Rooflights vs Roof Lanterns: What’s the Difference?
What is the difference between a rooflight and roof lantern?
Natural light has a powerful effect on how a home looks and feels. Whether you’re extending your kitchen, remodelling a living space, or upgrading an older flat roof, the right glazing choice can transform even the darkest corners of your home. Roof glazing doesn’t just brighten a room – it adds a sense of openness, calm and connection to the outdoors.
But what’s the right option for your project? How do you choose between a flat roof rooflight installation and a roof lantern – two very different solutions that serve similar goals? Let’s break down the key differences to help you decide which will work best in your space.
Stand out with a roof lantern
A roof lantern is a raised, multi-pane glazed structure that projects above the roof surface, creating a three-dimensional feature. It lets in loads of natural light and adds a real sense of height and space – perfect for vaulted ceilings or open-plan rooms where you want to make a bit of a statement.
Roof lanterns bring volume and height to a room, and although they can sometimes fall within permitted development rules, they’re more visible from the outside and may require planning permission, depending on your location and roof height.
The key difference? Where flat roof skylights tend to blend in, roof lanterns stand out.
Rooflights: Minimal look, maximum impact
If your priority is a clean, minimal look and maximum light without disrupting your home’s exterior design, a rooflight is likely the better choice. SILKA Rooflights are known for their frameless internal appearance, ultra-slim sightlines, and the ability to be configured in larger or modular installations for dramatic effect.
Both roof lanterns rooflight options allow light to pour into the centre of your home – but only rooflights provide that low, streamlined visual impact from both inside and out.
Why choose a SILKA Rooflight?
Every SILKA Rooflight is engineered for clarity, comfort and design-led performance. With triple glazing, minimal internal framing, and a durable bonded construction, they offer:
- A frameless view from inside, with the sky as your ceiling
- Triple-glazed glass with warm-edge technology
- Sizes up to 3m² per unit, allowing for large-scale impact
- Built for flat roofs with a pitch of 0–15 degrees
- Low-profile fibreglass high strength frames finished with a smart black ceramic border around the glass – not just for a super sleek look, but to protect the edges from UV damage
Whether you’re creating a light-filled kitchen extension or upgrading an older flat roof, SILKA Rooflights help you make more of every square metre.
Designed by experts, made to last
With 30 years of experience in glazing design and manufacturing, SILKA delivers expertly engineered Aluminium Windows, Aluminium Doors and Rooflights, backed by hands-on technical support.
Looking for more glazing or home renovation guidance? Check out these helpful reads from our advice hub:
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