POINTS TO PONDER
WHEN YOU REQIRE SLIDING DOOR BLINDS
Blinds are versatile and accommodating for all window openings, but what do we do when you need Sliding Door Blinds? The good news is that there are myriad options to cover your sliding door as well!
Have a look below when you’re trying to determine the best blind for your sliding or stacking door.
STACKING AND SLIDING
It doesn’t matter what you call it. If it opens, it’s a door! Doors are generally larger than windows and need to be readily accessed. This means that whatever blind you choose, you need the blind to be able to be operated easily and swiftly.
Whether the door slides or stacks concertina makes a difference in the type of blind that will be best for you. A sliding door is generally not as wide as a stacking door. The wider the door opening, the more factors the customer needs to think about when choosing a blind. For instance, some blinds can be manufactured to larger widths than others.
A sliding door always has a fixed panel which means a shutter or panel blind are excellent options. However for a stacking door, the customer might not enjoy some of the open space being taken up by a blind. Have a look below at the options to determine what might work best for you.
BEST BLIND OPTIONS FOR SLIDING DOOR BLINDS
Without a doubt, Roller Blinds, Panel Blinds, Vertical Blinds, or Shutters are all the best options for sliding door blinds.
ROLLER BLINDS FOR SLIDING DOORS
Many customers find a roller blind to be a reliable and efficient choice. A roller blind doesn’t take up any room space when rolled up, which is appealing to a minimalist decor. Roller blinds are easy to manoeuvre, durable, and available in a large range of colors and fabrics.
With sheerweave, light filtering, or blockout ranges, roller blinds are a practical solution to a sliding door in any room of your home.
PANEL BLINDS FOR SLIDING DOORS
Panel Blinds are also a great option as panels stack up one behind the other, to one or both sides. Some customers don’t like the fact that there is always some room taken up by the panels. For a sliding door that takes up an entire wall space, this might not be the best option for you.
These blinds are very easy to operate. They slide effortlessly with a cord (or motorized option) to reveal as much or little of the sliding door as you want.
Panel Blinds are available in many materials from sheerweave, to light filtering, to blockout. Colors and patterns are almost limitless as well.
VERTICAL BLINDS FOR SLIDING DOORS
Vertical Blinds are practical for large window openings like sliding doors. These blinds easily glide to the side and take up very little space when stacked. They offer versatility in that they slide or tilt. This means depending on the time of day, the light can be filtered effectively into the room as desired.
Depending on where the customer would like the Vertical Blind to sit (in the window vs. outside), there are options for 90mm or 127mm. Slats. This means that in limited reveal space, the 90mm. Slat is a better choice if you’d like the blinds to be recessed.
Some customers find the chain at the bottom to be cumbersome. In an office setting Vertical Blinds are a cost effective choice but they might require more maintenance than other options. This depends on how the blinds are treated and if they are operated properly.
As they are available in a range of colors and fabrics, there is definitely an option that will suit your space. From wipeable options such as sheerweave and PVC blockout to printed options, the color choices are endless.
ALLUSION BLINDS FOR SLIDING DOORS
Allusion blinds are a cross between a blind and a curtain. The functionality of a blind makes this a practical choice for a sliding door. Similar in operation to a Vertical Blind, allusion blinds both slide and tilt.
Available currently in two ranges, they offer sheerweave protection during the day and light filtering / nearly blockout at night. Therefore, with neutral color choices, allusion blinds compliment any decor schemes. Most popular in homes, allusion blinds are suitable for any room of your home and above all for stacking doors or sliding doors.
SHUTTERS FOR SLIDING DOOR BLINDS
Shutters are a great option for sliding doors as they can hinge (hinged or bifold) or slide (bypass).
POLYRESIN SHUTTERS FOR SLIDING DOORS
By far our most popular product is the Aluvert or Luxaflex product. This product is made of polyresin which is a superior choice as a shutter material. Made out of the same material as a car dashboard, polyresin will never crack, fade, warp, or suffer from water damage.
Luxaflex’s product offers a whopping 20-year warranty. Even after 20 years, we’d expect a polyresin shutter to be looking as fresh and new as the day it was purchased. In addition, a polyresin Luxaflex shutter insulates far better than any other shutter material.
PVC SHUTTERS FOR SLIDING DOORS
A PVC shutter is the most common non-security shutter. Most manufacturers prefer PVC as it’s easy to manufacture.
While PVC shutters may be wiped with a damp cloth, with time they can discolor from the sun. Most PVC shutters are installed with a 2 or 5 year warranty from the manufacturers.
TIMBER SHUTTERS FOR SLIDING DOORS
Timber shutters are for customers who prefer the warm, classic look of the wood-grain texture. Wooden timber shutters are more costly than PVC or aluminium shutters but give a distinct look and feel to your home.
A timber shutter may or may not be ideal for your space. For instance, in a very humid bathroom or above a kitchen sink, a timber shutter might suffer from water damage. Depending on how long you want your shutter to last, it might be best to look at the other material options.
ALUMINIUM SHUTTERS FOR SLIDING DOORS
Not all aluminium shutters are the same. Aluminium shutters are available as a security or non-security product. A non security aluminium shutter does not offer security features. This type of shutter is ideal in an outdoor setting as it’s completely waterproof and can withstand the elements.
Costing 10-25% more is the security shutter. Fitted with bolts and locking systems, this shutter is one of the most effective security features for your sliding door. Nearly impenetrable and exceedingly streamlined, you get bang for your buck. An aluminium security shutter is your window covering and security in one product. Rust proof and available with up to a 10-year warranty, aluminium security shutters are a popular choice for sliding doors.
SLIDING DOORS BLINDS – WHERE TO PLACE THEM
Once a customer has narrowed down the type of blind most suitable, the next question is placement.
THE BIG REVEAL
The question is: do we place the blind inside the window reveal, or above? “In the reveal” refers to blinds that fit neatly within the confines of the window-frame. Face-Fix refers to a blind that is affixed above the window, onto the wall.
Even if there is ample reveal space, it still may not be practical for a sliding door. Some sliding doors are lower than others. Many customers are concerned about ensuring there is enough space for tall visitors to walk through the opening. Therefore if the sliding door opening is 2 meters or less, a reveal fix blind might hang too low to allow for tall friends and family to pass through comfortably. On the other hand the customer might feel that reveal fix blinds look neater than Face Fix.
Face Fix is the preferred option if there isn’t space in the reveal or if practicality dictates using this installation method. When the sliding door is fully opened, the blind will not take up any space at all. In addition, a face fix application for a bedroom sliding door might be preferred as there won’t be light gaps on the sides. In other words, this will allow for more light blocking abilities.
What about a combination of the two? Many times we will place a sheerweave blind reveal fix and a blockout blind Face Fix. Therefore the sheerweave can provide insulation and privacy during the day and the blockout can ensure a nice, dark room at night.
CHAINS VERSUS MOTOR ON SLIDING DOORS BLINDS
CHAIN OPERATED SLIDING DOOR BLINDS
One of the final steps in ordering sliding door blinds is to determine which side the chains/cords are located. Generally, on a sliding door split into two blinds we place the left blind’s chain on the left, and the right’s on the right.
There might be complicating factors affecting this decision. But don’t worry, we will discuss with you the ins and outs of either choice and will guide you towards what will ultimately be the most convenient and aesthetically.
MOTORIZED SLIDING DOOR BLINDS
In many cases, a motor might be the best choice. Without chains to complicate the situation, the blinds will not interfere with the streamlined look of the room.
Available in plug point or battery options, motorization takes away the need for a chain system.
OTHER OPTIONS FOR SLIDING DOOR BLINDS
VENETIAN BLINDS FOR SLIDING DOORS
For a space in which blinds need to be often moved out of the way for instance, we do not recommend Venetian Blinds. They tend to be heavy and cumbersome to raise in order to access your sliding door.
Additionally, should we need to split the window into more than two blinds, the cord or chain will hang in the free-space. This can create a general nuisance and above all, a safety hazard for children.
ROMAN BLINDS FOR SLIDING DOORS
Roman Blinds tend to be less durable in large spaces due to the amount of material. Sliding Doors are large and therefore make them more bulky than a roller or sliding blind.
Roman blinds might roll skew in large sizes and are therefore not as practical of an option. They might be viable options in certain circumstances so be sure to ask your sales assistant!
HONEYCOMB / DUETTE BLINDS FOR SLIDING DOORS
Honeycomb / Duette Blinds are easy to raise and lower, but oftentimes do not prove to be a practical choice for a sliding door.
Because honeycomb blinds cannot be manufactured to large widths and drops, a sliding door might have to be split into multiple blinds. Many customers find it difficult raising so many blinds in order to access one space. While there are always exceptions, generally speaking honeycomb blinds are not the most popular choice for a sliding door.