How to Diffuse light from sunroof in Commercial building?

Feb 01, 2010 7 Replies

In a Warehouse that's about 100 feet by 200 feet, I have 4 sunroofs that are 8 foot by 4 foot. Also, each of the sunroofs have a box design that frames each sunroof about 4 feet down. So, when the sun shines through, I get bright sunlight in each area of the warehouse. What material, at a low cost, can I construct/purchase to diffuse the light through the entire warehouse instead of having 4 bright spots on sunny days due to the 4 sunroofs?


Any translucent plastic; for example, those used to diffuse fluorescent fixtures (I'm thinking of the frosted ones). To use those, I'd make two frames each about 8' x 34" with grids so that the plastic can be stapled to the grids. Hang them so they form a "V" below the skylight...the "V" will direct the light toward the sides as well as down.

You could suspend mirros below the shafts to direct the light in whatever specific direction you wish, otherwise dadiOH has a good idea.

I'd take that a step farther, and just use drop ceiling grid material to hold the diffusers, that way you can pop them out if you have to

nate

Most warehouse have stuff shipped in translucent bubble wrap. Some of that, stapled up?

Some office supply places have almost clear, or bumpy plastic to put under office chairs. That might help diffuse.

man, your top-post causing the message you are replying to get stripped off sure gets annoying when doing replies. Either quit top posting, or leave out the '--'

Before you put anything like that near a heat source, take some of it outside, tie it to the top of the swingset, and light the bottom. Plastic of that sort is NOT a good idea fastened to a working light fixture. As a kid, we called them 'zoomies', for the neat sound they made as molten drops fell off.

-- aem sends...

"Shade cloth", available at garden centers, could be stapled around outside or inside of frame. Available in different degrees of light stopping.

OOps, never mind, I lost the part of the thread where it said 'skylights'. But my advice still stands- poly bubble wrap is a dumb thing to hang from the ceiling in a warehouse- it is a fire hazard.

-- aem sends...

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