking the light. I had pointed this out to the architect when he was drafting the plans but he assured me it would be fine (I hate being right all the time!!). If the kids use this room during the daytime, they need the light on as you'd swear it was getting dark outside as this room is so dim. The house itself is a bungalow.

Anyways, what would be the best option for getting more light into this room, velux or sun tubes. The sun tubes appear to be the less messy option but would they provide enough light or would I need several of them? The velux would mean a long open tunnel where I think a lot of light would be lost before it hit the room. The playroom is in a part of the house where I could run the suntubes/velux to either the south east facing or south west facing pitch of the roof so which would be better? We've put up with this dark room for a year now but we'd like to be able to let our kids use this room without having lights on at midday plus we're sick of people commenting on "how dark that room is in the middle of the day".

Poor Uncle Tom

Velux roof windows should allow direct sunlight in through the tunnel (which I have seen lined with mirrors to increase the effect, or at the very leaset painted white). The skytube will bring in light but more like a bulb being on during the day, no direct sunlight, imo. Southwest would be more in keeping with a playroom I think as the kids will get most use of it after school hours. This is just my opinion.

RKQ

IMO Velux or similar provide better direct light than sun-tubes.
South-west would be best for daytime / evening use. When it comes to roof lights size matters. Depending on roof pitch a large wide velux might be better than a long narrow one.

New Velux on the front elevation will require planning permission, so consult with the local planning office. Velux on rear roof would usually be considered exempt.

Have you considered thinning out the trees or "topping" them. Some species cope well with a dramatic trim.

Killgore Trout

Got a light tube in my landing as it has no windows and it's not great TBH. - more light if we open the doors to the rooms

unclebill98

I avoided light tubes simple cause I've seen them in a friends house. Not nearly enough light from them and there hard enough to clean.

Heatherview

Hi Prosperous Dave
Go for velux and paint your tunnel down to room brilliant white. Velux best option. have seen sun tunnell not impressed.

Heatherview

I have three suntubes into our hallway, they make a huge difference. The thing to remember is that the opening for a suntube is much less than that of a skylight, it's the reflective coating inside the tube that makes the difference.

Some tubes use a flexible duct and these lose a lot of light as the reflective surface is not smooth, we have the rigid pipes these "route" much more light down.

If you go for tubes, get two or three to have the best effect, also they are much easier to retrofit than a skylight.

sue97

Another person who feels sun tubes are waste of money. We have two and one is slightly better then the other but so sorry I did not go for Velux

endplate

I'm building at the moment and the slates are going on. The landing upstairs has a window and a velux side by side window is facing south. Around the corner is a corridor leading to one of the bedrooms and I feel it's going to be dark. I'm planning to install a velux suntube in this corridor. The opening for the suntube will be due south facing and should have pretty much uninterrupted sunlight from early in the morning till late in the afternoon. I'm hoping to get sufficient light from the tube just to take the darkness out of that particular area do you think it'll work?

Ps due to the design of the roof I'd only be able to put a velux window on the north facing window which would be in pretty much in the shade all day long

topcatcbr

I think the velux light tunnels are a better job for light but remember to insulate the sides of the tunnel as this is often over looked it may be best to use a rigid foam backed slab for this.

Check some of the suntube manufactureres websites, they can make tubes as big as a "velux" skylight as well and bring in a similar amount of light.

the important thing is the size of the opening - for the amount of light brought in!

But the skylight with an insulated tunnel with a reflective surface sounds the business!

Mellor

People are being a bit silly.
Saying that a suntube is no good because they take in less light than a velux is silly.
This is obvious. A velux is far far bigger than a subtube. You need to compare a velux with a number of suntube to geta good idea. I imagine they do at least as well.
OP, you will need a number of suntubes to light the room. Or a single velux (i'd prefer a pair of smaller ones.
Lining the tunnel with mirrors wil obviously help, but will look quite tacky.

RKQ

Sun tubes are fine, especially for wardrobes or maybe the end of a corridor, small w.c or dark corner of a room.
They are expected to provide difused light similar to a 40 watt light bulb.
Sun tubes are not designed to light a room. The perspex dome may turn green over time.

The OP should spend a little extra and install a large velux. A velux is a roof window, its designed to flood a space with light.

Insulate the funnel, painting white will be fine. Mirrors are optional, a matter of personal taste. I don't think they will look tacky as they are functional but you might need to clean them every so often, which could be difficult. I don't think the OP will need them.

Also remember that Direct sun during the day will heat up the room.