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By: Natalie Elmhurst
Updated: 12/30/2025
What do you think when you hear “window treatments for sliding doors?” If you’re like most people, vertical blinds are the first thing that comes to mind. For decades, American homes have sported vertical blinds as the de facto window covering for sliding doors.
While it might seem like you have no other window treatment choices for patio doors, there are more options than you may think. Here’s everything you need to know about popular alternatives to vertical blinds.
We’re all familiar with vertical blinds as sliding door window treatments, and 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.
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:
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? Once you know which factors are most important to you, you can start exploring window treatment ideas for sliding glass doors.
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While vertical blinds are a popular choice for sliding glass doors, this window treatment isn't the only style available. Many other alternatives can be just as functional and aesthetically pleasing.
Here are six alternatives to vertical blinds to consider for your sliding glass doors:
If you're looking for something bold and elegant, consider switching out your window treatments for drapery. Drape panels and wide-width sheer drapery are two reliable options to consider. Drape panels come in 9 different styles and are available in custom lengths and widths, ensuring you get the perfect fit. It's also easy to operate with a basic rod and ring.
Consider wide-width sheer drapery if you're looking for something more light and airy for a spare bedroom. This window treatment has a simple design and is made to be mounted to the ceiling for optimal control.
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.
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, providing the vertical manipulation you would get from vertical blinds and vertical cellular shades.
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 cellular shades are a great option that will give you the extra privacy you’re looking for. This alternative to vertical blinds provides optimal light control and is energy efficient. There are also a variety of opacities, textures, and cell sizes available.
Roman shades are a modern home favorite and a popular window covering for sliding doors. You can also choose to motorize the shades for hands-free operation. Roman shades are available in six styles: flat front, fold, reverse fold, hobbled, and soft. Flat and front flat are the preferred styles for sliding glass doors.
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.
Motorized roller shades are convenient and easy to operate. With a click of a button, you can easily open and close your shades whenever you need. You can also customize your window treatments with different light-filtering and room-darkening fabrics. So, if you want more privacy or control over your sliding glass door, you can line the roller shades with room-darkening fabrics.
Roller shades and solar shades are great partners for custom drapery. Your roller or 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.
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Solar shades are designed to provide UV protection, reduce energy costs, and provide optimal glare control. With this alternative to vertical blinds, you can pick the opening of the material. A looser weave will allow for more light, while solar shades with a tight, dense weave provide more protection from UV rays.
Consider layering up with solar 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 in your home.
If you're looking for something with a more organic texture, woven wood shades are a great option to consider for your sliding glass doors. These window treatments are made with natural, eco-friendly materials like reed, bamboo, grass, paper, and jute. You can choose which weave you want and also have the option to add light-filtering or room-darkening fabric lining. For the best experience, consider top-down motorization on a mounted panel track.
Our design team has over a decade of experience, so you can trust we’ll find the perfect solution for your home. Our goal is to give you the exact window coverings for your sliding glass doors so you can use your space the way it’s meant to be used.
Contact Stoneside today to schedule a free design consultation so we can show you all the great choices in window treatments available for your home.
