Middletown, RI Skylights: Roof-Window Skylights Brighten a Coastal Cedar-Shingle Home

Like most Pinnacle projects, the work was completed efficiently — minimizing disruption for the property owner.

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A coastal cedar-shingle home on Beach Road in Middletown had the classic New England look on the outside but darker rooms than the owners wanted within. Pinnacle changed that by installing multiple roof-window skylights, opening the ceilings to the sky and filling the interior with the kind of natural coastal light that Aquidneck Island is known for.

Scope of Work

The crew planned the skylight placement to line up with the rooms below, then framed and prepped each opening for a proper roof-window unit. Every skylight was set with its curb and flashing kit, and the openings were wrapped in ice-and-water shield so the waterproofing is continuous around all four sides. The team layered flashing and underlayment to direct water over and around each unit, then blended the surrounding roof field so the skylights sit clean and true. Inside, the light wells were finished to carry daylight into the living space. Explore our full approach on the Skylights page.

What We Installed (And Why)

This project centers on multiple roof-window skylights installed across the home’s slopes. Grouping several units lets daylight reach more of the interior and creates a dramatic, open feel overhead — a natural fit for a coastal home where light and views are part of the appeal. Each unit was set into a properly prepared opening with its curb and flashing kit so the roof, not sealant, does the work of keeping water out.

The waterproofing detail is what makes multiple skylights a confident choice rather than a gamble. The crew wrapped every opening in ice-and-water shield and stepped the flashing so wind-driven rain and snowmelt are guided over the units and back onto the roof surface. On a home exposed to salt air and coastal storms, that layered, water-managed detail is essential — it is the difference between skylights that stay dry for decades and ones that stain a ceiling after the first hard nor’easter.

Project Photo Gallery

Natural light pours in through the new skylight

Deck-mounted skylight set into the finished roof

Clean skylight flashing detail on the completed roof

Good To Know: Will multiple skylights hold up to coastal weather?

They will, when they are flashed correctly. The key is treating each opening as part of the roof’s waterproofing system — wrapping it in ice-and-water shield and layering step-flashing so water is always directed over and away from the unit. Modern roof-window skylights are built with weather-tight seals and durable glazing, and when they are installed with the right curb and flashing kit, they stand up to the salt air, wind, and rain that come with living near the Rhode Island coast.

Why This Approach Works

Adding several skylights transforms how a home feels, but only if the details are right. Pinnacle’s approach builds the waterproofing into the roof around every opening, so the skylights become a seamless part of the roof system rather than vulnerable holes cut into it. Careful placement matters too: the crew aligned each unit with the rooms below so the daylight lands where it does the most good, and finished the light wells to spread that light rather than trap it. The interior light wells then do what no lamp can — pour changing, natural daylight into the rooms below throughout the day, from soft morning light to the warm tones of a coastal evening. For a cedar-shingle home near the water, it is a way to gain brightness and openness while keeping the roof as weather-tight as ever.

Why Pinnacle

Installing multiple skylights on a coastal home leaves no room for shortcuts, and Pinnacle brings the right qualifications to the job. As a VELUX 5-Star Skylight Specialist, the team is trained in the exact curb, flashing, and ice-and-water detailing that keeps roof-window skylights dry for the long haul. Serving Rhode Island since 2012, Pinnacle holds a 5.0-star Google rating with 100+ five-star Google reviews, an A+ rating with the BBB, and RI Residential License #39446 — the kind of track record that makes cutting several openings in your roof a decision you can feel good about.

Middletown, RI

Middletown sits on Aquidneck Island between Newport and Portsmouth, a coastal community of beaches, farms, and shingle-style homes shaped by ocean light and weather. Skylights are a natural fit here, bringing that famous coastal daylight indoors while the roof keeps the salt air and storms out. Pinnacle is proud to serve homeowners across Middletown.