What Is a Light Tube?

A light tube is a tube which is designed to be installed in a ceiling or wall to allow natural light to pass into a room. Light tubes are also known as light pipes or solar tubes, and they are an increasingly common feature in design and architecture. There are a number of advantages to light tubes, ranging from security to savings on energy bills. Many home supply stores carry light tubes which are ready to be installed, and they can also be custom designed. The most basic light tube design is simply a straight cylinder, capped with a dome on one end and a diffuser on the other. The dome end is pointed outside, allowing the dome to concentrate and collect light so that it can pass down the tube, and the diffuser diffuses the light into the room so that hot spots do not develop. Light tubes can also be bent and lined with reflective materials to pass the light on, and they can have other innovative features as well.  more

A light tube is a tube which is designed to be installed in a ceiling or wall to allow natural light to pass into a room. Light tubes are also known as light pipes or solar tubes, and they are an increasingly common feature in design and architecture. There are a number of advantages to light tubes, ranging from security to savings on energy bills. Many home supply stores carry light tubes which are ready to be installed, and they can also be custom designed. The most basic light tube design is simply a straight cylinder, capped with a dome on one end and a diffuser on the other. The dome end is pointed outside, allowing the dome to concentrate and collect light so that it can pass down the tube, and the diffuser diffuses the light into the room so that hot spots do not develop. Light tubes can also be bent and lined with reflective materials to pass the light on, and they can have other innovative features as well. Light tubes have a number of advantages over skylights, another type ...  more