Opening up Skylights
Entry Improvements


by Lisa VandenDool

 

Finished Lobby Skylight Project. Skylight openings now twice as long.

Finished project: Lobby Skylights.
Previously the openings for these skylights were only half as long. Lengthening the openings has permitted about 60% more light, as well as providing the homeowners with a view of the stars from the upstairs railing.

The entrance of our Cranehill project had two jobs that needed to be done.The first was to patch the existing drywall and repaint.

The second task was to make the openings for the three existing skylights twice as long, allowing more natural light to get in.

The foyer walls had large, unsightly drywall seams that needed to be patched, sanded and repainted.

Scaffolding was set up to do this work as the entrance opened right up to the second floor ceiling, a height of 22 feet.

Before we could start work on the skylights, by cutting into the ceiling, we had to make sure that we were not going to cut into any electrical or structural supports. Cutting back the openings did not pose any support problems, as the skylights ran parallel to the roof trusses .

The old chandelier was taken down and the electrical was used to feed the seven new pot lights that were installed.


Renovation Experts' Contractors set up Scaffolding to Re-plaster the Drywall Seams

Scaffolding was set up in the foyer to fix the drywall seams.

These seams were re-plastered with several coats.

Lobby walls were re-plastered and painted.

After the final skim coats of plaster had dried the walls were given their final sand and were primed. The paint color is called "Tapestry" and was taken from the rich rust colors in the slate.


A higher platform was constructed on top of the Scoffolding in order to reach the ceiling

Once the scaffolding was set up below a higher platform was constructed out of lumber in order to reach the 22 ft ceiling.

A Renovation Experts' Contractor uses a Sawzall to open up the skylights

Each of the three skylights were cut back with a Sawzall by one of Renovation Experts' contractors.


The Skylight openings are now twice as long

The openings for the skylights, once six feet, were made twice as long to allow more light to get into the home.

The three Skylights are shown fully opened

This view is from the railing on the second floor, that overlooks the foyer.

Even before it is finished we can see the improvement.


The new longer Skylight openings are finished and have seven pot lights to punctuate them

The new longer skylight openings were drywalled in, plastered, sanded and painted.
Seven pot lights replace the single fixture that used to illuminate the lobby.

This diagram shows how the skylights were opened up to reveal more light

This diagram shows how the openings were cut back and made longer in order to allow more natural light to filter into the home.
The new openings let in about 60% more light.


We worked on on five projects at this Cranehill home. To read about one of the other home improvements click on one of the following articles:


Heated Slate Floor in the Kitchen
Slate Compass in the Foyer
Custom Built-in Library Shelves
Walk-In Closet


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