Sliding Glass
Vertical Blinds
Vertical blinds are the most functional window blinds for sliding glass doors. Light and privacy is adjusted by individual rotation and fully clear of the doorway by stacking to one side. They are available in vinyl, fabric and PVC in many different colors. Available in custom sizes to fit your door width. Options available for cordless and motorized.
Vertical Drapery Sheers
Sliding glass doors adorned with vertical drapery sheers allow the classy, understated feel of floor length drapes to be used with the convenience of vertical blinds. Sheer fabric panels turn for a beautiful filtration of light and stack clear of the doorway when open. Perfect for living rooms and dining rooms looking to achieve a fabric finish.
Custom Sliding Glass Door Blinds and Shades – Vertical Blinds, Sheer Panels and More for Maryland, Virginia and DC Homes
Most homes have the largest window opening which is the sliding glass door and the most difficult to cover. What they require is a window treatment that slides with the door as opposed to against the door, covers a large area of glass without sagging or gapping, and can be controlled daily for light and privacy without making the door hard to open. Off the shelf treatments are not designed for this challenge. Custom sliding glass door blinds and shades are.
Custom window treatments for sliding glass doors available and installed at BuyHomeBlinds in Maryland, Virginia and Washington DC. Each product is custom-made to fit the width and height of your door opening (not the standard size), to your choice of treatment type, fabric, light control level, stack direction and lift system. Free shipping with all orders. All products are covered by limited lifetime warranty. There is no cost for in-home consultation in the DC metro area.
Shop our sliding glass door treatment options below, order free samples, or call 301-847-7000 to speak with a window treatment specialist today.
WhySliding Glass Doors Require a Different Window Treatment Approach
There are four unique issues that regular window treatments simply can’t resolve when you have a sliding glass door.
Width
Sliding glass doors are commonly 60 to 96 inches wide and the larger patio doors can be 120 inches or more. Standard treatments cannot be used to achieve alignment, seams and gaps for these widths without custom fabrication.
Side-to-Side Operation
A horizontal door with a glass panel that slides open and closed. It is not acceptable for any treatment to fold, roll or swing away from the door panel on a sliding door, as there must be no obstruction from the device to access the door.
Daily Traffic
Sliding glass doors open and close several times a day. The hardware and operating mechanisms need to be durable and functional throughout the treatment.
Glare and Heat
In Maryland and Virginia, sliding glass doors that face the south and west take on a lot of direct sunlight for a lot of time. Heat gain from large glass areas is a major factor in increasing cooling costs – and most conventional solutions can only mitigate the impact.
Knowing these four things is the first step in selecting the right home sliding glass door blinds or shades.
Stack Direction for Sliding Glass Door Blinds: Left, Right, or Split?
When you are in an open position for your treatment, the direction of the vanes will determine which side of your headrail they will pull toward. This is an important detail with sliding glass doors, the treatment should be on the same side as the glass panel, because the doorway will be open when the door is open.
Left Stack: All vanes stack to the left side of the headrail. Correct if the sliding panel is on the left.
Right Stack: All vanes are gathered to the right side of the headrail. Correct if the sliding panel is on the right.
Split Stack: Vanes separate in the middle and then again to both sides. For very wide openings where one direction stack is too deep because of stack-back on one side, or to gain a visual symmetry across the door.
If you select the wrong direction for the stack, your vanes will be blocking the doorway when the door is open. We have in-home professionals to determine the direction your door slides and the stack back depth for each side and let them know where to slide each glass door.
Schedule a complimentary in-home consultation to your home in Maryland, Virginia or DC – the expert measures each of your sliding glass doors and recommends the proper treatment, fabric and stack size.
Room-Specific Sliding Glass Door Treatment Recommendations
Living Room
Sheers are a vertical drapery option which provide a sheer and light cloth for a nice soft, elegant finish that reduces glare without blocking the view. Use split stack for large openings. Integrated with smart home technology.
Dining Room
Vertical drapery sheers to create diffused warm light for evening meals or vertical blinds in a fabric vane for a transitional look. Solar shades on dining room doors facing south with 5% openness.
Bedroom Patio Door
Room Darkening or Blackout vertical blinds – maximum light control and privacy in the primary bedroom. Silent motorized for use in the bedroom. Stack right or left to match with the door.
Basement or Lower Level Sliding Door
Vinyl vertical blinds – weather resistant, washable, and long-lasting in below-grade areas. Blackout room fabric for complete privacy in ground level rooms.
Motorized Sliding Glass Door Blinds and Shades
Motorized window treatments make it the top window treatment for any sliding glass door application. Motorized vertical blind or vertical sheer panel provides hands-free remote operation, wall switch control, smartphone app and smart home voice control – no manual pulling, pushing or threading through a headrail.
Motorized sliding glass door treatments are advised for the following:
- Enlarged and large doors that are more than 96 inches wide where manual operation can be challenging
- Patio door in primary bedroom – silent and effortless operation appreciated
- Homes already equipped with Amazon Alexa, Google Home or Apple HomeKit
- Any installation where open/close schedules need to be programmed as the objective
No hardwiring needed for battery-powered motors, which are rechargeable every 6 to 12 months. All of the motor’s functions are tested and programmed with the remote or smart home integration before we leave your home.
Why Maryland, Virginia, and DC Homeowners Choose BuyHomeBlinds
We are based in Beltsville, MD and provide service throughout the entire Washington DC metro area: Bethesda, Rockville, Silver Spring, Chevy Chase, Potomac, Arlington, Alexandria, Fairfax, Reston, Herndon, McLean, and Washington DC. Each treatment provided for sliding glass doors is custom made to your particular door dimensions and stack direction.
- Custom sizing to exact sliding glass door dimensions on every order
- No minimum order for free shipping
- All products are covered by limited lifetime warranty
- Specialist comes to your door for free diagnosis and samples
- Motorized installation & smart home integration all over MD, VA & DC
- No subcontractors, just our own team of professionals for installation
Contact us today at 301-847-7000, or request a free in-home consultation online.
Frequently Asked Questions About Sliding Glass Door Blinds and Shades
What is the best window treatment for a sliding glass door?
Treatment depends on three things: direction of the door slide, amount of traffic through the door, and light and privacy needs of the room. Vertical blinds are ideal for high traffic doors, as they can be folded to the side, and they won’t obstruct the door opening. Vertical drapery sheers offer a similar function to side stacking but with a fabric finish and are ideal for rooms where a more soft and elegant finish is desired. We evaluate each door individually and will make the best recommendation for the right product.
What are vertical drapery sheers for sliding glass doors?
Vertical drapery sheers are sheer fabric panels which hang vertically from a headrail and move like vertical blinds to filter or block light and roll to the side when the door is open. Vertical sheers, unlike traditional vertical blinds, which come with rigid vinyl or PVC panels, are made of translucent soft fabric that is able to flow like a drapery. These are perfect for dining rooms and living rooms that feature a sliding glass door that you want to draw attention to, and you don’t want a harder window treatment such as vinyl vanes.
What does stack direction mean for sliding door blinds?
When your treatment is in the open position, which side do the vanes stack up on? The stack should be even with the side of the sliding door panel and the door will be clear of the doorway when opened. The left stack goes to the left, right to the right and split to both sides. Our in-home professionals verify the proper specification of each door to assure proper treatment of the opening.
Can sliding glass door blinds be motorized?
Yes. Vertical blinds and vertical drapery sheers for sliding glass doors can be motorized and controlled by a remote control, wall switch, a smartphone app or a smart home voice control which integrates with Amazon Alexa, Google Home and Apple HomeKit. No hardwiring is needed with battery-powered motors. For oversized doors (width greater than 96″) or for primary bedroom patio doors where quiet and easy operation is desired, motorization is recommended.
How do I choose between vinyl vertical blinds and vertical drapery sheers?
Vinyl vertical blinds are the longer lasting and more affordable choice and can be wiped down easily, are moisture resistant, and can be used in high-traffic doors, kitchens and below grade rooms that have higher humidity. Vertical drapery sheers are the style-star feature – they give the same soft look of fabric that comes with drapery, but they are side stacked as opposed to a utility door, and they are great for the living room and dining room, or anywhere the sliding glass door is a design element versus a functional door.
What is the correct outside mount extension for a sliding glass door blind?
For the outside mount (which is best suited to most sliding glass door applications), it should be treated at least 3 to 4 inches past the door frame on either side to be fully covered with no light gaps at the edges. To give the appearance of a higher door and to hide the headrail, the top of the mounting bracket should be placed 3 to 6 inches above the top of the door frame. All our in-home specialists use accurate measuring equipment and ensure the fit of all custom treatments.
Are sliding glass door blinds safe?
Yes. BuyHomeBlinds’ vertical blind and vertical drapery sheer products meet the federal safety standard for window coverings, which bans free-hanging operating cords and tilt cords from all vertical blinds and vertical drapery sheer products sold in the United States, per the ANSI/WCMA A100.1-2022 standard. Compliant products have tilt controls operated with a wand instead of pull cords. The safest set up is motorized since there are no manual controls within easy reach of doors.
Do you install sliding glass door blinds in Maryland, Virginia, and DC?
Yes. Professional installation is provided by BuyHomeBlinds all over Maryland, VA and DC including Bethesda, Rockville, Silver Spring, Arlington, Alexandria, Fairfax, Reston and all surrounding areas in the DC metro area. The installation team is experienced in setting up all hardware, mounting, smart home integration and stack direction. All installations are offered with a limited lifetime warranty. Schedule a complimentary in-home consultation to get started.
Cover Your Sliding Glass Door With a Custom Treatment Built for It
Vertical blinds or vertical drapery sheers – BuyHomeBlinds has the perfect custom sliding glass door blind or shade for every door, room and style in your Maryland, Virginia or Washington DC home. Made to your personalized door size, shipped to you free and with a limited lifetime warranty.
Shop our sliding glass door treatment options above, order free samples today, or call 301-847-7000 to book your free in-home consultation.