The Best Curtains for Patio Doors:
Style, Fabric & Length Tips
Patios are a common feature among Australian homes. They invite natural light, open up to outdoor living areas, and create a seamless flow between interior and exterior spaces. But with all that glass comes a challenge: how do you cover patio doors in a way that’s both stylish and functional?
One popular furnishing is curtains. With the right style, fabric, and length, they can enhance your space, provide privacy, improve energy efficiency, and tie together your entire room’s look. Here’s our guide to the best curtains for patio doors, plus measuring, maintenance, and design tips.
What Types of Curtains Work Best for Sliding Doors?
Not all curtains work equally well for patio or sliding glass doors. Since these doors are large, high-traffic, and exposed to sunlight, the curtains you choose should balance style, durability, and ease of use.
The three most popular choices are sheer curtains, blackout curtains, and drapery panels. Each one serves a different purpose, and they’re often layered together for flexibility.
What are the advantages of sheer curtains?
Sheer curtains are lightweight fabrics, often made from polyester, linen, or blends, that filter sunlight without blocking it completely.
Benefits of sheer curtains:
- Soft natural light: Sheers diffuse sunlight, creating a warm, inviting glow. Instead of harsh direct rays, the room is filled with soft illumination that enhances comfort and ambience.
- Daytime privacy: While they let you see outside, sheers obscure the view inwards during the day, perfect for patio doors facing gardens, streets, or neighbours.
- Seamless indoor-outdoor connection: Since they soften but don’t fully block the view, sheer curtains maintain that open, airy feel patio doors are known for, while still providing a degree of separation.
- Versatility: Sheers can be styled on their own for a light, breezy look, or layered with blockout curtains, blinds, or drapery panels for greater privacy and insulation at night.
- Style impact: Available in plain, patterned, or textured designs, sheers add movement, softness, and depth to a room without overwhelming it.
- Cost-effective elegance: Compared to heavy drapery, sheers are often more affordable while still delivering a luxurious effect.
- Practical in high-traffic areas: Lightweight and easy to slide open, they don’t restrict access to sliding or patio doors.
- Easy maintenance: Many polyester and blend sheers are machine-washable and wrinkle-resistant, making them practical for everyday living.
👉 Design Tip: Choose linen-look sheers for a relaxed, coastal feel, or subtle patterned sheers if you want to add visual interest without committing to bold colours. Check out some tips on how to follow the latest curtain colour trends in curtains.
How do blackout curtains compare to other options?
If privacy, insulation, and light control are top priorities, blackout curtains are the go-to choice. Blackout curtains are designed with dense, opaque fabrics, often with special linings, that completely block external light when drawn. They’re especially valued in homes where privacy, insulation, and light control are essential. While sheers soften natural light, blackout curtains give you the opposite effect: a fully darkened, private space.
Why blackout curtains work well for patio doors:
- Total light block: Unlike sheers or light-filtering fabrics, blackout curtains prevent almost all outside light from entering, making them ideal for bedrooms, nurseries, or media rooms where darkness is important.
- Energy efficiency: The heavy lining acts as insulation, keeping heat out in summer and retaining warmth in winter. This can significantly reduce heating and cooling costs, especially in large glass areas like patio doors.
- UV protection: They shield furniture, flooring, and artwork from fading caused by prolonged sun exposure, a common issue with wide glass doors.
- Full privacy: At night, when interior lights make rooms visible from outside, blackout curtains ensure complete privacy, something sheer curtains alone cannot provide.
- Noise reduction: Dense blackout fabrics also dampen outdoor sounds, making them useful for homes near busy roads, neighbours, or shared outdoor areas.
- Versatile styling: Available in a wide variety of colours, textures, and finishes, blackout curtains don’t have to look heavy or plain. Many are designed to mimic drapery for a stylish, tailored look.
- Layering potential: Often paired with sheers, blackout curtains give you day/night flexibility, sheers for daylight softness, blockouts for nighttime coverage.
Blackout curtains are heavier, so they’re best installed with sturdy rods or tracks that allow smooth gliding across wide doors. For very wide glass doors, you may need multiple panels to ensure easy movement and full coverage.
👉 Design Tip: For sliding glass or patio doors, opt for triple-weave blackout fabric, it offers the same darkening and insulating benefits without the stiffness of older-style blackout linings.
Are drapery panels a good choice?
Drapery panels are the classic curtain style, offering a balance of timeless elegance and practical coverage. Unlike lightweight sheers or purely functional blackouts, drapery panels give you more flexibility in terms of fabric, fullness, and styling options, making them a versatile choice for patio doors.
Why drapery panels are worth considering:
- Timeless elegance: Drapery panels instantly elevate the look of a room. Their fullness, drape, and fabric choice can make even simple spaces feel more luxurious and finished.
- Fabric flexibility: Available in cotton, linen, velvet, silk blends, and synthetics, drapery panels allow you to set the tone of a room — casual, formal, modern, or traditional.
- Layering opportunities: Drapery panels work beautifully when combined with sheers or blockout linings, giving you both daytime softness and nighttime privacy/insulation.
- Customisable fullness: With more fabric gathered across the width, drapery panels create a plush look and improve insulation around large patio doors.
- Design versatility: From solid colours to patterns, textured weaves to luxe finishes, drapery panels can serve as a focal point in the room or blend seamlessly with the décor.
- Practical coverage: Depending on the lining you choose, drapery panels can act like sheer curtains (light and airy), blackout curtains (total privacy and darkness), or something in between.
Drapery panels are less about practicality and more about creating a design feature, ideal for homeowners who value style as much as function.
👉 Design Tip: For patio doors in open-plan living spaces, drapery panels create continuity when matched with nearby window treatments. Choose neutral tones in textured fabrics for a modern-luxury look, or go bold with patterned drapery if you want the curtains to double as a statement piece.
6 Recommended Sheer Curtains for Sliding Doors
| Sheer Curtain Type | Best For | Benefits | Style Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Linen Sheers | Coastal, casual, or natural interiors | Breathable, softens light beautifully, eco-friendly fabric options | Relaxed, airy, and organic look |
| Polyester Blend Sheers | Busy households, rental properties | Durable, wrinkle-resistant, affordable, easy-care (machine washable) | Sleek and practical with a wide colour range |
| Fade-Resistant Sheers | Sunny rooms or north-facing patio doors | UV protection, helps preserve furniture and flooring | Long-lasting elegance without yellowing or fading |
| Patterned Sheers | Adding character to plain spaces | Breaks monotony, adds depth and design without blocking light | Playful, artistic, or decorative touch |
| Privacy Sheers (Semi-Opaque) | Homes needing daytime + partial nighttime privacy | Slightly denser weave gives extra coverage | Balance between sheer softness and practical privacy |
| Layered Sheers (Double or Two-Tone) | Stylish, design-conscious buyers | Enhances depth, allows for contrast (light + darker tones) | Luxurious and versatile, can mimic a designer finish |
Not all sheers are created equal. The fabric you choose affects durability, light diffusion, and style impact. Here are six types worth considering:
- Linen Sheers – Natural, breathable, and elegant. Great for creating a breezy, organic look.
- Polyester Blends – Durable, wrinkle-resistant, and affordable. Perfect for high-traffic areas.
- Fade-Resistant Sheers – Treated to withstand UV exposure, making them ideal for sun-filled patio doors.
- Patterned Sheers – Subtle prints or textures add visual interest without overwhelming the space.
- Privacy Sheers – A slightly denser weave for extra privacy without losing light.
- Layered Sheers – Combining two tones or textures adds depth and a designer feel.
👉 Tip: If your patio doors are in high-traffic areas, go for polyester blends or fade-resistant sheers. If you want a timeless, natural vibe, linen sheers or layered sheers add subtle sophistication.
What Type of Curtains are Best for a Sliding Glass Door?
Sliding glass doors are wider and used more frequently than standard windows, so curtain choice should focus on ease of use, durability, and practicality.
Key considerations:
- Smooth operation: Choose curtains that glide easily on tracks or rods.
- Durable fabrics: Look for polyester blends, treated cottons, or fade-resistant synthetics that handle constant use.
- Insulation needs: Honeycomb blinds or blockout linings can be layered under curtains if energy efficiency is a concern.
- Different doors, different needs:
- Sliding doors: Wide panels or layered treatments work best.
- French doors: Narrower curtains with tiebacks complement the symmetrical design.
- Bi-fold doors: Floor-to-ceiling curtains create continuity and soften the expanse of glass.
Should You Oversize Your Patio Door Curtains?
The short answer: yes.
Oversizing your patio door curtains is a design choice that brings both style and functional advantages. From an aesthetic perspective, extending your curtains beyond the exact width of the doors creates a sense of fullness and proportion. The extra fabric gives the curtains a more luxurious appearance, helping the space feel complete and intentional rather than underdressed. Oversized curtains also allow you to mount the rod higher and wider than the door frame, which can make the ceilings appear taller and the room feel larger overall.
From a practical standpoint, oversized curtains provide better coverage and insulation. By extending past the door frame, they help minimise light gaps at the edges, improving both privacy and light control. The additional fabric coverage also enhances energy efficiency by creating a stronger barrier against heat in summer and cold drafts in winter. For patio doors, which are often wide and frequently used, having curtains that are slightly oversized ensures smooth operation while maintaining an elegant and functional look.
How Long Are Patio Door Curtains?
Curtain length influences both functionality and style.
- Floor-Length Curtains: Most popular; practical and neat for high-traffic patio doors.
- Puddled/Pooling Curtains: Extra fabric gathers at the floor for a romantic look, but less practical for sliding doors.
- Custom Lengths: Perfect for bi-fold or oversized patio doors that don’t suit standard sizes.
Recommendation: For sliding doors, stick to floor-length for smooth operation and easy cleaning.
What Size Are Patio Door Curtains?
Patio door curtains typically need to be wider and longer than the actual frame to achieve the right balance of function and style. Standard recommendations suggest choosing curtains that are at least twice the width of your door to create fullness and proper coverage. For height, many homeowners prefer floor-length curtains, which give a sleek, elongated look and ensure the entire door area is covered. In cases where doors are extra wide or unusually tall, custom sizing may be the best option to maintain proportion and functionality.
The size of your patio door curtains is more important than many homeowners realise. Curtains that are too narrow or too short often look unfinished and can leave gaps that reduce privacy, insulation, and light control. Oversized curtains, by contrast, frame the doors beautifully, give the fabric room to drape naturally, and provide full coverage across high-traffic areas. Choosing the right size ensures that the curtains not only perform well in terms of practicality—such as blocking out sunlight and retaining warmth—but also contribute to the overall elegance and balance of your living space.
General guide:
- Curtain width = 2 to 2.5 times the width of the door.
- Example: A 300cm-wide sliding door needs at least 600–750cm total curtain width.
Standard vs. Custom:
- Standard sizes work for common patio door widths.
- Custom sizing is worth it for oversized, bi-fold, or irregular openings.
How Can You Maintain Your Patio Door Curtains?
Proper care extends the life of your curtains and keeps them looking fresh.
By fabric type:
- Sheers: Vacuum gently with a brush attachment or hand-wash delicate fabrics.
- Blackouts: Spot-clean or dry clean to preserve backing.
- Drapery panels: Professional cleaning recommended for heavy fabrics.
Extra tips:
- Rotate curtains periodically to prevent uneven fading.
- Use linings or UV-resistant fabrics in sun-heavy rooms.
- Keep tracks and rods clean to ensure smooth sliding.
How to Cover a Glass Door for Privacy?
Curtains aren’t the only option for privacy, though they remain the most versatile.
Alternatives include:
- Blinds: Roller blinds, honeycombs, or vertical blinds for practical light control.
- Shutters: A more permanent solution with excellent insulation.
- Privacy sheers: Soft fabrics with denser weaves for daytime coverage.
Layering tip: Use sheers for daytime privacy and blockouts for night when interiors are illuminated.
Aurora: Your Curtain Experts in Canberra
Choosing the right curtains for your patio doors is about more than just covering glass—it’s about balancing function, style, and everyday practicality. From light-filtering sheers to insulating blackout panels and timeless drapery, the right choice can transform your living space, improve privacy, and make your home more energy efficient. Paying attention to fabric, length, and sizing ensures your curtains not only perform well but also enhance the overall design of your room.
👉 Need expert advice on finding the perfect fit? Contact our team today for a personalised consultation and discover how the right curtains can make your patio doors the standout feature of your space.
