Blinds for Sliding Doors and Windows: Which Blinds Work in South Africa
Blinds on a patio opening have to clear the way every time someone walks through. Vanes that draw to one side stack in a bundle beside the frame, so measure the wall space next to the glass as well as the glass itself before deciding where the track goes.
Stack-back beside the door
Where blinds open sideways, they need room for their stack beside the opening. Check the wall space on each side and include the stack in the track length, so the stacked blinds sit on the wall and not over the glass. Where there is no wall space on either side, look at blinds that lift above the opening instead.
Split-draw blinds part in the middle and stack half the vanes on each side. One-way draw blinds stack on one side only; put that stack on the fixed-panel side so the walkway stays clear.
Capetown Blinds supplies these blinds made to measure for each opening, with the stack and track planned around the doorway.
Patio sliding doors with heavy traffic
On a doorway onto a braai area or pool, choose blinds that draw fully aside, and open the blinds before walking through so the vanes and bottom weights stay out of the way.
Motorised blinds help on a doorway used every day where the wand is awkward to reach. A remote moves the blinds clear before anyone walks out.
In a lounge, the same opening may share a wall with windows, and the guide on living room blinds covers dressing the two so they match.
Aluminium sliding doors and wide openings
Aluminium sliding doors and stackers can run the full width of a lounge or patio. On a span that long, ask whether two linked blinds on a shared bracket would suit the opening better than one long tube. Blinds on a sideways track hang from one track fixed above the whole opening.
Stacker windows beside the opening can be measured at the same visit; check whether the mounting positions allow the blinds on both to line up at one head height.
Wand control
On a family doorway, ask for wand operation instead of cords or chains to draw and turn the vanes. Aluminium Venetian blinds are an option for narrow side windows and fixed side-lights next to the opening. Keep Venetian blinds for the glass that stays put.
Vertical blinds and the windows beside the opening
Store-bought blinds come in standard widths, which may not match a stacker opening. Made-to-measure blinds are made to the opening's exact sizes, and Capetown Blinds measures the opening for the quote.
PVC vanes are an option for blinds on doors that face the pool, since they are moisture-resistant. On a north- or west-facing patio, the afternoon light through the glass is the other thing to plan for when choosing the vanes.
Sliding door blinds on a track can be supplied for you to fit yourself. The track has to be level along its whole length, so check there is a sound fixing surface above the opening before you choose that route.
Measuring a stacker opening
Capetown Blinds measures the opening for the quote, but three things are worth checking before the visit: the wall space on each side, the height between the top of the frame and the ceiling or cornice, and how far the door handle sticks out. Fixed on the wall above the frame, blinds need enough projection for the vanes to hang clear of the handle.
Plug points, wall switches and an old curtain rail beside the opening all affect where the stack can sit. The rail comes down before the blinds go up, or the blinds are set forward to clear it.
Blinds and curtains can share an opening: blinds on the glass for daylight and privacy, a curtain on a rail in front for the look.
When lifting beats drawing aside
On an opening used now and then, such as one onto a narrow side garden, blinds that lift make sense. They need head space above the frame for the rolled or folded stack; without it, the stack hangs over the top of the glass and lowers the clear height of the doorway.
Day-night blinds lift as well, and their sheer bands let daylight in with the blinds down.
Stackers and bi-folds in South Africa
In South Africa, folding stacking units are sometimes called bi-folds, and they open up a whole wall, so blinds there have to clear the folded panels as well as the opening.
| Option | Stack-back needed | Suits | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vertical blinds | 150–250mm | Wide openings, daily traffic | Needs wall to stack onto |
| Wide roller blind | None (lifts) | Head height available, lighter use | Tube deflects past ~2.4m |
| Two linked rollers | None (lifts) | Very wide openings | Small visible join at centre |
| Motorised vertical | 150–250mm | High-traffic patio doors | Power supply needed at the head |
| Outdoor blind (exterior) | None (lifts) | Blocking wind and sun outside | Weather-rated fixings essential |
Products mentioned in this guide
Vertical Blinds
Vertical blinds are fabric vanes that hang from a top track, draw aside for a full opening, and rotate to control light and…
Motorised Blinds
Motorised blinds are blinds driven by a tubular motor inside the roller tube or headrail, operated by remote, wall switch or…
Roller Blinds
Roller blinds are a single panel of fabric that winds onto a tube above the window.
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Questions about stack-back, tracks and windows
What blinds are best for sliding doors?
The usual answer is blinds that draw fully aside on a track, because the vanes stack beside the opening and leave the doorway clear. Blinds that lift work where there is head height and the doorway is used less often, and motorised blinds are worth a look on an opening used every day.
How much space do vertical blinds need to stack?
It depends on how wide the blinds are and how many vanes they carry. Allow wall space beside the opening so the stacked vanes do not cover the doorway, and ask for the stack width at the measure.
Can you fit blinds to a stacker door?
Yes. A stacker is measured as one wide opening and takes blinds on a single track or two linked blinds. Match the stack direction of the blinds to the way the panels open, and check that the doorway stays clear.
Are motorised blinds worth it on a patio door?
Yes, on a doorway used every day where the wand is awkward to reach. A remote moves the blinds clear of the opening before anyone walks through.
Do blinds on sliding doors get in the way?
No, not when the blinds are drawn fully aside and the stack has room to clear the opening. Open the blinds before walking through and keep the stack on the fixed-panel side, and the walkway stays clear.
How long do blinds for a sliding door take?
Most blinds are made and fitted within 7 to 14 working days of quote approval.
Can people see in through patio blinds at night?
Yes, through open vanes. Turn the vanes closed after dark with the lamps on inside, and check from outside how much still shows through the blinds.
Are store-bought blinds an option for a stacker?
Yes, when a standard size suits the opening. Store-bought sets come in set sizes, and a wide stacker may fall between them. Made-to-measure blinds cover the opening in one run, or in two linked blinds sized to it, and the windows beside it can be measured at the same time.