Daylight Direct

10/03/2026

Why are flexible sun tunnels not as good as rigid Solatubes?

I am frequently asked to replace flexible sun tunnel systems with rigid Solatubes, because flexi tube systems just don't deliver very much light. Here is yet another good example where you can see the difference, when I was asked to replace a Velux flexi tube sun tunnel with a rigid Solatube one.

You don't need to be a scientist to understand why this is. Daylight trying to reflect down a scrunched up, foil tube is bounced and diffracted in lots of different directions, consequently loosing much of the brightness by the time it reaches the end of the tube in the room below. Whereas the vast majority of daylight reflected down a rigid Solatube bounces smoothly down to reach the room below. It's just physics, not a sales pitch, and you can see the difference for yourself.

Find out more here https://www.daylightdirect.co.uk

Contact Daylight Direct for Solatube sun tunnel supply and installation in the south west, covering Somerset, Devon, Cornwall, Dorset, Bournemouth, Christchurch, The New Forest, Andover and Basingstoke, Wiltshire, Bath, Bristol, Gloucester, Monmouth and Newport.

21/11/2025

This tubular skylight pipes daylight in to a kitchen where a solid-roof conservatory has stolen all the daylight.

So many people are fitting solid roofs to their conservatories these days to avoid the heat build up when it’s sunny and keep the warmth in when it's cold, but the consequence is that the room behind becomes very dark.

This is just what happened to this customers' kitchen. Fortunately, a simple and cost effective solution is to install a Solatube sun tunnel, tubular skylight, or sun pipe. This video shows just how bright the daylight is that's piped down a Solatube sun tunnel, through highly reflective tubes, from a clear dome on the roof.

Solatube sun tunnels are incredibly simple, amazingly effective and affordable, particularly at lighting up dark or windowless rooms during the day, just like a window or skylight would, if you were able to fit one. A Solatube is therefore an alternative to a window or skylight, providing daylight inside during the day; although you'll still need your electric lights when it's dark outside, as you would with a window or skylight.

The typical cost of a Solatube sun tunnel is between £900 and £1,400 inc VAT, supplied and fitted. More here https://www.daylightdirect.co.uk/pricing/

Contact Daylight Direct for Solatube sun tunnel installation in Somerset, Devon, Cornwall, Dorset, Bournemouth, Christchurch, The New Forest, Andover and Basingstoke, Wiltshire, Bath, Bristol, S Gloucestershire, Monmouth and Newport.

07/11/2025

A great explanation of how a Solatube sun tunnel works.

04/11/2025

Landing and hallway too dark?
Wondering how to get daylight inside?

A sun pipe or sun tunnel is the modern solution that pipes bright daylight inside to light up dark rooms and interiors.

No wires, electrics, batteries or panels, just daylight piped down a highly reflective, rigid tube from a clear dome on your roof; and they are very bright indeed, far exceeding most people's expectations and capable of lighting up a whole room.
This dark, windowless landing is now lit by a single, standard size Solatube 290DS.

Daylighting solutions for dark rooms - find out more https://www.daylightdirect.co.uk

Contact Daylight Direct for Solatube sun tunnel supply and installation in the south west, covering Somerset, Devon, Cornwall, Dorset, Bournemouth, Christchurch, The New Forest, Andover and Basingstoke, Wiltshire, Bath, Bristol, Gloucester, Monmouth and Newport.

27/10/2025

The power of light is amazing, especially the way in which it lifts our spirits and boosts our energy levels.
I recently completed a wonderful climb up to the Glydders in Snowdonia with a few family and friends. At the start, all was fog and cloud cover and we all just plodded on, feeling a little bit glum. But then we broke through to this beautiful cloud inversion; we were surround by daylight and sunshine in solid blue skies, standing above the clouds looking across to the few peaks poking through.

What a stunning sight and so uplifting for all of us. In fact, the few other climbers that had made it up at that time were similarly in joyful and elated moods; happy to talk and chat freely whilst enjoying the massive boost we’d all been given by the sunshine.

A Solatube sun tunnel that pipes daylight into dark rooms can’t quite achieve the same levels of euphoria as this cloud inversion, but they certainly help bring light in to many peoples homes and lives.

23/10/2025

Insulated conservatory roof makes rooms dark.....Solatube sun tunnels make them light again!

So many people are fitting solid roofs to their conservatories these days to avoid the heat build up when it’s sunny and keep the warmth in when it's cold; but the consequence is that the room behind becomes very dark.

This is just what happened to this customers' kitchen. Fortunately, a simple and cost effective solution is to install a Solatube sun tunnel or sun pipe, that pipes bright daylight down a highly reflective tube, from a clear dome on the roof.

If you are wondering what is the average cost of a sun tunnel then find out more here https://www.daylightdirect.co.uk/pricing/

Contact Daylight Direct for Solatube sun tunnel installation in Somerset, Devon, Cornwall, Dorset, Bournemouth, Christchurch, The New Forest, Andover and Basingstoke, Wiltshire, Bath, Bristol, Gloucester, Monmouth and Newport.

20/10/2025

Another cracking example of how you can pipe bright daylight down a highly reflective tube to light up a dark living room in Somerset.
This bungalow living room was far too dark, ever since the conservatory/sun room was added on at the back.
Fortunately, a Solatube sun tunnel installation allows you to introduce daylight where windows and roof lights can't go. They are incredibly simple and effective, with bright daylight piped down a highly reflective tube, from a clear dome on the roof down to the ceiling below; the amount of light they deliver exceeds most people's expectations.
Whether it's for a home renovation or a commercial project, Solatubes delivers high-performance daylighting — without the hassle.
Sun tunnel installation typically takes just 3-4 hours, but does not cause too much mess or interference as we put dust sheets down and clean and tidy up afterwards. Prices for sun tunnel installation are typically between £950 to £1,400 inc VAT.
Contact Daylight Direct for Solatube sun tunnel supply and installation in the south west, covering Somerset, Devon, Cornwall, Dorset, Bournemouth, Christchurch, The New Forest, Andover and Basingstoke, Wiltshire, Bath, Bristol, Gloucester, Monmouth and Newport.

14/10/2025

No windows or daylight in your dark home office or work space?

Pipe in the brightest daylight with a Solatube sun tunnel or tubular skylight – it’s daylight piped down a highly reflective tube from a clear dome on your roof.

Simple and quick to install in around 4 hours and extremely cost effective – typicalyl between £1,000 to £1,500 inc VAT for sun tunnel supply and installation.

A Solatube sun tunnel really is the best and most effective and efficient way to bring in more natural daylight, but without the maintenance, or heat loss/solar gain that often comes with roof windows.

For the best natural lighting solution for a windowless room or other dark areas in your home, find out more here https://www.daylightdirect.co.uk/

10/09/2025

If you are wondering whether sun tunnels are any good, then just see how much light a Solatube sun tunnel lets in to this large kitchen.

Many people, including builders and architects, are usually just not aware of how well a Solatube sun tunnel outperforms a Velux style roof window with a lightwell.

To deliver as much light as these two 350mm dia Solatubes, you would need to install much bigger Velux windows - at least 4 or 5 times the size. That would entail the cutting of structural timbers and the creation of a long plasterboard light well beneath each Velux style window, to get the light down from the roof, through the loft space and to the kitchen ceiling below. That's a lot of cost and a lot of time, plus plastering and decorating, whilst also reducing the thermal efficiency of your home.

A Solatube sun tunnel is specifically designed to deliver daylight down from a clear dome on the roof, through a highly reflective tube, straight in to the room below. A Velux style window was never designed to achieve this - it's just the wrong solution.

The Solatube sun tunnel can be installed in a matter of a few hours, requires no cutting of structural timbers, re-plastering or decorating and is consequently a far more cost effective solution too.

Just make sure that the sun tunnel system you choose:
Uses a rigid, highly reflective tube that reflect around 99.7% of the daylight, and not a flexible tube that will deliver between 5 and 10 times LESS light.
Uses a clear dome on the roof that incorporates a Fresnel lens to maximise daylight capture, and not a flat glass collector which is unable to gather anywhere near as much daylight.

Whether it's for a home renovation or a commercial project, Solatube sun tunnels deliver high-performance daylighting , without the hassle.

If you're exploring options, or just curious about how it works, I’m always happy to chat - 07989 976 010 or www.daylightdirect.co.uk

05/08/2025

Great way to see how a Solatube sun tunnel runs down from the underside of the roof using rigid, highly reflective tubing, through the roof space and in to the landing below.
It's why a Solatube sun tunnel installation is recommended, over a traditional Velux style roof window with a light well beneath it.

https://youtube.com/shorts/w-ayGgCIEyE

Are sun tunnels any good? Find out more here www.daylightdirect.co.uk

Great way to see how the Solatube runs down from the underside of the roof using rigid, highly reflective tubing, through the roof space and in to the landin...

04/08/2025

Introduce daylight where windows and roof lights can't go, and light up those dark rooms with a tubular skylight, piping bright daylight down a highly reflective tube, from a clear dome on the roof down to the ceiling below.

These dark, windowless landings and stairwells in Plymouth and Tewkesbury were ideal candidates for the installation of a Solatube sun tunnel, and as you can see it's a great way to get daylight inside.

• A Solatube sun tunnel requires no messy and time-consuming building works or structural changes, that roof lights and Velux style windows require.
• Solatube sun tunnel installation is usually completed in 3-4 hours with next to no mess.
• A fully installed Solatube sun tunnel costs between £1,000 to £1,400 inc VAT; that's much less than a fully installed Velux style window with associated light well beneath it, plus it's completed in a fraction of the time.
• It's far smaller than a Velux style roof window yet delivers just as much light.
• It's small size also makes it far more thermally efficient - negligible heat loss during the winter, and heat gain during the summer.
• Plus, you don't need planning permission for a Solatube sun tunnel

Find out more here https://www.daylightdirect.co.uk

Contact Daylight Direct for Solatube sun tunnel supply and installation in the south west, covering Somerset, Devon, Cornwall, Dorset, Bournemouth, Christchurch, The New Forest, Andover and Basingstoke, Wiltshire, Bath, Bristol, Gloucester, Monmouth and Newport.