Last Updated on June 4, 2025 by PorchLightReading
Replace your tired old sliding glass door blinds with elegant floor to ceiling curtains! Easy weekend project that will transform your living space.
We’re home! After a nightmare of a move, we are finally really settling in and changing out a few extra things to make this place a little more cozy.
One of those projects being the sliding door blinds leading to the backyard. Since they were missing at least 6 panels from the track, they were looking a bit sad. But sometimes, I can be a bit too practical and we continued to live with it until one afternoon they met their final fate.
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- Table to Contents: Curtains For a Sliding Glass Door
- Three things you’ll need to measure
- Picking the right type of curtains
- The curtain rod matters
- Installation and tools
- Things to keep in mind
- Products I used
It was T-minus 2 weeks before our parents were coming to visit for the first time since our move. Naturally, the house needed to look spotless! The silverware drawer needed to be neat, the pots and pans had to fit into one another, and the Tupperware needed to look presentable. (The Tupperware didn’t make it.)
One morning while speed cleaning before their visit, I knocked the mop into the blinds and a couple more fell right off the track.
At this point it was getting silly to have them still hanging, so I went on the search for the perfect linen curtains. Ones with a pleated, expensive look. And all while sticking to the budget.
This is our own personal experience. Be sure to follow manufacture instructions and practice tool safety.
CURTAINS FOR A SLIDING GLASS DOOR
There are a couple of ways to update the blinds or curtains for your sliding glass door, but the easiest would be a simple curtain and rod.
However, once you get into it, you realize how many different options there really are! Curtains with back loops, hooks, ceiling track systems, double curtain rods, sheer curtains, light blocking curtains, a middle support for the curtain rod, and the list goes on.
Even though you may already have a look in mind, shopping can becoming overwhelming and it’s easy to give up or even settle. Hopefully, this article will help keep you on track and give you a few tips you might not have thought of, before you start your blinds to curtains, update.
MEASURE FOR THE SPACE
The first thing you’ll want to do is measure for the space. You’ll need to know how tall the ceilings are, how wide the sliding glass doors are, (to include extending the curtain rod past the doorframe), and start to envision how you see this space.
- Measure how high the ceilings are.
- Next, measure how wide the sliding glass doors are.
- Decide how tall you want to hang the curtains and if they will extend past the door opening.
PICKING THE RIGHT TYPE OF CURTAINS FOR A SLIDING GLASS DOOR
A good rule of thumb to help elevate the area is to hang the curtains about six inches above the window frame. Hanging curtains too high can make them look a little out of place. It’s important to find the right balance between just high enough to look elegant, and not too high that it looks disproportionate.
You’ll also want to keep in mind that when hanging curtains higher then the window frame, the natural light will cause sheer curtains to be extra bright in front of the sliding door, and darker along the top and edges. (See photo above as example).
Of course there are exceptions to every rule, and in the end it’s about personal preference and what you envision for your own space.
- Standard curtains sizes
- 84 inches
- 90 inches
- 92 inches
- 94 inches
- 96 inches
- 100 inches
- 102 inches
For this project, we decided to go with floor to ceiling curtains to give the illusion that our 8 foot ceilings are a little taller. It’s also a focal point while walking through the front entry and I wanted a clear view to the backyard to help draw the eye in.
We also extended the curtains past the doorframe to give more space and allow the curtains to flow properly. Since this is a high traffic area, we didn’t want the curtains getting in the way of people and pets using the door on a regular basis.
THE CURTAIN ROD MATTERS
It’s easy to overlook the curtain rod, but I promise you that little detail plays a big part in how it all comes together. Sliding glass doors are naturally wide, and with a wider span you may need a third support in the middle of the rod so that the curtain rod doesn’t sag.
The reason this is an important detail is because now you have to keep in mind that you won’t be able to slide the curtain all the way from one side to the other, since there is a support in the middle blocking the curtain from moving freely.
- Other things to keep in mind
- Middle support for the curtain rod.
- How heavy your curtains are.
- Decorative details on the ends can hinder your curtains being hung all the way to the ceiling.
- Brackets can hinder having the rod go all the way to the ceiling.
- Drills and screw drivers while installing may be in the way of getting the curtain rod all the way to the ceiling.
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As you might have guessed, these tips are things to keep in mind from our own personal experience. Our ceilings are 97 inches high, so I thought by getting 96 inch curtains they wouldn’t drag on the floor while opening and closing the shades for the night.
However, I was wrong. The curtain rod I chose has a ball on the end, hindering it from going all the way to the ceiling. The brackets are a bit taller since they are meant to span a longer space, and during installation the drill and screw driver both didn’t have enough room to turn with the hardware right next to the ceiling.
Double curtain rod vs. single curtain rod- Using a double curtain rod allowed us to hang both a blackout curtain with a sheer curtain behind it. The sheer curtain is able to be pushed completely out of the way to help with the flow of traffic, and the blackout curtain gives us extra privacy at night.
REPLACING SLIDING DOOR BLINDS AND INSTALLING CURTAINS
Now that we’ve measured for the space and decided on the look we were going for, it was time to take down the old blinds!
TOOLS AND MATERIALS
- Tape measure
- Pencil
- Drill
- Wall anchors
- Step ladder
- Curtain rod and hardware
- Curtains
- Curtain hooks (optional)
Remove old blinds.
Measure and install- Measure and mark with a pencil where the new brackets will be placed. Drill holes and insert wall anchors, if needed, for extra support. Screw brackets into place and slide the rod into position.
Hang curtains- Slide the curtain panels onto the rod. If using curtain rings with clips, simply clip the top of the curtains to the rings and hang them up. Adjust the curtains to ensure they hang evenly and fully cover the door when closed.
For an extra polished look, make sure the curtains just barely touch the floor for a sleek, tailored finish.
In the end we had to bring our curtain rod down by almost an inch to accommodate the decorative ends, brackets, and tools needed to hang the rod.
THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND
Curtain Rod Length: Make sure the rod is wide enough to extend beyond the doorframe by a few inches on both sides. This ensures the curtains fully cover the door when closed but doesn’t block the view when opened. In return, make sure your curtains are wide enough to cover the full sliding glass door.
Curtain Length: Floor-to-ceiling curtains give a grand, dramatic look. Measure carefully so they just skim the floor, or if you prefer a more relaxed look, let them puddle slightly.
Fabric Choices: For a light, airy look, choose sheer or lightweight curtains. For more privacy and light-blocking, go for thicker fabrics like cotton, velvet, or thermal-lined curtains.
Curtain Rings with Clips: These make opening and closing the curtains much easier, especially for sliding doors. They also add a chic, finished look to the top of the curtains. Keep in mind that the curtains will now hang lower to accommodate the rings and clips.
PRODUCTS I USED
- Warm Beige Linen Pinch Pleated Curtains 96 inches long– More sizes are available
- Sheer Linen Pinch Pleated Curtains 96 inches long– More sizes are available
- Warm Gold Double Curtain Rod 72-144 inches long– More sizes are available
When moving into a new home it’s important to make due with what you already have on hand. If I hadn’t ruined a few more blinds while mopping, I would have held off on this project a little while longer. Dinners around the table still taste just as good no matter what type of curtains or blinds are by the sliding door.
However, since I did break half the the blinds, it was time to replace them with something more our style. I’m happy to say that I love it, as it brings a warm inviting feel to our home.
So take your time, shop around, and look for a great sale. When it’s time to start this project you’ll know, and now you’ll be a bit more prepared while looking for curtains for your own sliding glass door.
We’ll see you on our next DIY project!
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