What is a Walk On Rooflight and How Does it Work?

There are numerous different types of rooflight available. Each of them is designed to make the most of your space and let in the sunlight using the most practical methods available, whether it is installed on a pitched roof or a flat roof. There is also a type of rooflight available that allows you to make the most of the outside space on your flat roof, as well as providing light below. These are walk on rooflights. But what is a walk on rooflight and how does it work? 

What is a Walk On Rooflight?

Very simply, a walk on rooflight is a rooflight you can walk on! They sit flush to the roof and are designed and manufactured in a manner that makes them strong enough to withstand domestic foot traffic over them on a daily basis. 

They comply with building regulations and loading requirements and offer all the benefits of installing a rooflight for the room above which it stands, without the resident having to restrict their access on top of the flat roof. 

Why Would You Use a Walk On Glass Rooflight? 

If you own a building with little outside space, but you have access to a flat roof, perhaps as part of an extension that has taken up much of the garden, you can use that flat roof as a terrace. In this case, a walk on glass rooflight provides additional light for the room within the flat roofed extension without having to cordon off an area of the terrace above to prevent people stepping on the glass. With a walk on rooflight, it doesn’t matter! 

Additionally, you might opt to build a room in a basement under a patio or garden terrace and need a rooflight to provide natural light. A walk on rooflight means that you do not lose space in your patio or terrace, and it becomes a beautiful feature of the building. 

You can install external walk on rooflights, for terraces and so on, or internal walk on rooflights, distributing the natural light in one room more widely around the home. 

Walk On Rooflight Detail – How Do They Work? 

Walk on glass rooflights do still require an upstand in their installation, which is why they work so well within decking, as that allows them to sit flush with the external flooring. You can also use them with paving or other types of flooring. 

They sit at a one degree angle so that they are flat to the surface, but they still allow the rain to run off them, preventing pooling and problems with dirt, mould, algae and potential leakage. 

Our Flushglaze Fixed Walk On rooflight is independently approved by the British Board of Agrément (BBA). Amongst many areas tested to gain that recommendation, it is acclaimed for its strength and durability. 

You shouldn’t confuse walk on rooflights with non-fragile rooflights. The former are created with the required toughness to withstand people walking on them as you would expect from day-to-day domestic use. Non-fragile rooflights can bear the weight of a person, but are not designed to do so every day and are often used in places where there will be regular cleaning and maintenance, but not frequent foot traffic. 

Walk On Glass Rooflight Maintenance

There is no set time frame for performing cleaning or maintenance inspections on your walk on glass rooflights, but you should check them over at least every six months. However, you should not let too much dirt accumulate if you want to keep them in the best possible condition for as long as possible.

Washing them with warm water and mild detergent will keep them looking good, and all our stock rooflights are supplied with Enduroshield as standard, which is a revolutionary invisible treatment that repels water, soap scum and grime, allowing for easier, less frequent cleaning.

You should check for movement in the frame and movement of the glass, as well as inspecting the seal for cracks. You should always perform these tasks as safely as possible and consider having them carried out by a trained professional. 

Contact Us

If you want more walk on rooflight details, don’t hesitate to contact us. Our friendly team will be more than happy to talk through your requirements with you and recommend the best way forward to transform your home.