Patio Door CurtainsIf you are considering patio door curtains, you might benefit from our experience with them, since there are a few things to watch out for when installing drapes and blinds over a patio door. Personally I like having a fancy valance over the patio door. Side panels can be added to, so long as they are secured so they dont get blown out the door in a strong wind. Vertical blinds that part in the middle are good too. The WindOne problem with patio door curtains or drapes in front of a patio door is that whenever you open the door on a windy day, the curtains can get sucked out the door. Regardless if you have an aluminum or wooden or vinyl patio door, the curtain will probaly find the only sharp edge and snag on it. Considering how much curtains cost these days, that can be a real disaster. So if you are considering curtains, bear this in mind. You can use the same curtain fabric and have side panels made which hang down the sides of the patio door. These can be secured so they wont blow out. Then use a good vertical blind to cover the patio door area. Make the vertical blind pull back to the side of the patio door that does not open, so it can be moved out of the way when you use the patio door. Vertical BlindsWe have used solid patterned vinyl vertical blinds on our patio doors and we find these are a good choice. The solid vinyl a more rigid than the fabric verticals and so does not tend to get sucked out the door in a strong wind. Its also easy to clean with soap and water. Blinds near an open door tend to get dirty quickly. We found we had to clean ours at least twice a year especially near the bottom of the blinds. You also need to have the blinds slide out of the way of the sliding door, over to the non-opening side.Patio Door Handles and LocksWatch out for patio door handles and locks that might snag on the curtains or blinds. You need to space the blinds far enough off the wall to clear all these items. Thats one reason a nice top valence is very helpful because it hides the brackets you use to hold the blinds away from the wall
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