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Which Glass Is Best for Skylights?

Image of a glass roof lantern taken from below

When planning a new skylight or roof window, one of the most important questions to ask is, which glass is best for skylights? The answer isn’t one-size-fits-all. Skylight glazing comes in various types, each with unique benefits. 

To choose the best glass for a skylight, you need to consider multiple factors, from safety and strength to thermal efficiency, UV protection, noise reduction, and even maintenance features like self-cleaning coatings. 

In this guide, we’ll break down these key decision factors and compare different types of glass used in skylight applications.

Safety First: Toughened vs laminated glass

Safety should always be the top priority for any overhead glazing. Building regulations in the UK mandate the use of safety glass for skylights, typically requiring a toughened outer pane and either toughened or laminated glass for the inner pane, depending on the skylight’s height above the floor. 

Toughened safety glass is about five times stronger than ordinary annealed glass and, if it does break, it shatters into small granules rather than sharp shards. This makes it a safe choice for the exterior pane, which must withstand impacts from above (e.g. hail or fallen branches). 

Laminated safety glass, on the other hand, consists of two glass layers bonded by a plastic interlayer. If a laminated pane cracks, the interlayer holds the pieces in place. 

For this reason, experts recommend using a laminated inner pane for skylights to prevent any broken glass from falling into the room. In fact, in certain scenarios like skylights above kitchen counters or swimming pools, it’s strongly advised not to use toughened glass alone on the inner layer, as the risk of small glass pieces dropping into food or water is too high.

Thermal efficiency and insulation (double vs triple glazing)

A skylight should fill your space with sunlight, not send your heating bill through the roof. That’s why thermal performance is a key consideration in choosing the best skylight glass. The good news is modern skylights almost always use insulated glazing units, meaning two or more panes of glass with a sealed air gap. 

Double glazing is the standard, providing a significant improvement in insulation over single glass. Many skylight IGUs also feature a Low-E coating on one pane, which reflects heat back into your home in winter and helps keep the interior warmer. 

A soft-coat Low-E treatment combined with an argon gas-filled cavity can give a centre-pane U-value, in other words, it greatly reduces heat loss through the skylight. 

This means your skylight can let in light without letting out too much heat, improving your home’s energy efficiency. For even better insulation, consider triple glazing. A triple-glazed skylight unit adds a third pane and a second air gap, further cutting heat transfer.

Learn more about the differences between double and triple-glazing in our blog.

Solar control and UV protection

Tinted glass

Tinted skylight glass uses subtle colour tones such as grey, bronze, or blue to absorb part of the sun’s energy. This helps reduce glare, limit heat build‑up, and soften bright sunlight without making your room feel dark. A tinted toughened outer pane paired with a Low‑E laminated inner pane can make a big difference to comfort in summer.

Solar control coatings

Neutral solar control coatings are a nearly invisible metallic layer that reflects heat‑carrying infrared radiation while still letting in most natural light. Options like “70/30” glass allow around 70% of daylight in but block roughly 70% of the sun’s heat. This keeps interiors bright but far cooler on sunny days.

UV filtering and fade protection

Laminated glass blocks around 98–99% of UV rays thanks to its PVB interlayer, helping protect furniture, flooring, and artwork from fading. Toughened glass already blocks most UVB and a good portion of UVA, but laminated offers the highest protection. Combining laminated panes with solar control coatings can almost completely eliminate UV penetration.

Noise reduction and acoustic comfort

Laminated glass for sound damping

The interlayer of laminated glass dampens sound vibrations, reducing traffic noise, rain impact noise, and general outdoor sounds. It outperforms standard toughened glass acoustically, making interiors noticeably quieter.

Double vs triple glazing

Double glazing already offers good noise reduction by creating an insulating air gap. Triple glazing adds a second gap and pane, improving comfort even further, though the jump from double to triple is smaller than from single to double.

Acoustic laminated glass

For maximum soundproofing, acoustic laminated glass uses a special interlayer designed specifically to absorb noise. This is ideal for homes near busy roads or in noisy urban areas.

Self-cleaning glass for low maintenance

How self‑cleaning glass works

Self‑cleaning skylight glass has a special transparent coating on the outside. It uses two processes to keep itself cleaner, a photocatalytic reaction with UV sunlight breaks down organic dirt, and a hydrophilic effect causes rainwater to spread evenly across the glass, washing dirt away without leaving streaks.

Learn more about self-cleaning glass in our helpful guide.

Why it’s ideal for skylights

Because skylights are often hard to reach, self‑cleaning glass reduces the need for risky or time‑consuming maintenance. Sunlight and rain do most of the work, keeping your view clearer for longer. It’s especially useful for flat or low‑pitch skylights where water might otherwise pool.

Combining glass types for the best skylight

The best skylight glazing often combines multiple glass technologies to deliver safety, thermal efficiency, UV protection, noise reduction, and easy maintenance all in one unit.

Example: flat roof kitchen extension

A double‑glazed unit with a clear toughened outer pane, laminated inner pane, Low‑E coating, and an optional solar control tint. 

View our flat rooflights and kitchen rooflights.

Example: bedroom loft skylight in a city

A triple‑glazed skylight with a toughened and solar reflective outer pane, Low‑E middle pane, and laminated acoustic inner pane. Reduces glare, keeps rooms comfortable, and cuts city noise.

View our bedroom skylights.

Contact Toughened Glass Systems today

Choosing the right glass for your skylight is much easier when you have an experienced partner to advise you. 

Contact Toughened Glass Systems today to discuss your project and let our team help you select the perfect skylight glass configuration.

We offer a range of rooflights, skylights, and roof windows, including:

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