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Skylight
Mounting Types

Columbia manufactures & distributes a range of skylights offering mounting types for every installation.
Curb Mount Skylight Metal Roof
Home / Why Skylights / Curb Mounted or Deck Mounted

The Difference Between Curb Mount & Deck Mount Explained

Skylights are installed using two common methods. Curb Mount is the most popular installation method in North America because of its flexibility. Deck Mount is another high performance option typically used in new built construction.
  • Columbia manufactures skylights designed for Curb Mount and Self Flashing (another industry term for Deck Mount) installation, in Canada.
  • To provide greater choice, Columbia distributes FAKRO premium European skylights, roof windows, and flat roof skylights. FAKRO manufacturers Deck Mount sloped and flat roof skylights, and a premium Curb Mount model.
CURB MOUNT SKYLIGHTS
Curb Mount Skylights Features
Installed on top of a
site built curb.
Features:
  1. A higher curb can raise the skylight above snow and ice build up and prolong the lifespan of the skylight.
  2. Provides a greater glass area, which equals more daylight entering your home.
  3. The curb is site built and supports the weight of the skylight. It is easier to adapt the installation to the specific requirements.
  4. Can be used to replace damaged skylights without rebuilding the curb, flashing and the roofing material around the curb.
  5. Can be used for flat or sloped roofs.
  6. The curb requires integration into the roof system.
DECK MOUNT SKYLIGHTS
Deck Mount Skylights Features
Integrated curb fastened
directly on roof deck.
Features
  1. Lower profile – sits closer to the roof.
  2. Integrated built in curb is part of the skylight.
  3. Mounted on top of the roof surface.
  4. Fasteners attach the skylight to the roof deck.
  5. Requires integration into your roof system.
  6. Ideal for new builds or an entirely new roof.

Columbia And Fakro Logos

 

Columbia & Fakro manufacture Curb Mount & Deck Mount Skylights

Two excellent systems – choose based on your projects requirements.
Both have options for sloped and flat roofs.

  • The Curb Mount system uses a site built curb most commonly constructed out of wood. It allows the skylight to sit higher than Deck Mount, which improves its ability to deal with snow and ice build up common in Northern climates.
  • Curbs can be built at different heights based on the installation requirements, 4”, 6”, 8”, or taller.
  • The Curb Mount installation method can be used on flat or sloped roofs. Suitable for residential and commercial applications.
  • Curb Mount glass skylights installed on a flat roof require a site built sloped curb.
  • Curb Mount allows the installer to adjust to the specific requirement of metal roofs. Such as a metal roof with additional high density insulation that requires a deeper curb.

Residential Sloped Roof Curb Mount Skylights

Columbia VCM Fixed & OCM (Manual or Electric) Venting Curb Mount

Vcm Ocm Venting Curb

Available in glass, acrylic, or polycarbonate.

Vcm Fixed Ocm Curb Thumbnails

Fakro FVC-S Solar Venting
Curb Mount

Fvc S Venting Curb Mount

Fvc S Thumbnails

Commercial Sloped Roof Curb Mount Skylights

Columbia – AOF Aluminum Outside Flashing Curb Mount

Columbia Aof Aluminum Outside

Available in glass, acrylic, or polycarbonate.

Aof Thumbnails

Residential Flat Roof Curb Mount Skylights

Columbia AC VCM Fixed Curb
Mount Acrylic Dome

Ac Vcm Mount Type Cross Section

Available in glass, acrylic, or polycarbonate.

Ac Vcm Thumbnails

Note: For both Residential and Commercial applications, a glass skylight can be installed on a flat roof with the use of a sloped curb (Min 2:12 pitch).

  • Curb Mounted skylights require site built curbs, typically made of wood – the curb sits directly on the roof, fastened to the roof deck. The curb is wrapped in a durable waterproof membrane. The curb is then flashed to the specific needs of the type of roof material – shingles, cedar, high or low profile tiles, or metal. For shingles, cedar, and tile aluminum step flashing is used to seal the installation with the roof, interlocking with the roofing material, allowing water to run off the skylight and onto the roof. The skylight is fastened to the top of the curb.
  • Curb Mount skylights are chosen by installers because they provide flexibility on site, where the installer can adapt to the site situation at hand. And is value proposition; the choice of industry professionals.
  • According to IKO, a major North American manufacturer of roofing materials, “Curb mounted skylights are a superior choice to prevent leaks. They allow for more flexibility in size and can offer more glass area than a deck mounted skylight placed in the same hole.”
  • A curb installation allows installers to accommodate for snow fall and ice build up by increasing the height of the curb. The National Roofing Contractors Association recommends using curbs that are tall enough to allow for a minimum of 4 inches of vertical flashing on all sides. 6”, 8” are typical in Canada. A taller curb can be used to accommodate additional insulation.

Commercial Flat Roof Curb Mount Skylights

Columbia AC AOF Aluminum
Fixed Curb Mount

Ac Aof Aluminum Fixed

Available in acrylic, or polycarbonate.

Ac Aof Thumbnails

Note: For both Residential and Commercial applications, a glass skylight can be installed on a flat roof with the use of a sloped curb (Min 2:12 pitch).

  • Curb Mount skylights provide a greater glass area than a Deck Mounted skylight – providing more natural light.
  • The sides of the curb can be insulated to help retain heat in the home, providing greater energy efficiency and cost saving.
  • A Curb Mount installation allows customers to use a glass skylight on a flat roof, (including ENERGY STAR® certified glass). The curb is built with a slight slope (Min 2:12 pitch), allowing water to run off the flat glass surface. An acrylic dome skylight does not need a sloped curb because the dome provides drainage.
  • Curb Mounted skylights are the better choice when specifying a custom size, as they can be built to an exact size. Columbia can manufacture a custom skylight in as little as 2 – 3 weeks.
  • A Curb Mount skylight’s interior frame is PVC or aluminum. PVC is durable, long lasting and provides a good thermal barrier. Aluminum is used for larger sizes to maintain rigidity and strength. It too is thermally broken.
  • All Columbia skylights incorporate an internal base frame with an integrated 4 sided condensation gutter to collect moisture caused by Canada’s extreme weather conditions.
Columbia Skylights
FAKRO Skylights
  • Deck Mounted skylights are designed and manufactured with the curb as an integrated component of the skylight. The integrated curb sits directly on the roof deck.
  • Columbia and FAKRO Deck Mounted skylights can be broken down into different types.
Types
  1. Columbia Self Flashing – includes integrated curb and flashing (VSF, OVSF, and ASF for sloped roof applications)
  2. FAKRO wood deck mounted skylights for sloped roof applications – includes built in wood curb.
  3. FAKRO flat roof deck mount skylights – includes built in PVC curb.

Columbia Commercial & Residential Self Flashing (Deck Mount)

Columbia’s Deck Mount skylights are known in the industry as Self Flashing.
Columbia VSF Fixed & OSF (Manual or Electric) Venting Self Flashing

Vsf Osf Venting Self Flashing

Available in glass, acrylic, or polycarbonate.

Vsf Osf Thumbnails

  • A Deck Mounted (self flashing) skylight sits lower on the roof deck creating a sleeker look, because the curb is part of the skylight – the skylight and the curb are one unit.
  • The Deck Mount (self flashing) skylight’s lower curb is more energy efficient because the skylight ‘hugs’ the roof, there is less curb where energy can escape. Curb Mount installation can be clad with high density foam insulation to increase the energy efficiency.
Columbia ASF Aluminum
Self Flashing

Asf Self Flashing

Available in glass, acrylic, or polycarbonate.

Asf Thumbnails

  • Columbia Self Flashing skylights can be installed by a ‘do-it-yourselfer’, as the large flange is easier to attach to the roof deck and integrate into your asphalt shingles.
  • The exterior flange is made of extruded painted aluminum and the integrated curb is made of PVC or aluminum. The flange sits on the roof surface (deck) and is attached by fasteners. It is necessary to apply roof material to seal skylight to roof deck.
  • Self Flashing skylights are ideal for new construction because the preparation is easier and less time consuming.
  • Self Flashing skylights are only suitable for a shingled roof with Min 3:12 slope.

Fakro Deck mount Skylights

FAKRO produces residential skylights for sloped roofs, and flat roof skylights for residential and commercial applications.
FAKRO Sloped Roof Wood
Deck Mount Skylights

Fakro Sloped Roof Wood Deck Mount

Fakro Sloped Roof Thumbnails

Available on FVS Solar Venting, FVE Electric Venting, FV Manual Venting, FX Fixed, FTP-V Centre Pivot, FPP-V Top Hung & Pivot, FTT Centre Pivot Thermal, FWU Roof Access, & FGH-V Balcony

  • A FAKRO Deck Mount skylight should be installed by an experienced roofing professional. The skylight needs to be precisely fitted to the roof opening, and correctly attached and flashed.
  • FAKRO Deck Mount sloped roof skylights require the use of FAKRO’s exclusive flashing systems – options for low and high profile roofing materials, including a thermally insulated option.
  • Fakro Wood Frame Corner ThumbFAKRO Deck Mount sloped wood frame skylights can be installed by a single experienced professional because of FAKRO’s exclusive alignment pins that hold the skylight exactly in place during installation.
  • FAKRO flashing for sloped roof installations is made of painted aluminum sections, that step overlap each other and interlock with the roofing shingles similar to the Curb Mount flashing.
  • FAKRO Deck Mount skylights require the roof surface and the integrated curb to be lined with waterproof membrane.
  • Deck Mount skylights are ideal for new construction because the preparation is easier and less time consuming.
FAKRO Flat Roof Deck
Mounted Skylights

Fakro Flat Roof Deck Mounted

Flat Roof Deck Mount Thumbnails

Available on DEF Solar Venting, DEF Electric Venting, DMF Manual Venting, DXF Fixed Skylight

  • FAKRO’s Deck Mounted flat roof skylights have an integrated PVC curb.
  • FAKRO Deck Mount flat roof skylights need to be wrapped in waterproof membrane and correctly integrated into the roofing material (EPDM, 2 Ply SBS, Single Ply, Tar and Gravel, and Green Roof).
  • A FAKRO Deck Mount skylight should be installed by an experienced roofing professional. The skylight needs to be precisely fitted to the roof opening, and correctly attached and flashed.
  • Deck Mount skylights are ideal for new construction because the preparation is easier and less time consuming.
FAKRO DRF Flat Roof
Access Skylight

Drf Flat Roof Access

Drf Thumbnails

  • FAKRO’s Deck Mounted flat roof skylights have an integrated PVC curb.
  • FAKRO Deck Mount flat roof skylights need to be wrapped in waterproof membrane and correctly integrated into the roofing material (EPDM, 2 Ply SBS, Single Ply, Tar and Gravel, and Green Roof).
  • A FAKRO Deck Mount skylight should be installed by an experienced roofing professional. The skylight needs to be precisely fitted to the roof opening, and correctly attached and flashed.
  • Deck Mount skylights are ideal for new construction because the preparation is easier and less time consuming.
FAKRO DXW Flat Walkable
SKylight

Dxw Flat Walkable Mount

Dxw Thumbnails

  • FAKRO’s Deck Mounted flat roof skylights have an integrated PVC curb.
  • FAKRO Deck Mount flat roof skylights need to be wrapped in waterproof membrane and correctly integrated into the roofing material (EPDM, 2 Ply SBS, Single Ply, Tar and Gravel, and Green Roof).
  • A FAKRO Deck Mount skylight should be installed by an experienced roofing professional. The skylight needs to be precisely fitted to the roof opening, and correctly attached and flashed.
  • Deck Mount skylights are ideal for new construction because the preparation is easier and less time consuming. They are also incorporated into projects.
Columbia Skylights
FAKRO Skylights