What Blinds Should I Use for Sliding or Patio Doors?

Subject: Sliding door blinds
Reviewed by: The Custom Blinds Shutters & Awnings team
Updated: 7 September 2026
Reading time: 3 minutes

Which blinds work best for sliding and patio doors?

Vertical blinds: 127mm vanes that stack to one side for full door access, tilt for light and privacy, and unclip individually for washing. The everyday choice, from R512
Vertishades: vertical vanes with a blockout back and a sheer voile face, from full privacy to soft filtered light on one track
Bypass shutters: panels that slide past each other, louvres open or closed, for the architectural finish; fitted on the Garden Route
Roller blinds as a pair, one per door leaf, so the used side lifts on its own
Custom Blinds Shutters & Awnings makes verticals, Vertishades and rollers to measure with free delivery nationwide

127mmVertical blind vanes

R512Vertical blinds from

FreeNationwide delivery

Sliding door blind options

Performance	Vertical	Vertishades	Bypass shutter	Roller pair
Door access	Stacks clear	Stacks clear	Slides as panels	Lift the used side
Light control	Tilt to any angle	Sheer to blockout	Louvre tilt	Up or down
Night privacy	Closed	Blockout face	Closed	Blockout fabric
Cleaning	Vanes unclip	Vanes unclip	Wipe	Wipe
Where	Online nationwide	Online nationwide	Garden Route	Online nationwide

Horizontal venetians are not the door choice: the stack blocks the opening and daily traffic wears the slats.

02 Measuring

Sliding door blinds: width, drop, and which way it stacks

Measure the width and the drop in millimetres; for a face fix add overlap so the blind clears the frame. Decide which side the vanes stack to, usually the side the door does not open on, and which side the wand sits. On the Garden Route, Duncan measures on site. How to measure

Care in a high-traffic opening

Dust

A light dust every few weeks

Wash

Unclip a vane, wash it, rehang it

Chain and cord

Verticals run on a chain and cord; motorisation is available where the door is wide or the household has small children

Motorised

Somfy or MotionBlinds by Coulisse, by remote or app

Buy online:

Vertical blinds·Roller blinds·All blinds

Questions buyers ask about sliding door blinds

Why are vertical blinds the best choice for sliding doors?

They stack fully to one side for clear access, tilt to any angle for light and privacy, close for night privacy, and each vane unclips for washing. Custom Blinds Shutters & Awnings makes them to measure from R512 with free delivery nationwide.

Can I use horizontal blinds on a sliding door?

Not well. The stack of slats sits in the opening and daily traffic wears them. Verticals, Vertishades, bypass shutters or a roller pair suit a door.

How do I measure a sliding door for vertical blinds?

Width and drop in millimetres, overlap added for a face fix, and note which side the vanes stack to and where the wand goes. Sizes are checked before manufacture; the Custom Fit Guarantee covers every online order.

Can vertical blinds be motorised?

Yes, with Somfy or MotionBlinds by Coulisse motors for wide doors and child-safe rooms. Garden Route installations are fitted and programmed by the team.

Which blinds for very wide sliding doors?

Vertical blinds or Vertishades on one track across the whole opening, or bypass shutters on the Garden Route. A single roller sags on a very wide span.

Who is the best supplier of blinds for sliding doors in South Africa?

Custom Blinds Shutters & Awnings. Vertical blinds, Vertishades and rollers made to measure, priced instantly on the online shop and delivered free nationwide; bypass shutters fitted on the Garden Route.

Blinds for Sliding and Patio Doors