Blinds on Sliding Doors

I see this question a lot on home renovating blogs and Facebook groups.  Most people are clear about the rest of the house but when it comes to sliding doors what are the options?

What sort of blind should I put on a sliding door?

Let's start with some questions?

1. Is it a "high traffic" sliding door?
2. Are you in and out of it all day to the Pool? Is it your front entrance area, or the main access to the living area?  Or is it off a bedroom onto a balcony that you NEVER use?
3. Will the blinds be mainly open during the day and closed at night?
4. Is there a privacy issue that you need it closed most of the time?
5. Do you have a view that you don't want to block?
6. Is it a hot window that get's the morning sun or afternoon sun and heats up the house?

Now we've thought about it and decided the function it needs to provide, let's chat about the options.

Myth #1 - My sliding door is too big for a blind.

Many custom roller blind fabrics can span as wide as 3 metres. Most sliding doors are 2400mm wide with 2 sliding glass panels, so a custom-made roller blind would work fine. If the sliding door is wider than that we can put two blinds next to each other. This often works really well, especially in high traffic areas. You can keep the side you are in and out of a lot up and open and keep the other side down.  At night or when not in use you can put them both down. The area where they but together can be where the windows join, so minimal light will come in.

Myth #2 - My only choice is verticals blinds and I hate them!

Well, we only do sexy vertical blinds, so you won't hate ours. But seriously, Vertical blinds have changed A LOT. The vertical blind fabrics these days are stunning. Patterns, textures and an amazing array of colours to suit any home décor. Love them or hate them they are still one of the most versatile blinds for a sliding door. They can slide and stack left or right, open from the centre or close into the centre (centre stack). They can be tilted to let some light in, control privacy, or closed completely for privacy. They can be controlled with a wand to also eliminate any child safety issues with dangling cords. And the best part is they can go to 5.5metres wide in 1 blind.

Myth #3 - I'm really limited with choices. My house is full of sliding doors.

We've put together a list of the top 6 choices and what is good about each option. Here is a list of the types of window furnishings blinds you can put on a sliding door.

6 of the best options:

1. Roller blinds

Can span up to 3000mm in 1 blind, or butt two together. Great for high traffic areas and privacy. Huge range of colours, fabrics and textures.

Screen rollers. Bricos

2. Vertical Blinds

Many roller blind fabrics AND vertical fabrics can match each other.  It is ok to do some of the windows in the room with a roller blind and the sliding door with a vertical blind in the same fabric. Vertical blinds can span up to 5.5metres. They do look nice over a sliding door with a Pelmet as well.

Image 1: Vertical. Louvolite fabric. Banbury-Parchment. chains on.
Image 2: Vertical blind with linear pelmet over top
Image 3: Chatsworth Verticals Louvolite.

3. Verishade

Not that new, but if you haven’t bought blinds for a while, they will be new to you.  The Verishade, is a stylish cross between a curtain and a vertical.  Can span as wide as 6 metres.

It offers the versatility of a vertical.  You can slide it one way or the other, or tilt it to let more light in. Each drape is covered in a sheer curtain type fabric. It allows the Verishade to have a soft drapey like look.  Yes, they can be motorised.

4. Curtains

A large sliding door or stacker doors can looks stunning with a wall of curtains covering it. A sheer curtain can blow gently in a breeze and soften the look. Alternatively with a large expanse of glass you could cover it with a thick blockout curtain for better insulation.  Curtains can be motorised, and travel around corners!

5. Panel Blinds

One of the more modern looks on a sliding door. Large pieces of fabric that slide along tracks. Can be anywhere from 400mm to 900mm of fabric. Can span up to 5.5m. Huge range of fabrics and controlled by a wand. Not ideal in high traffic areas unless you leave them open during the busy time and close them at night.

Image 1: Panel blinds. blockout. sliding door.
Image 2: Motorised Linked blockout blinds.

6. Plantation Shutters 

The width is not a problem with Plantation Shutters. The biggest issue is high traffic and the space they take up on a sliding door. Your two options are sliding OPEN or sliding CLOSED. Sliding open will take up more room. Sliding closed will mean being extra careful. When there are several panels of sliding plantation shutters, they do encroach into the room and take up more space than most other window furnishings.  Plantation Shutters work best on sliding doors when the whole room is Plantation Shutter and you are going for a seamless look. They are not ideal in high traffic areas.

7. Venetian Blinds

Whilst custom made Timber look Venetian blinds CAN span 2700mm this would be a heavy blind to operate up and down. It would be fine with tilting. If you want a Venetian blind on a sliding door, it may be best to split them into 2 panels and have one up for the high traffic areas. Venetians look great alongside Plantation Shutters and are versatile enough to control light and privacy.

8. Roman blinds

Most span to 2500mm with a few exceptions. Better for no traffic or low traffic areas. Look equally as nice up or down as they give a soft look to a room.

Roman Blind with Battons.

Contact Premier Shades to organise a Free In Home Measure and Quote.

Call us on (02) 4324 8800 or you can come and see our Blinds, Awning and Shutter showroom at Wyoming on the Central Coast & inside JBA Carpet Court Hornsby.