Patio doors, french doors and wide windows make a great feature in your home, but finding the right blinds, shutters or shades for them can be a bit more complex than for normal windows.
Not only do you need to consider the size of the space, you’ve got to factor in how they look, how they hang, costs, privacy and access too.
In this guide we’ll take you through all the most popular blinds for sliding glass doors, so you can weigh up the pros and cons, and find the best style for your home.
Zero deflection blinds
One of our favourite types of blind for wide windows, sliding glass doors or french doors, is the zero deflection blind.
You may not have heard of these before, but the zero deflection blind is specifically made for big, wide windows. Standard roller blinds aren’t necessarily a great choice for big windows, as you may need to have several side by side (leaving big gaps between them), or if you try to have a single blind, the weight may cause the roller to droop in the middle, making your blinds sag and crease.
But zero deflection blinds have a unique slimline roller specifically designed to stay straight to widths of up to 5 metres, with no sagging, drooping or creases!
So if you have wide windows and want a pristine finish to your blinds, zero deflection blinds may be the best choice for you.
Allusion patio door blinds
One of the newest trends in blinds is a brilliant option for sliding glass doors – allusion blinds.
Allusion blinds are wonderful for French doors, not just because they look amazing, but because their vertical panels aren’t attached by chains like normal vertical blinds.
That means you can actually walk through allusion blinds. So you don’t need to pull them back to access your door!
Allusion blinds are also brilliant for privacy, with a translucent finish that lets in light, without letting anyone see in.
It also makes them great for wide windows that catch a lot of sun. Because allusion blinds are sheer, that means that you can still let light through, whilst keeping the main glare out. This makes them ideal on sunny days.
Roller blinds for patio doors
Roller blinds are one of the most customisable styles of blind, they come in a huge variety of patterns, materials and colours, and you can even include features like blackout fabric or remote control.
But when you’re shopping for roller blinds for large patio doors, the wider your windows, the more difficult it becomes.
Because roller blinds are usually longer than they are wide, there are far more off-the-shelf options for smaller windows and doors.
But if you have large sliding glass doors, finding a roller blind option can become tricky – and even expensive. That’s because the material needs to be produced on a much wider roll if you aim to have one single blind.
Not only that, but the wider your roller blind, the more likely it will sag in the middle, giving you a creased, uneven finish.
One alternative is to have multiple blinds for large windows. This can give you a lot more flexibility with your window shading too, as you can have each blind on an individual roller, so they can be at different lengths whenever you like.
But another option would be to go for a zero deflection roller blind, which comes with a reinforced tube to prevent sagging and dipping.
Roman blinds for patio doors
If you choose roman blinds for sliding doors or French doors you’re likely to run into the same pros and cons as for roller blinds.
Roman blinds offer a similarly large range of choices and styles, and just like roller blinds, become more difficult to source the wider your sliding doors are.
Again, you can choose to have multiple roman blinds at the window to cover the space. But one downside with this option is that you’re likely to have some gapping between blinds, and it becomes essential to have them measured and fit perfectly so these gaps aren’t too wide, overlapping or at an angle.
As such, roman blinds are much better suited to taller windows, where they can fill the entire width.
Perfect fit patio door blinds
One fabulous option when you’re looking for the perfect blinds for your patio doors, is to consider perfect fit patio door blinds. Perfect fit describes how the blinds are installed, not the actual blind type, so these blinds are quick and easy to install and are great to look at too!
Because perfect fit blinds for french doors or bi-fold doors are installed within the actual door frame itself they give complete flexibility, no matter how wide your windows are.
If you choose a perfect fit blind you can have a huge range of different styles including roller, pleated, or venetian blinds for your patio doors. This option really opens up the possibilities for you in terms of blind type.
However, one issue with perfect fit blinds, is that because they sit in the frame of your window, they can cause issues with some sliding glass doors. That’s because the frame of the blinds may stick out enough to prevent the door from sliding properly.
With wide windows and french or bi-fold doors, this isn’t an issue, but if you’ve got sliding patio doors, you’ll need a good blind fitter who can advise you on your options, and make sure you get the blind you need.
External blinds for patio doors
An exciting option to consider for your doors and windows is external blinds for patio doors. These stylish outdoor blinds give an incredible finish to your home, and also provide a great level of insulation.
Doors and windows often loose a lot of heat in the winter – and the opposite when it gets warm! – but external blinds help keep the heat in when it’s cold, and keep the sun off the glass in the summer. Therefore, they’re one of the most eco-friendly options when choosing blinds for your home and are a wonderful alternative to indoor blinds.
Vertical blinds for patio doors
When you’ve got wide windows or sliding glass doors, vertical blinds are a great choice because when it comes to vertical blinds for sliding glass doors you have a choice of vertical vs horizontal blinds – and then often vertical is a much more practical option.
Horizontal blinds are often best for windows, but when it comes to doors they can become a little impractical. In most cases, we think it’s always a good idea to have blinds that move in the same direction as your windows and doors. If they open and close in different directions it can sometimes make things awkward!
One feeling that can sometimes put some people off vertical window or door blinds is that they can feel a little bit like an office. This is mainly because many offices have large expansive windows and the most obvious privacy or shading option is generally vertical blinds!
But today, there are so many modern vertical blinds alternatives giving you a wide choice of styles and colours to ensure you can find something that’s going to look elegant and stylish in any home.
Blinds for gable windows
It’s not just the different types of blind that you need to consider, but your type of windows as well.
Sometimes your large windows aren’t a regular rectangular shape, for example if you have gable end windows. These make a beautiful feature in your home, but can be more complex when it comes to shading.
But triangle blinds are a fantastic option for gable windows, and can be made to fit each pane perfectly. They’re also usually motorised, meaning you can use a remote, your phone or even a smart home hub to control them.
The best blinds for sliding doors
So, when you’re looking for the best patio door blinds ideas for sliding patio doors, our recommendation is to go for simplicity, style and ease of use. In most cases then, vertical blinds or perfect fit blinds are going to be excellent choices.
Vertical blinds are practical, easy to install on extra-wide doors and can give you a great finish in a superb range of fabrics and colours.
Perfect fit blinds open up a whole new range of different options, from roller and roman to concertina blinds. By installing the blinds within your frames it means that every blind is perfectly set to give a ‘perfect’ finish.
For an incredible look that saves energy too, external blinds are the obvious eco choice for a modern, stylish home.
Want to know which blinds are best for your patio doors and windows? Get in touch with us today to get a quote and some free expert advice – and remember – all of our patio door & window blinds come with FREE FITTING for local customers!
