Ditch Vertical Blinds: A Modern Sliding Glass Door Alternative

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

When it comes to window treatments for sliding glass doors, vertical blinds have long been a go-to option. For decades, they were common in homes, office buildings, and rental properties all over the country. It's this ubiquity that makes them feel outdated and uninspired today. Now, this doesn't mean vertical blinds don't have their place. There are affordable and classic styles that are lovely for some traditional and transitional homes. However, if you're after a more modern look, we present a stylish alternative to cover sliding glass doors: panel track blinds.

Panel track blinds consist of large panels that slide on a track system. Generally, you can expect 4 to 6 panels to cover a typical sliding glass door, but with many customizable options, you can create your own sizing. The panels are larger than the vanes of vertical blinds, which makes this system look more minimalist overall. They tend to have a sleek, contemporary appearance and can be a shade that adds the perfect finishing touch to interiors. This shade type works well with modern and minimalist decor, including Scandinavian, Japandi, and contemporary styles. Similar to vertical blinds, it's possible to buy pre-made versions that are quite affordable, like the GoDear Design Panel Track Blinds. Or, you can customize your shades, choosing the style, size, and material of the Bali Blinds Sliding Panels. Either way, panel track blinds are widely considered a more modern and stylish alternative to vertical blinds.

Style is just one consideration, and performance is just as important. Panel track blinds share some pros with vertical blinds. They are space-efficient and fairly compact, covering the entire doorway without sticking out into the room. They move laterally and stack to the side like vertical blinds, so they're easy to operate. Since they move in the same direction as the sliding glass door, the design feels intuitive. Panel track blinds also offer adjustable light control, since it's possible to just partially open and close them.

However, they aren't as flexible for light filtering as vertical blinds, which have vanes that allow you to fine-tune the amount of sunlight that enters the room. Panel track blinds can only move side to side; the panels don't rotate. That being said, panel track shades have the option to open in the middle, which is useful for French doors. When they're all stacked to one side, though, the large panel size means they cover more of the glass than vertical blinds, which stack into a tight bundle.

Panel track blinds can be more expensive upfront, and potentially more costly to repair, unlike vertical blinds, where you can buy replacement slats. Keep these pros and cons in mind when deciding if you're ready to say farewell to vertical blinds. If these cons feel like a small trade-off for their modern style, it's worthwhile upgrading them to panel track blinds.