In addition to letting natural light into your home, sliding glass doors can also help filter light and preserve privacy. Finding window coverings that fit sliding glass doors can be a challenge, however.
The newest trend is to use indoor plantation shutters for sliding glass doors. Due to their large openings and sliding capabilities, a sliding glass door or any other sliding door can be difficult to find window coverings. Plantation shutters are a great way to dress sliding doors. They tend to be both appealing and practical at the same time, combining durability with the look of shutters. Shutters are highly customizable, making them a perfect choice for this application.
Overview of Plantation Shutters and Their Benefits
With their adjustable louvers and panels, plantation shutters are an elegant and practical window treatment. Originally used in Mediterranean countries, Plantation shutters help homeowners with light control and airflow to create a more hospitable environment by effectively controlling light and airflow. You also get many benefits from plantation shutters.
Aesthetic Appeal
Plantation shutters for sliding glass doors have a timeless and classic aesthetic that never goes out of fashion. They are available in a wide variety of colors, finishes, and materials, allowing you to mix and match to complement your room’s decor. You can stain, paint, or match them with other furnishings in your décor. Modern plantation shutters also come with features like invisible tilt and motorization, seamlessly accommodating different decor styles.
Durability
Plantation shutters are made of strong and durable hardwood and composite materials that do not peel, warp, or fade quickly. You can be assured that your shutters will maintain their luster and quality over time.
Energy Efficiency
By installing plantation shutters on sliding glass doors, you add an extra layer of thermal insulation to your house. This helps keep your home cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter. The shutters regulate temperatures throughout your house, thus reducing monthly energy costs and enhancing energy efficiency. As a result, you will also see a decrease in central heating and HVAC requirements.
Light and Privacy Control
Plantation shutters offer easy control over light and privacy. The large louvers can be tilted completely closed or open to adjust the amount of light coming in. You can also angle the louvers to let in the desired amount of natural light. The wider louvers provide a clear view of the outdoors while filtering light and ensuring privacy.
Safety
Indoor shutters are a safe choice for homes with small children and pets as they do not have dangling cords or strings, eliminating any potential hazard.
Considerations for Choosing the Right Shutters for Your Sliding Glass Doors
For sliding doors, it is important to take the door handle into account when measuring plantation shutters. A protruding door handle usually leaves less backspace, which can result in difficulty opening and closing the louvers. It becomes necessary to mount an extended frame to achieve clearance.
In addition, sliding door handles can also be replaced with ones that are inset. Backspace should be measured between the flush face and the first obstruction, which is usually the handle. The backspace requirements for various plantation shutters vary; however, bi-fold shutters with an overhead track require an additional inch or two since they fold like accordions.
How to Measure for Plantation Shutters
Custom shutters are fairly easy to measure. Measure the height of the door casing from the floor. If there is no casing, measure the height of the jamb from the floor. Measure the width of the interior door jamb Measure the width and height of the glass panes of your sliding door.
Installation Tips and Tricks
To install plantation shutters on your sliding door, follow these steps:
- Begin by measuring the width and height of your door opening.
- Choose the type of plantation shutter you desire and order the correct size.
- Install the shuttered track along the top of the sliding door opening.
- Attach the shutter panels to the track using hinges.
- Finally, ensure the shutters slide smoothly and securely lock by testing them.
Maintenance and Care of Plantation Shutters
You can easily remove dust that accumulates on your plantation shutters with any regular duster, whether made of wood, PVC, or other material. Dusting your shutters once a week is a good idea. You might need to dust them more often if they’re in a high-traffic area.
Keep your plantation shutters clean by wiping them down once a week with a damp cloth, paying particular attention to the louvers. Follow up with a dry cloth to prevent water streaks.
In addition, you should move and adjust the louvers as needed to clean the entirety of the shutter. Grabbing them in the middle gently is the best way to adjust the louvers. Using too much force or by grasping on the sides may damage your shutters. Plantation shutters have wider louvers than traditional shutters, which means you won’t have to clean so many louvers, and they will be more durable.
Create a Unique Look with Different Types of Finishes, Colors, and Designs for Your Shutters
Choose the material for your indoor shutters from a selection of beautiful hardwood, composite or vinyl. All types of shutters are available in a wide variety of stains and colors to match your interior design and color scheme seamlessly.
The best mounting style is bi-fold for patio doors. There will be between 4 and 6 panels on a patio door shutter, which will fold out from the center on each side of the door. We advise against choosing all your panels to open in one direction to match the way the patio door slides, it will put too much weight on the hinges on that side of the frame. The weight will be distributed more evenly with bi-fold shutters for patio doors in harmonizing styles.
You can also layer your patio door treatments as curtain and shutter combinations if you wish. Any of the curtain styles work well as long as they can be moved aside to gain access to the sliding glass door.
Embrace The Beauty And Functionality
You can now see why homeowners love the trend of adding plantation shutters to their sliding glass and patio doors for sensational reasons. They are ultimately beautiful, have easy maintenance, great lighting control, give you energy efficiency, and are the most durable window treatment you can find. Consider adding plantation shutters to your home as a stylish and functional window treatment for all of your windows and doors.
At Blinds & More, we are your experts in Knoxville, TN, and offer a FREE in-home consultation for your custom plantation shutters. Give us a call today to see what we can create for you!
