5 Sliding Glass Door Curtain Rod Facts You Must Know

Sliding Glass Door Curtain Rod

Do you have sliding glass doors included in your home design? If the answer is yes, you can already know about all the benefits offered by this entrance type.

Many people are in love with sliding doors because it offers a full view of the outside that you can see right from inside your house. Other than that, the entrance also allows more natural light from the sun to enter the interior. Something like this can create not only energy efficiency but also a healthier living environment.

However, at the same time, the sliding glass door can also be disadvantageous. It makes the house privacy level lower. Besides, too much sunlight can create damages on the surface of the floor and the furniture.

That is why many people finally think about adding a special treatment for the door to deal with the excess natural light whenever needed. One of the ways is by using curtains.

If you also think about installing curtains for your sliding doors, you need to know that you must only choose a special sliding glass door curtain rod to hang the treatment. In other words, you cannot select any regular window pole.

In this article, we will share with you all the facts about the special curtain rod for sliding glass doors. We hope that after reading this, you will know about the right type of curtain pole to use to create a cover for the sliding doors at your house.

The Best Type of Curtain Rod for Your Sliding Glass Door

a curtain rod that is longer than the sliding glass door frame
a curtain rod that is longer than the sliding glass door frame. image © jodifoster.ca

As we already mentioned earlier, to be able to hang curtains to cover your sliding glass door, at first, you need to install the rod or pole. In this case, you need to know that you cannot just randomly choose the item because it is not the same as the ones used for hanging regular windows.

The most important thing that you need to pay attention to when buying a rod for the sliding glass door curtain is none other but the length. We can say so because usually, a full set of the door is quite long. It is even possible for you to order a custom length for the rod if you cannot find the right choice at stores.

Based on all those, we can also say that before you purchase the curtain pole, it would be so much better for you to measure the total length of the door first. In this case, you must also include the frame.

You must also know that in most cases, the rod must be at least a bit longer than the total length of the door frame. However, some other people choose the same length for both parts because of preference or space limitation.

The Best Height to Install the Rod

curtain rod installation must at least be 4” above the door frame
curtain rod installation must at least be 4” above the door frame. image via houzz.com

Installing a curtain rod for a sliding glass door is something that you cannot do carelessly. The measurement of the height and weight must be precise, so later, everything can work properly.

The first thing to measure is the height. It is none other but the exact position of the rod above the upper frame of the sliding glass door. Here, you can choose the center point of the entrance and then create a marking with a pencil right 4 inches above it.

Next, you also need to create a marking for each rod side for knowing the exact measurement of the length of the curtain pole. The way to do it is by measuring 2 inches out from both the left and right sides of the door frame. After that, measure 4 inches above each of the points and then mark it with a pencil.

If you do it correctly, you will get the rod and brackets installed straightly. If you think that you will need more brackets, such as when the size of your door is big enough, you can also create more marks to point the right location for each of the hardware. Each of the marks that you have created will be the point where you drill the wall to attach the brackets.

The Importance of Center Brackets for the Rod

longer rod needs center brackets for extra support
longer rod needs center brackets for extra support. image © mjkhomesinc.com

The whole length of a curtain rod for a sliding glass door is the reason why you must also choose the right brackets to support it. Commonly, a bracket is necessary for every 30 up to 36 inches of the curtain pole.

In this case, you must also pay attention to the whole length of the rod. For example, if you want to install a 60 inches pole for your standard 5 feet double panel sliding glass door, you will need one up to two center brackets other than the ones at the ends of the rod.

If by any chance, you have not known about the function of these accessories, you need to know that they are functional, not only for supporting the rod. The primary service of the center brackets is mainly for avoiding the curtain pole from bowing.

The Relation between the Rod, Curtain Material and the Strength of the Brackets

As you may already know, right now, curtain rods are available in various types of material with different weights. The same thing is also applied when it comes to curtains.

The reason why we said those things is because you need to make sure that the brackets are strong enough to support both of the rod and the curtains. If they are not strong enough, there is a chance for everything that you have installed to fall.

It would also be better to screw the brackets into the wall studs. This action will give you better stability.

The Types of Curtain to Pair with the Rod

Once you are done with the installation of the rod and brackets, the next thing you must think about is the curtain. For this one, you must remember about the primary function of the door as an entrance to enter and exit the house. Besides, you must also think about the disadvantages caused by the door type that finally makes you think that you need curtains to cover it.

Sheer Curtain

dining room sliding glass doors with chrome rods and sheer curtains
dining room sliding glass doors with chrome rods and sheer curtains. image via houzz.com

The first type that we suggest you get is a sheer curtain. It is an excellent choice if you still want the natural light to enter the interior of your house subtly.

A curtain like this does not give full privacy. That is why there is still a chance for the inside of your house to be visible from outside.

Another thing that you need to know about this curtain is that it is commonly quite light. It means it will not give any significant burden to both the rod and the brackets.

Opaque Curtain

opaque curtain is perfect for bedroom sliding glass doors
opaque curtain is perfect for bedroom sliding glass doors. image © arcadiabuildersllc.com

The second type you can get is an opaque curtain. For you to know, the other name of it is blackout treatment.
Surely, there is a reason behind why it is called so. When you cover the sliding glass door with it, the natural light cannot enter the house through it. So, yes, the interior will get darker when you close the curtain.

Something like this is also perfect to choose if you are looking for extra privacy. The blackout material is the best for covering the glass door as well as everything else inside the house.

Curtain with Rings

The third type is a curtain that comes with rings instead of hooks or pockets. The reason why we say so is that something like this is easier to open and close. Even if you need to operate the curtain quickly, the rings will not make it easily fallout from the rod.

Non-Layered Curtain

The last but not least is a non-layered curtain. We give you this recommendation because the thing that you want to cover is a sliding door and not a window. It means it also has a function as an entrance.

The non-layered curtain is more suitable to pair with the rood because it is easier to open. This way, you will not get into trouble whenever you need to pass through the door.

However, if, based on some reasons, you still prefer the layered curtains, please be sure to choose double brackets instead of the regular or single one. It can help make the opening and closing of the glass door treatment easier to do.

Some Curtain Rods You Can Buy

Right now, there are quite a lot of curtain rod products that you can buy at stores, including the ones that you can use to cover the sliding glass door. Based on the topic that we talk about in this post, when you are looking for the right rod, you need to make sure that it will fit the design of the entrance type.

In this case, you should pay attention not only to the length of the rod. It would also be helpful if you also check about the availability of the hardware, including brackets.

If you want to, you can consider the design too. It is particularly if you also want the rod to give a decorative value to the interior.

Here are some examples of curtain rods that you can pair with your sliding glass door.

Chelsea 5/8” Standard Decorative Black Curtain Rod 48-86” by Kennel

Kennel Chelsea standard decorative black curtain rod
Kennel Chelsea standard decorative black curtain rod. image via amazon.com

This first example has some excellence that we want you to know. The first is the fact that it has an adjustable length.

Basically, it is 48” long. When you need it to be longer, such as when you want to use it for supporting the sliding glass door curtains, you can adjust it up to 86”.

The rod is also available in various colors. The one you see in the photo is black. Other than that, you can also pick champagne silver, oil-rubbed bronze, soft brass, weathered brown, and white.

If seen from the design, this metal rod, as well as the resin finials, looks quite simple. It makes the product versatile enough to use in any room with any style.

Another thing that you need to know is that when you buy this product, you will get the brackets and mounting hardware in the package. For the 48 – 86” length, a center bracket is available too.

1” Urn Adjustable Curtain Rod Set by Decopolitan

Decopolitan 1” Urn adjustable curtain rod set
Decopolitan 1” Urn adjustable curtain rod set. image via walmart.com

If you want something that looks even more decorative, this Decopolitan curtain rod can be the right choice. As you can see, the finials of this rod look suitable for decoration because of the design.

This item is available in different length options. If you have a rather big sliding glass door, you can choose the 72-144” size, which is adjustable.

For a quite long rod like this, you will also receive the mounting hardware and brackets in the purchase. There will also be a center bracket that you can use to avoid bowing.

Square Design Curtain Rod in Satin Nickel by Ivilon

Ivilon satin nickel square design curtain rod
Ivilon satin nickel square design curtain rod. image via amazon.com

Do you want a rod with silvery color? This item could be a suitable choice for you. To be more specific, the color is satin nickel.

The excellence that catches our eyes is that this adjustable curtain rod has more length options to choose from. The longest one is 120 to 240” long.

Do you know what it means? It means you can choose this product if you have a bigger sliding glass door.

1” Drapery Rod with Netted Texture Finials in Champagne Gold by Kamanina

Kamanina rod with netted texture finials
Kamanina rod with netted texture finials. image via amazon.com

Here is a choice that you can pick if you want something with a beautiful look. The reason why we said so is because of the netted texture in the design of the finials.

Other than those, this adjustable curtain rod also has a champagne gold color. Something like this is excellent for showing luxury.

5/8” Rod Set in Satin Nickel by Bali Blinds

Bali Blinds rod set in satin nickel
Bali Blinds rod set in satin nickel. image via amazon.com

The last but not least interesting item that we found is this satin nickel curtain rod. We love it because of the clean and sleek look, which seems to be perfect for a modern or minimalist room design.

The manufacturer also mentioned that it is suitable to pair with both lighter and heavier curtain types. It gives you more options to choose sheer, opaque or any other curtain types based on your preference.

Closing

That is all the information we can share with you about the sliding glass door curtain rod. The most important thing that we want to say from this article is that when you are looking for the accessory, you cannot randomly choose the item at stores.

As we already told you above, it would be wiser if you pay attention to some details. Those include the length and the center bracket availability.

Other than those, you can consider about the right way to install the rod and the correct type of curtain to pair with it.

By recognizing all those things, we are sure that finding the right curtain rod for your sliding glass door will never be a problem.