Blinds and Shades for Sliding Patio Doors: What Works Best
By Braxton Hatch, TruShade 5 min read
A sliding glass door is often the biggest piece of glass in the house. It brings in great light and a view of the yard, but it can also mean glare on the TV, a cold draft of air off the glass on winter nights, and neighbors who can see right in once the lights are on.
It’s also one of the trickiest openings to cover, because you walk through it every day. Here’s what to think about, the options that tend to work well, and how to avoid the mistakes we see most often.
What makes sliding doors different
- You walk through it. Whatever covers the door has to get fully out of the way quickly, many times a day, without tangling with the handle or the people (and pets) going in and out.
- The handle sticks out. A covering mounted inside the frame or too close to the glass can rub on the handle. Most sliding doors need an outside mount with enough projection to clear it.
- It’s wide and tall. Large coverings are heavier and harder to lift by hand. Size affects which products and lift options make sense.
- Only half of it opens. One panel slides and one is fixed, which opens the door to some useful options, like covering each side on its own.
Options that work well
- Roller shades. A clean, simple choice. A roller shade mounted above the frame rolls up out of the way so the full opening is clear. Light-filtering fabrics soften glare, solar fabrics keep the view, and blackout fabrics work for a door in a bedroom or basement.
- Two shades instead of one. Splitting a wide door into two side-by-side shades, one over the fixed panel and one over the moving panel, keeps each shade lighter and lets you raise just the side you walk through.
- Motorized shades. For big doors, motorization takes the lifting out of it. Raise the shade with a remote, your phone or a schedule, so it’s up before you head out to the patio and down at dusk for privacy.
- Zebra shades. Alternating sheer and solid bands let you shift between a soft view and more privacy without raising the shade at all.
Vertical blinds and sliding panels are other common choices for patio doors. Every door and room is different, so ask our team which options fit your space during your consultation.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Not planning for the handle. Measure how far the handle sticks out and make sure the covering clears it. This is one of the main reasons we measure every door in person.
- Forgetting the stack. When a shade is all the way up, the rolled fabric sits at the top of the door. Mounting it high enough keeps it from cutting into the opening or your view.
- Long cords in a busy doorway. A doorway gets a lot of traffic from kids and pets. Cordless and motorized lift options keep loops and long cords out of the way.
- Choosing on looks alone. Think about when you use the door most. A west-facing slider that gets hot afternoon sun calls for a different fabric than a shaded door off the kitchen.
Matching the rest of the room
Many patio doors sit right next to regular windows. Using the same type of shade and fabric across the door and the windows nearby gives the room a clean, finished look, even if the door gets a different mount or lift option.
During a free in-home consultation, our team measures the door, checks the handle clearance, and brings samples so you can see how different fabrics look against your own glass and light.
Already have a quote?
Send it to us before you sign. With our Price Beat Guarantee, we’ll beat a comparable written quote by $500 on 5+ windows or by $1,000 on 10+ windows. We’ll measure for free, confirm the product match, and give you our price in writing.
Common questions
What is the best window covering for a sliding glass door?
It depends on how you use the door, but roller shades mounted above the frame are a popular pick because they roll fully out of the way. Motorized shades work well on large doors, and zebra shades let you adjust privacy without raising the shade.
Will a shade get in the way of the door handle?
Not if it’s planned for. Most sliding doors use an outside mount set far enough from the glass to clear the handle. We measure the handle depth during the consultation.
Can I use one shade or two on a wide patio door?
Either can work. Two side-by-side shades are lighter to lift and let you raise only the side you walk through, while one shade gives an uninterrupted look.
Can patio door shades be motorized?
Yes. Motorized shades can be raised and lowered by remote, phone or schedule, which is especially handy on large, heavy doors.
