New Ways to Window Treatments for Sliding Glass Doors

Finding a window treatment for your sliding glass door can be a little tricky. Because they constantly glide back and forth, it’s difficult to choose which type of window treatment is best to use. The major dilemma is being able to use your sliding glass door, while also having the option to block the sun when needed.
First, there are a few questions you need to answer:

1. How often do you use the sliding glass door? Is it a high traffic area or is it only occasionally used? If the door is a gateway to a porch or backyard, you will want a flexible window treatment that will take its movement into account.
2. Is the sliding glass door in direct sunlight? Do you want to let sunlight in or block it? Some window treatments that are great for blocking the sun are difficult to open when you need to pass through the door quickly.

In the end, it all comes down to two questions. Do I need the sliding glass door to be accessible and do I want to block sunlight?

Here are some great options we came up with:

• Venetian blinds- you can choose vertical or horizontal, but for the easiest flow, vertical venetian blinds are the better choice. You can pull a cord or add the motorization feature to quickly open or shut these blinds.
• Solar film- this option is the least intrusive and very low maintenance. Solar film is a window tint that can even be applied to sliding glass doors. It’s like an invisible window treatment because you can still enjoy the view of your backyard, but Solar Film blocks the radiating sunlight and heat from entering your home.
• Decorative cornice- this type of window treatment is mounted above a window, or in this case sliding glass door. It should not interfere with using the door and also can hide unattractive hardware, making your home look nicer.
• Draperies- it’s not impossible to use draperies or curtains for a sliding glass door. You just have to know which hardware to use. We recommend a traverse rod or grommets that will slide easily with the door. Make sure to invest in higher quality hardware if it will be used frequently. You want to have the draperies completely cover the door, so leave extra fabric on the sides and on top. It’s also important that the drapery panel is hung with at least a 1-inch gap from the floor to avoid bunching on the floor.