Skylight Blinds in 2026: VELUX, Sun-Tek, and DIY Options Compared

By The Roofing Brief Team. Last reviewed: October 2026.

Skylight blinds cost about $180 to $500 each in October 2026 retail listings: Levolor’s custom blackout cellular skylight shade starts near $188 at Home Depot, and VELUX’s solar room-darkening shades sell for about $369 to $490 depending on the model code and the seller. HomeGuide’s skylight repair cost guide puts replacement blinds at $100 to $250 for manual and $300 to $500 for motorized, materials only. The right pick follows the skylight’s model code (VELUX shades are made per frame size, such as FSCH M08 for a VS, VSE or VSS M08 unit), the room (bedroom room-darkening vs kitchen light-filtering), and whether a control rod can reach it. For the skylight itself, see our skylight installation cost guide.

Short answer: which blind for which job

The selection follows the room, then the skylight brand and model code, then whether you can reach it with a rod (FAKRO’s telescopic rod tops out at 10 feet). Each row below gives the threshold and the product family that matches it.

If your skylight is	Choose	Threshold or reason	Source
Over a bedroom and sleep matters	Room-darkening double-pleated shade (VELUX FSCD, FSCH or FSCC; FAKRO SRF blackout)	VELUX room-darkening fabric has an interior aluminum coating to block direct sun	VELUX pro shades page
Over a kitchen, bath or living room	Light-filtering single-pleated shade (VELUX FSLD for FS units) or FAKRO SRP roller	FAKRO rates the SRP at up to 90% light filtration when closed	FAKRO SRP
Within reach of a rod (about 10 ft of ceiling or less)	Manual blind with a control rod	FAKRO’s SZS rod comes fixed at 20 in or telescopic from 5 to 10 ft	FAKRO SRP page
Higher than a rod reaches, or 3 or more units to group	Solar shade with remote (VELUX solar shades, FAKRO SRP Solar or SRF Solar)	No wiring; VELUX Touch and App Control group several shades on one remote	VELUX 2025 catalog
In a hot, sunny climate	Exterior awning blind (FAKRO SMZ or AMZ solar awning) plus an interior shade	Exterior shading stops heat before it reaches the glass	FAKRO accessories
An older or off-brand frame with no OEM blind	Custom cellular skylight shade on side rails (Levolor, Bali)	Home Depot lists Levolor’s custom blackout cellular skylight shade from about $188	Google Shopping, Oct 19, 2026
A tubular skylight (sun tunnel)	A blockout disc or dimmer for the tube, not a blind	Kennedy’s Blockout Shade attaches to the ceiling trim ring with hook-and-loop tabs	Kennedy instructions

Skylight blind types: cellular, blackout, light-filtering, venetian

Five mechanisms cover the residential skylight blind market. The same fabric or slat type can often be ordered as manual, electric, or solar.

• Cellular (honeycomb) shades: pleated fabric with sealed air pockets. A DOE fact sheet on Oak Ridge National Laboratory tests (October 2021) found cellular shades saved up to 20% on heating energy and up to 15% on total heating and cooling energy versus no shades, measured on windows. VELUX’s room-darkening shade is a double-pleated honeycomb blackout cloth, per its Home Depot listing.
• Pleated shades: single-layer pleated fabric, slimmer and cheaper than cellular. VELUX sells its light-filtering shade as single-pleated (the FSLD for FS units lists near $490 at Arbor), and Bali uses side rails on pleated skylight shades to stop sag.
• Blackout roller shades: opaque fabric on a roller running in side rails. FAKRO’s SRF blackout blind “retracts up and down the side rails stopping at any point along the skylight,” per FAKRO USA.
• Venetian (slat) blinds: aluminum slats that tilt for variable light control. VELUX lists venetian shades for roof windows, covered by its 5-year shade warranty, and Bali builds custom skylight blinds with spring tension so they stretch to fit without sagging.
• Exterior awning blinds: mesh fabric mounted outside, over the glass, blocking solar heat before it reaches the glazing. FAKRO USA sells the SMZ/AMZ awning as a solar blind, covered by FAKRO’s 2-year blind warranty.

Manual vs motorized

Manual blinds use a control rod that hooks into the bottom bar of the blind; you slide it up and down from the floor. FAKRO’s SZS rod comes in a fixed 20-inch version or a telescopic version that adjusts from 5 to 10 feet, which sets a practical ceiling for manual operation. Manual blinds have no battery, motor or remote to replace, and HomeGuide lists them at $100 to $250 for materials.

Motorized blinds put a small motor in the head rail and run from a remote, wall switch, smartphone app, or smart home system. VELUX’s remote line runs from the included remote to the VELUX Touch, App Control and VELUX ACTIVE, and its catalog lists Apple HomeKit and Google Assistant compatibility for the app-based controls. Three power sources:

• Hardwired: a low-voltage cable from a transformer runs to the motor through the skylight shaft. It needs an electrician; HomeGuide lists $100 to $350 to connect an electric skylight.
• Battery (rechargeable): a battery pack in the head rail, recharged by cable. Levolor’s motorized blackout cellular skylight shade listed at about $353 at Home Depot in October 2026.
• Solar-powered: a small panel on the frame charges an internal battery. VELUX’s standard skylight shade is solar, and FAKRO sells SRP Solar and SRF Solar versions.

The motorized premium over manual is about $225 per skylight at the midpoints of HomeGuide’s ranges ($175 manual vs $400 motorized, materials only). For a single skylight a rod can reach, manual is the cheaper answer; for a shade higher than about 10 feet or a room with several units, the remote earns its cost.

Solar-powered options

Solar-powered skylight blinds avoid the electrician bill of a hardwired motor and the recharge cycle of a battery pack. VELUX now fits a white solar-powered room-darkening shade as standard on its venting and fixed Skylight Systems and its QPF self-flashing unit, factory-installed and cycle-tested before shipping, per VELUX’s pro shades page. FAKRO offers SRP Solar (light-filtering) and SRF Solar (blackout) blinds for its deck- and curb-mounted skylights.

What you get with a VELUX solar shade, per the VELUX 2025 residential catalog:

• A factory-paired remote with every shade sold in a Skylight System; electric and solar venting systems also get a pre-paired remote that opens and closes the skylight.
• In-stock solar shades ship in 2 to 4 business days; special-order colors ship in 14 business days.
• No wires through the roof penetration, no transformer in the attic, no electrician. VELUX covers shades and controls for 5 years under its limited warranty effective May 1, 2026.

A federal tax credit is not part of the math for a 2026 purchase. The Residential Clean Energy Credit (Section 25D) was ended by Public Law 119-21 for expenditures made after December 31, 2025, and VELUX states it is unable to certify that any solar powered skylight, accessory, or related installation cost qualifies under 25D. A VELUX FSCH shade listed at $369 costs $369, and 4 of them run about $1,476 at that price. The case for solar over manual rests on reach and convenience, not a credit.

VELUX-branded blinds: the ecosystem

VELUX US sells its skylight shades by frame family, and the shade code tells you which skylight it fits. The table lists the codes that appear in October 2026 retailer listings and the VELUX catalog. Prices are listed retail prices on October 19, 2026, which change often and vary by size.

VELUX shade code	Type	Fits	Listed price, Oct 2026	Source
FSCD	Solar room-darkening, double-pleated	FS fixed deck-mount	About $434 to $455 (Home Depot, Lowe’s, Arbor)	Google Shopping listings
FSCH	Solar room-darkening, double-pleated	VS, VSE and VSS vented deck-mount	About $369 (Lowe’s) to $490 (Ferguson)	Google Shopping listings
FSCC	Solar room-darkening, double-pleated	FCM, VCM, VCE, VCS curb-mount and QPF	About $447 (Lowe’s) to $525 (SolarTown)	Google Shopping listings
FSLD	Solar light-filtering, single-pleated	FS fixed deck-mount	About $490 (Arbor)	Google Shopping listing
Roof window shades	Manual room-darkening, light-filtering or venetian	VELUX roof windows (GDL needs 2 shades)	Dealer quote	VELUX 2025 catalog

The VELUX catalog lists the standard room-darkening color as 1045 White, with special-order colors such as 1155 Beige, 1163 Grey and 1047 Charcoal. Shades are not available for FCM sizes 1430 or 1446 (the 17-1/2 in wide curbs), and an FCM ordered with triple-pane glass cannot take a solar shade, so check those two exceptions before you order.

Sun-Tek blinds

Sun-Tek’s 2026 product catalog lists skylights, tubular kits and accessories but no blind or shade line. Owners of Sun-Tek units (glass or polycarbonate, many self-flashing with a 2:12 minimum slope) fit an aftermarket cellular or pleated skylight shade on side rails, measured to the inside of the skylight well.

With no matching Sun-Tek shade, the aftermarket shade mounts to the drywall well below the skylight frame. Order a shade made for skylights (side rails or tension), not a standard window shade, or it will sag on a sloped ceiling; Bali notes that its skylight cellular and pleated shades use two side rails for exactly that reason.

Kennedy and smaller brand options

Kennedy Skylights, based in Sanford, Florida with a second plant in Phoenix, Arizona per its product brochure, sells a Blockout Shade for its tubular skylights: a disc that attaches to the ceiling trim ring with hook-and-loop tabs and comes out with a telescoping rod, per the Kennedy installation instructions. It darkens a sun tunnel rather than shading a framed skylight.

FAKRO, the Polish maker, sells the SRP roller blind (solar or manual, up to 90% light filtration), the SRF and SRF Solar blackout blinds, the ARF/D for flat-roof windows, and the SMZ/AMZ exterior solar awning, all for its own deck- and curb-mounted skylights. FAKRO’s warranty covers blinds, poles and accessories for 2 years. Wasco has been part of VELUX since VELUX America acquired Wasco Products in 2018, so ask a VELUX Commercial dealer about shades for a Wasco unit.

If your skylight is old enough that its maker no longer lists a matching shade, the aftermarket route in the next section is usually faster than chasing a discontinued part, with custom cellular skylight shades starting near $183 to $188.

DIY and aftermarket blinds

Aftermarket skylight blinds cover two cases: skylights with no OEM blind (older models, off-brand frames, site-built wells) and owners who want a fabric or color the maker does not offer. Prices below are October 19, 2026 Google Shopping listings at the default size shown; larger sizes cost more.

• Levolor Custom Blackout Cellular Skylight Shades: about $188 at Home Depot; the light-filtering version about $183; the motorized blackout version about $353.
• Bali skylight shades: cellular, pleated and spring-tension blinds custom-built for skylights, with two side rails on cellular and pleated versions to stop sag.
• Exterior snap-on covers: EZ Snap lists precut skylight shades from $24.99 and claims they block up to 90% of heat; these no-drill covers snap on outside and are the cheap skylight blind option for a hot room.
• Local blind shops: Hunter Douglas dealers and blind franchises measure and install custom skylight shades, including motorized versions, at a dealer quote.

The aftermarket install is different from an OEM clip-in: brackets or side rails mount to the skylight curb or to the drywall well, then the head rail attaches to them. HomeGuide calls blind replacement a simple DIY job and lists handyman rates at $50 to $80 per hour if you would rather hire it out.

Install difficulty

OEM shades on their own frames are the simplest install. The order of work:

1. Find the skylight model and size code on the frame’s data plate (for VELUX, a code such as VS M08 or FS C06).
2. Order the matching shade code and color, for example FSCH M08 1045 for a white room-darkening shade on a VS M08.
3. Mount the shade to the frame with the parts in the box, following the maker’s sheet for your frame family.
4. Pair the remote on solar or electric models using the maker’s startup sequence; VELUX ships shades in a Skylight System with the remote already paired.
5. Test the full travel, then register the product for the 5-year VELUX or 2-year FAKRO shade warranty.

Aftermarket blinds take longer and need a drill, because the brackets mount to the well. On a deep skylight shaft, decide whether the shade sits up at the glass or down at the ceiling opening before you measure, since the two sizes differ. HomeGuide’s $50 to $80 hourly handyman rate applies if you hire it out. See skylight installation cost for the broader skylight install picture and roof flashing for the rough-in detail.

Cost by type (2026 prices)

The table pairs HomeGuide’s material ranges with specific products listed on October 19, 2026. Listed prices are for the default or smallest size shown by each retailer; a larger shade costs more.

Blind type	Power	Example product	Price	Federal credit (2026)	Source
Any manual skylight blind	Manual	Range	$100 to $250 (materials)	No	HomeGuide
Any motorized skylight blind	Motor	Range	$300 to $500 (materials)	No	HomeGuide
Cellular light-filtering, custom	Manual	Levolor custom skylight shade	About $183	No	Home Depot listing
Cellular blackout, custom	Manual	Levolor custom skylight shade	About $188	No	Home Depot listing
Cellular blackout, custom	Battery motor	Levolor motorized skylight shade	About $353	No	Home Depot listing
Room-darkening, OEM	Solar	VELUX FSCH (VS, VSE, VSS)	About $369 to $490	No	Lowe’s, Home Depot, Ferguson listings
Room-darkening, OEM	Solar	VELUX FSCD (FS)	About $434 to $455	No	Home Depot, Lowe’s, Arbor listings
Light-filtering, OEM	Solar	VELUX FSLD (FS)	About $490	No	Arbor listing
Exterior cover	None	EZ Snap precut skylight shade	From $24.99	No	EZ Snap listing

Energy and comfort impact by blind type

Skylight blinds control light and also cut heat flow through the glass. The figures below come from the maker or agency that published them; none is our own test, and most window-shade research, including the ORNL tests behind DOE’s 20% heating figure, was done on vertical windows, not sloped skylights.

Blind type	Published effect	Who published it
VELUX room-darkening or light-filtering shade	Improves the skylight’s U-factor by 45% and reduces summer solar heat gain by 19%	VELUX pro shades page
VELUX solar shade in a Skylight System	Increases the system’s energy performance by up to 45%, varying by model and size	VELUX 2025 catalog
Cellular shades on windows	Up to 20% heating energy and up to 15% total HVAC energy saved versus no shades	DOE fact sheet, ORNL tests
FAKRO SRP roller blind	Up to 90% light filtration when closed	FAKRO USA
EZ Snap exterior cover	Blocks up to 90% of heat (seller claim)	EZ Snap

To compare two shades on energy, look for the Attachments Energy Rating Council label, which the DOE fact sheet recommends for rated window attachments. An exterior cover plus an interior cellular shade gives two layers of control, which matters most on south- and west-facing skylights in hot climates. Solar heat gain through the glass is one of the trade-offs weighed in our verdict on whether skylights are a bad idea.

When motorized makes sense

The trade-off math for motorization, using sourced reach limits and prices:

• Single skylight a rod can reach (FAKRO’s telescopic rod tops out at 10 feet): manual. HomeGuide’s ranges put the saving near $225 per blind.
• Cathedral ceiling beyond rod reach: motorized, and solar avoids fishing low-voltage wire through finished drywall.
• 3 or more skylights in one room: motorized. VELUX Touch and App Control group skylights and shades so one tap moves them all.
• Bedroom room-darkening adjusted morning and evening: motorized, if the shade is above about 10 feet of rod reach; a blind that is hard to move tends to stay in one position.
• Smart home integration: motorized with app control; the VELUX catalog lists Apple HomeKit and Google Assistant compatibility for its app-based controls.
• Rain protection on a vented unit: VELUX solar and electric venting systems include a rain sensor that closes the skylight at the first sign of rain, with sensors covered for 5 years under VELUX’s controls warranty.

The case against motorization is the warranty clock. VELUX covers shades and controls for 5 years and FAKRO covers blinds, electrical devices and solar parts for 2 years, while a manual rod-operated blind has no motor or battery to fail. HomeGuide lists skylight motor replacement at $350 to $700, a useful benchmark for an out-of-warranty powered part.

Where to buy skylight blinds: dealers and retailers

Skylight blinds reach buyers through four channels, each with different lead time, install support and warranty handling:

• VELUX dealers and installers: sell OEM shades with warranty registration. The VELUX catalog lists 2 to 4 business days for in-stock solar shades, 14 business days for special-order skylight shades, and up to 8 weeks for roof window shades, all under a 5-year shade warranty.
• Home Depot and Lowe’s: list VELUX FSCD, FSCH and FSCC solar shades by size code (about $369 to $455 in October 2026) and Levolor custom skylight shades.
• Online blind retailers: Blinds.com, American Blinds and Blindsgalore sell custom cellular skylight shades in manual and motorized versions for self-install.
• Local blind shops: Hunter Douglas dealers and blind franchises measure and install custom skylight shades at a dealer quote.

Lead time is the main difference by channel:

Channel	What they sell	Lead time	Source
VELUX dealer, in-stock	Solar room-darkening shades in white	2 to 4 business days	VELUX 2025 catalog
VELUX dealer, special order	Other colors and styles	14 business days (skylights); up to 8 weeks (roof windows)	VELUX 2025 catalog
Home Depot, Lowe’s	VELUX FSCD, FSCH, FSCC; Levolor custom	Varies by listing; custom shades are made to order	Retailer listings
FAKRO dealer or FAKRO USA shop	SRP, SRF, ARF/D, SMZ/AMZ	Confirm with seller	FAKRO USA

Sizing and ordering tips

Two specifications drive an OEM order: the skylight model and size code (on the frame’s data plate, such as VS M08) and the color code (1045 is VELUX’s standard white room-darkening fabric). With both, a dealer or a retailer listing can match the exact shade, such as FSCH M08 1045 for a white room-darkening shade on a VS, VSE or VSS M08.

For aftermarket, measure the inside width and height of the skylight opening to the nearest 1/8 inch at several points (top, middle and bottom for width; left and right for height), because older wells are often out of square, and give the smallest numbers to the retailer, which applies its own inside-mount deduction. Confirm whether the shade mounts at the glass or at the ceiling opening before you measure.

Color and fabric:

• White room-darkening (VELUX 1045): the in-stock VELUX color, with the fastest 2 to 4 business day shipping.
• Grey or charcoal (VELUX 1163, 1047): special order, 14 business days; a darker fabric shows less glow on a sunny day.
• Light-filtering fabrics: VELUX’s single-pleated light-filtering shade and FAKRO’s SRP pass diffused light for kitchens and living rooms.
• Energy rating: for aftermarket cellular shades, check for an AERC energy label rather than a generic insulation claim.