Patio door blinds

A window that is also a door

Patio doors bring a lovely feeling of space into a home, but the blinds need to work around people coming and going. We'll help you look at light, privacy and how the door opens so the finished result is as easy to use as it is to look at.

A patio door is wide, tall and in constant use. People open it to let the dog out, carry washing through it and stand at it on the phone. A blind here needs to stay clear of the handle, keep out of the way of feet and still look good when pulled across. Where it fits, it also helps to handle glare, since many patio doors face the garden and the afternoon sun.

Four blind types that usually fit

Vertical blinds

The traditional answer to a wide opening. Vertical blinds are made up of separate vanes that rotate to steer light and draw back to the side when you want to go through. They are forgiving on very wide sliding doors. Our article on the best blinds for patio doors compares the main options in more depth.

Roller blinds

Roller blinds give a smooth, uncluttered look. On a door they may be used as a single wide blind or, on a double door, as two. They suit people who want less stacking at the side than vertical blinds create.

Perfect Fit blinds

On suitable uPVC doors, Perfect Fit blinds sit inside the door frame and move with the door, so the handle and the blind sit happily together. Check Perfect Fit compatibility to see whether your door qualifies.

Day and night blinds

If you want privacy while keeping daylight, day and night blinds offer sheer and solid sections in one blind. They suit a room where the patio door is the main source of light.

What to tell us at the measure

• Whether the door slides, hinges inwards or outwards, or folds, and which side it opens from.
• Where the handle sits and how far it sticks out.
• How much room there is above the frame and beside it for a headrail and stack.
• Whether pets or children use the door and may brush the blind.
• If the door gets strong sun, or if the room needs privacy from a neighbouring window.

Things to keep in mind

It helps to choose a blind that does not hang low enough to be walked on or caught under a door. A roller blind works best where a hinged door will not swing straight into the fabric. Please keep long cords and chains away from a door used by children, and read child safety for what to look for. Sliding, hinged and bifold doors each ask for a different set-up, so one blind will not necessarily suit every door.

Practical tips

1. Measure for the whole door opening, not only the glazed part, if you want the blind to cover the frame.
2. Use a bottom weight or a tie-back fixing, where the range offers one, to prevent a swinging blind.
3. Choose a fabric colour that helps the room, not only the door. See colours and fabrics.
4. If the sun is the issue, sun glare and fading explains what to try.
5. Large blinds are heavy; ask about motorised blinds if you find manual controls awkward.

Book the measure

Doors vary a great deal, so we want to see yours. Book a free measure and we will check the handle, the opening and the space around it, then provide a quotation before you commit.

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