Patio doors are the hardest window in any Canadian home to dress well. They’re wider than a standard window, they’re a doorway you actually walk through, the glass is full-height (so heat loss in winter is real), and they’re almost always on a south or west wall — meaning the afternoon sun will roast a couch in July and bleach hardwood floors by August. Most people just hang vertical blinds because that’s what came with the house in 2003. Vertical blinds are not the answer. There are five better options for modern Canadian patio doors, and the right one depends on how often you actually use the door, which direction it faces, and whether you need privacy or just sun control. This guide walks through each option with real tradeoffs, plus the Edmonton-specific issues you should plan for if you’re shopping new.
What Makes Patio Doors Different
Three constraints any patio-door covering has to solve at once:
Width. Standard sliding patio doors are 60-72 inches wide. French patio doors run 60-80 inches. Off-the-shelf hardware from a big-box store almost never works at this width without sagging or bowing in the middle.
Traffic. The covering has to move out of the way every time you go to the deck. If it doesn’t, you’ll stop using it and stare at bare glass. Anything that requires more than one motion to operate (raise the shade, then push it aside) gets ignored after the first month.
Heat and UV. A south-facing patio door in Edmonton receives enough summer sun to push interior temperatures to 35°C even with central air running. Window film helps; full coverage helps more. North-facing doors don’t have this problem but lose heat in winter through the glass. The right covering solves all three. Most “patio door” products on the market only solve one or two.
Option 1: Vertical Sheer Curtains
Brand-name versions: Hunter Douglas Luminette, Levolor Vertiglide, Graber DesignerScreen. These are the patio-door upgrade most installers recommend first. How they work: a sheer fabric backing runs the full width of the door, with rotating fabric vanes on the front. The vanes tilt open or closed for sun control; the entire system slides aside as one unit when you want to use the door.
Best for: Living rooms, dining rooms, anywhere you want a soft, draped look without the maintenance of curtains. The sheer backing gives daytime privacy while letting in soft light.
Drawback: Cost. A 72-inch vertical sheer system runs $900-$1,800 installed depending on fabric. Worth it for a hero piece in a main living area; overkill for a basement walkout.
Option 2: Panel Track Systems
Panel tracks are the modernist sibling of vertical blinds. Instead of dangling vanes, you get 3-5 large fabric panels that slide horizontally on a ceiling-mounted track, stacking neatly to one side when open. How they work: Each panel is 18-24 inches wide and runs floor to ceiling. Panels overlap when closed for full coverage. Pull the lead panel and the whole system glides as one.
Best for: Contemporary homes with floor-to-ceiling glass walls or extra-wide patio doors (over 8 feet). Panel tracks scale to widths that other systems can’t handle.
Drawback: They look distinctly modern. In a traditional or transitional home they can feel out of place. Also, the panels themselves don’t tilt for partial sun control — they’re either open or closed. We install panel tracks most often in new builds with 10-foot ceilings and patio doors taller than 96 inches. For standard 80-inch doors, vertical sheer or roller shades usually work better.
Option 3: Roller Shades (Single Wide)
A single roller shade sized to cover the full patio door, mounted above the frame, with a cordless or motorized lift mechanism. How they work: One large fabric panel rolls up into a head rail. Lower it for privacy or sun control; raise it to use the door.
Best for: South-facing doors where heat and UV control matter most. Solar-screen fabric (3-10% openness) cuts 80-95% of UV without making the room dark, so you can lower it during the day and still see out. Blackout fabric works for bedrooms with patio doors.
Drawback: You have to raise the shade every time you go outside. For doors used multiple times per day (think families with kids running in and out to the deck), this gets old fast. Motorize and assign it to a button so it’s a one-tap operation, or skip rollers and go vertical sheer.
Option 4: Drapery
Floor-length drapery on a ceiling-mounted rod, drawn to the side when not in use. How they work: Standard pinch-pleat or grommet panels on a track or rod. Drawn by hand (cord pulls) or motorized (drapery automation).
Best for: Formal living rooms, dining rooms with patio doors that don’t get heavy daily use. Drapery adds soft texture, absorbs sound, and dresses a room in ways no blind can match.
Drawback: Drapery on a frequently-used door becomes a chore. The panels collect dust, get dragged through pets, and require ironing or steaming to keep their shape. Reserve drapery for accent doors, not the main route to the back yard. The exception: motorized drapery on a track. With a one-button system the drapery opens and closes itself — much more practical for daily use, but also adds $400-$1,000 to the cost.
Option 5: Vertical Cellular Shades (Vertiglide)
A relatively new product category — cellular fabric, but oriented vertically and stacking sideways instead of up. How they work: Honeycomb-pleated fabric runs floor to ceiling. The whole thing collapses sideways into a narrow stack against one side of the door frame. No cords; the lead rail handle slides the system open or closed.
Best for: Energy efficiency. Cellular shades have the highest insulating value of any window covering — the honeycomb pockets trap air. On a north-facing patio door losing heat in winter, vertical cellular reduces draft significantly.
Drawback: Limited fabric and color options compared to roller or vertical sheer. The aesthetic is functional rather than decorative. If your priority is reducing winter heat loss through a patio door, this is the right product. If aesthetics or sun control are bigger priorities, look at vertical sheer or roller shades instead.
What About Traditional Vertical Blinds?
The PVC or fabric vanes on a chain track that came with the house in 2003. We don’t recommend these for any new install, even though they’re the cheapest option, for three reasons: The chain that operates them is now subject to
Health Canada’s 2022 corded blind regulation. Traditional vertical blinds aren’t compliant unless the entire system is replaced with a wand-driven version, which most aren’t. The vanes warp and yellow within 5-7 years of sun exposure. Replacement vanes alone cost almost as much as a new system in a different style. They look dated. A 2026 home with vertical blinds reads as not-yet-renovated regardless of the rest of the décor. If you have existing vertical blinds and they’re working fine, no need to rip them out tomorrow. But when they fail, replace with one of the five better options above.
Edmonton-Specific Considerations
A few things specific to Alberta and the Canadian climate:
South-facing patio doors. The afternoon sun in summer is intense. Solar roller shades with 3-5% openness fabric block 90%+ of UV while still letting you see out. Pair with a UV-resistant film on the glass for maximum protection. We install both routinely.
North-facing patio doors. Heat loss in winter is the bigger problem than sun. Vertical cellular shades or insulated drapery help. Consider also: most patio doors lose heat through the frame, not just the glass — confirm your weatherstripping is intact.
Walkout basements. Patio doors in walkouts often face the back yard and a fence, so privacy is less of an issue than light control. Roller shades with motorization work well; the door is used less frequently than a main-floor patio door, so the “raise to walk through” issue is less annoying.
Snow loads. Patio doors close to grade can have snow piled against them in winter. Don’t install bottom-track systems (some panel tracks have these) on doors prone to ice or moisture buildup at the base.
Motorization for Patio Doors
Almost every patio door we install in 2026 gets motorized, for one reason: convenience drives use. A patio door covering you actually use is worth twice as much as one you ignore because it’s annoying. Three motorization options:
Battery-powered. Most common. Lithium-ion battery tubes inside the head rail. 1-3 year battery life depending on use. No electrician needed. Roughly $150-$250 per shade upcharge over manual.
Hardwired. Permanent power. Requires an electrician to bring 110V or low-voltage wiring to the head rail location, ideally during a renovation when walls are open. More expensive ($250-$500 per shade plus electrician fees) but no batteries to ever change.
Solar charging. A small solar panel mounts to the window frame and trickle-charges the battery. Works well on south-facing windows, less well on north or shaded windows. Adds $50-$100 per shade and eliminates manual battery swaps. For most homes we recommend battery-powered with rechargeable battery tubes. You swap the tube every 2-3 years (5 minutes per shade), no electrical work required.
Putting It Together: A Recommendation By Use Case
- Family home, kids running in and out: Vertical sheer curtains or panel tracks. Both slide aside as one unit so the door is easy to use.
- South-facing living room, sun is the main issue: Motorized solar roller shade plus UV-blocking window film on the glass.
- North-facing dining or basement walkout, heat loss matters: Vertical cellular shades.
- Formal living room with rarely-used patio door: Drapery on a track, motorized if budget allows.
- Modern build with floor-to-ceiling glass: Panel tracks.
For a free in-home consultation in Edmonton, Sherwood Park, St. Albert, or anywhere in the metro, our team brings fabric and hardware samples and shows you each option in your specific space. Most patio-door projects come together in a single visit.
Book your free measure.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the best window covering for a sliding patio door?
For most homes, vertical sheer curtains or panel tracks. Both slide aside as one unit, work at the wide widths of patio doors, and don’t need to be raised every time you use the door. For sun and heat control on south-facing doors, add a solar roller shade or UV film.
Can I use roller shades on a patio door?
Yes, but with caveats. A single wide roller shade works for occasionally-used doors. For doors used multiple times per day, the up-down motion gets tedious — motorize it or choose vertical sheer instead.
Are vertical blinds outdated?
Yes. Traditional chain-operated vertical blinds are aesthetically dated, often non-compliant with Health Canada’s 2022 corded regulation, and have a service life under 7 years. Modern alternatives (vertical sheer, panel tracks, vertical cellular) all look better and last longer.
How wide can a single roller shade be on a patio door?
Up to 144 inches (12 feet) on a heavy-duty mechanism, but practically we recommend splitting into two shades anywhere over 96 inches. Wider shades have more weight on the lift mechanism, and the fabric can sag at the bottom rail over time.
Will a window covering reduce my patio door’s energy loss?
Cellular (honeycomb) shades reduce winter heat loss by 15-25% and summer heat gain by 30-60% over bare glass. Other window coverings reduce these losses too, but cellular is by far the most effective. UV-blocking film on the glass adds another 30-40% summer heat reduction.
Can I install a patio door covering myself?
For 60-72 inch standard widths, yes — most cordless rollers and panel tracks ship as DIY kits. For wider doors, motorized systems, or any vertical sheer install, professional installation is worth it. Patio door coverings have to be perfectly level over 8+ feet of width, which is harder than it looks.
