The Top Window Coverings for Sliding Glass Doors for 2021

You love the open, refreshing look and feel your sliding glass doors provide. Your sliding glass doors give you a direct view outside, which comes in handy for summer get-togethers and keeping an eye on your yard.

The natural light pouring in keeps your home looking bright, airy, and pleasant. But sometimes there’s just too much direct sun, and not enough privacy.

Sliding glass doors have always posed a unique design challenge for homeowners. Light control and privacy can be hard to attain without covering your doors, but you don’t want them inaccessible because of bulky window coverings.

So how do you keep your sliding doors functional, without the drawbacks they sometimes pose?

Your patio doors need a window treatment as unique as they are. Check out these solutions for your home’s sliding doors.

Vertical blinds are a standard ‘go-to’ for sliding glass doors.

We’re all familiar with vertical blinds as sliding door window treatments. And people tend to either love them — or not. But there’s a reason they’re so widely used.

Vertical blinds are exceptionally functional for glass doors, as they give tons of flex and versatility. They’re especially convenient for frequent use of your patio doors, with enough wiggle room to let in the dog should you want to keep the blinds closed. The side-to-side movement keeps your doors functioning, but allows you to use your blinds effectively.

They’re also not as limited as they once were.

You’re probably familiar with the basic, white or off-white vertical blinds. And you might not have fond memories of the cheap versions in your first apartment. But Stoneside has many more options for you to choose from. Patterns, fabrics, textures, and colors can now add even more style to your vertical blinds. Be sure to check out our S’ shaped vertical blinds, which fit together more snugly to maximize privacy and minimize light sneaking in between blinds.

With all these options to choose from, vertical blinds can be the perfect solution for your home.

And while vertical blinds are a great option for any glass sliding door, there are plenty of other options if you’re looking for a different aesthetic.

Hoping for a window covering that isn’t vertical? Use roller shades for a clean, modern look.

2021 has a new glass door hero — roller shades.

Roller shades have taken up the call to become even more versatile than they already are. These shades have almost endless options for materials and colors, and are sleek and modern. Their clean, simple look pairs well with any aesthetic or decor style.

When you look into window coverings for glass doors, or for any window, it’s important to consider the physical limitations of your space. Imagine having to duck under your window treatment as you enter and exit your home. Not super functional.

Roller shades have a slender, thin “stack” that allows them to hang above a doorway in a smaller space than many other window treatments. Which means you can still add privacy and light control to your patio doors even if you’ve got lower ceilings,

Solar shades can block the sun from your sliding glass door, without sacrificing your view.

Solar shades are a subset of roller shades. As such, they have the same classic, streamlined look of other roller shades. They also have that smaller “stack” that won’t keep your friends and family members paranoid they’ll hit their heads each time they walk onto your patio.

However, solar shades have the added benefit of blocking UV rays, managing sunlight, and mitigating heat transference. You’ll be able to enjoy your dining room table without roasting from the afternoon sun or being blinded from the glare. UV rays pose both a health hazard and can take their toll on home furnishings. Solar shades are specifically designed to filter them out and reduce the harmful effects from UV rays.

And solar shades offer a range of opacity, so you can block more or less light depending on your preference. The level of opacity is called the “openness factor” and refers to the tightness of the fabric’s weave used in your shade. At Stoneside, we offer solar shades with 1%, 3%, 5%, 10%, and 14% openness factors, so you can choose how much natural light you’d like to see transferred through your shade.

• A solar shade with an openness factor of 1% is very tightly woven, blocking much of the light (and the view).

• A solar shade with 14% openness, on the other hand, wil preserve your view similar to a window screen, while still blocking many of the UV rays and reducing glare.

• The higher your “openness factor,” the more view you’ll maintain, even through the shade.

If your sliding glass doors have a view you don’t want to give up but get too much sun, solar shades are the obvious choice, allowing you to have the best of both worlds.

I want more privacy, but I have sliding glass doors.

This is a common issue, so don’t stress. Privacy can be a huge issue for any space with lots of windows or glass.

If you’re looking to enjoy your patio doors without being insecure about your home’s privacy, vertical window treatments will be the most effective. Vertical opening window treatments will give you the highest level of privacy, as you can often use your patio doors at the same time. Vertical blinds and vertical cellular shades are both great options that will give you the extra privacy you’re looking for.

If you are considering solar or roller shades instead, try pairing your window coverings with custom drapery.

Custom drapery gives sliding glass doors a polished look.

Custom drapes are gorgeous, luxurious, and eye-catching — nothing polishes off a home design like they do. Custom drapes are the perfect choice for privacy, too.

Stoneside has over 300 different fabric options to choose from, from sheer panels to blackout material. Unlike lightweight curtain panels that come in standard sizes, our drapes are custom made for your exact sliding glass doors, and provide the vertical manipulation you’d get from vertical blinds and vertical cellular shades.

Roller shades and solar shades are great partners for custom drapery. Your roller and solar shades can be used throughout the day, and your custom drapes can be pulled closed during the evening when privacy is more important than accessibility.

Because you’ll likely open and close your patio door often, it’s best to have your drapes end just above the floor, rather than longer and pooled like some styles of drapery. You won’t have to worry about them getting dusty, dragging on the floor, or posing a tripping hazard as you pass through. Your drapes will give you all the privacy you’re looking for, without getting in the way.

I want to maximize my home’s energy efficiency. What would you recommend?

Energy efficiency and eco-friendly spaces are rising in popularity. This is great news, and our recommendations for sliding glass doors will work to help keep your home’s climate in control.

Solar shades with KoolBlack technology have an extremely high heat reflectance, so heat transference into your home will be much lower than with many other options.

Are your heating and cooling costs plunging and sky-rocketing with the seasons? Consider cellular shades. If you’re looking to keep cool in summer and warm in winter, these shades are perfect for your patio doors. This is particularly true if they’re older or drafty.

Lastly, consider layering up with roller shades and drapery for a refined combination and maximum energy efficiency. Your solar shades keep the sun from baking your home in the summertime while drapery keeps the heat in during the winter months. Plus, there’s nothing quite as eye-catching as modern custom drapes on your home.

How can I choose which window coverings will work best for me?

Your patio doors are unique to your home. And your needs, preferences, and design style will all play a role in finding the right solution. Whichever problems you need solved, there’s a window treatment that can help.

Because your home has unique needs, you’ll need to identify your top priorities to choose the right window coverings for your sliding glass doors.

Consider this list of needs:

• Privacy
• Glare Control
• Temperature Control
• Energy Efficiency
• UV Protection
• View

Which of these seems more in line with your goals for your home? If you could have your dream space, what would the result of adding window coverings in your home be?

We’ve covered many options in-depth above. Check out the abbreviated list below to see which shades have the best combination of solutions to transform your home.

Vertical Blinds

• Functionality: get the most function from your window coverings with side sliding capabilities
• Accessibility: access your sliding glass door while your blinds are in use
• Light control: control the amount of light coming through your glass doors

Vertical Cellular Shades

• Functionality: get the most function from your window coverings with side sliding capabilities
• Privacy: optimum coverage for high levels of privacy
• Temperature control: specially designed “honeycombs” for energy efficiency and climate control

Roller Shades

• Modern Simplicity: get a sleek and clean look that pairs well with any aesthetic
• Functionality: very small stack for a horizontal shade — no ducking when entering and exiting
• Light control: choose the right fabrics for the perfect level of light transference

Solar Shades

• UV Protection: protect your loved ones and your home from harmful UV rays
• Glare Control: don’t let the glare from too much light keep you from enjoying your home
• Heat control: keep out the heat with reflective technology
• Keep Your View: high openness shades enable you to enjoy your view without the harsh sunlight

Drapery

• Luxury: refined elegance teaming up with functionality
• Layer: the perfect pairing for solar and roller shades
• Temperature Control: custom drapes fit perfectly over your sliding glass doors, leveling up your energy efficiency
• Privacy: ultimate privacy for your home with high-quality fabrics from floor to ceiling

Your home has its own unique needs, and your window coverings should reflect that.

Our design team has over a decade of experience so you can trust we’ll find the perfect solution for your home. Get help choosing the perfect sliding door solution for your home. Our goal is to give you the exact window coverings for your sliding glass doors — use your space the way it’s meant to be used.

Reach out, and chat with our design team so we can transform your doors into a beautiful, functional part of your home.