Do I use curtains or blinds?

Hello Kathy! Your cost for either your curtains or blinds might depend on your taste! If you choose curtains you will have to consider the cost of your rod as well as the curtains. Personally I like curtains/drapes, grommet top, on a rod mounted above the sliding glass door so you can open and close them but that might depend on the space you have on each side of your door. I would want a longer rod so when the curtains or drapes are open they don't obstruct any of the window glass. Blinds look nice too but I hate cleaning them!

Curtains are generally a little easier to work with on a sliding glass door unless you go with vertical blinds, which to me are very dated. The cost for either will depend upon the quality that you select.

Hi Kathy its been my experience in generally that curtains are usually less expensive than blinds. You can also make your own curtains out of any fabric you like! I made a beautiful curtain in my laundry room with a table cloth I fell in love with and some so-easy-to-use hooks that require no sewing at all! https://www.grandmashousediy.com/laundry-room-design/

I have two posts on curtains that may help you decide:

https://www.unexpectedelegance.com/?s=curtains

Curtains generally will be less expensive and easier to custom fit by hemming, etc. It really is personal preference because you can find curtains in a very wide price range.

curtains are way way cheaper

We have curtains and love them, they are on the patio door and work very well, wasier to wash too. Great selection at Walmart.

Curtains are definitely cheaper. IKEA has some really nice ones in very long lengths so that you can hang them way above your door frame.

As Chloe said, it really depends on quality. There are blinds available to fit a sliding glass door that are lower priced than curtains covering the same size. Generally higher priced curtains are thicker, heavier and hang straighter than cheap ones.

Also, curtains will require more wall width to mount, as you will want to open them wide enough so that they clear the glass, and do not get caught in the breeze with closing the slider.

Horizontal blinds should be able to mount directly above the door, without requiring any addition width.

Blinds for sliding glass door are not the best looking. With curtains, you can tailor them and have the fabric go with your color scheme as well as your decor. I would definitely do curtains. In fact, I have to make some for our sliding glass doors too. HA. I was thinking about putting a tiny sliding track(think hospital rooms) and putting my curtain on that so I didn't have some heavy hardware and pole all on top of the sliding glass door. That is a project on my to do list so I thought I would throw it out there as an idea. I hate heavy curtain hardware and this will make it easy. Good luck!

Have had both. When I first moved into my current home, I ordered vertical blinds as it was an easy quick fix at the time. Over the years I started changing the window treatments room by room. I have since acquired a bunch of pets, I swapped out the vertical blinds for curtains. Installed a neutral double rod and used white sheers and a a couple pretty semi room darkening curtains. My slider faces due east so it gets really bright (and hot!), and this set up let's me choose my level of protection. I don't have any privacy concerns as it goes into my back yard. Plus easy to take down and wash or change when desired.

Curtains will most likely be less expensive but are not very practical if you are going to utilize the door.

I personally like my long sliding glass door blinds. They are easy to open and close.

blinds are more expensive especially for a large door - here are some covering ideas

https://www.bhg.com/decorating/window-treatments/basics/sliding-door-window-coverings/

https://www.bhg.com/decorating/window-treatments/basics/sliding-door-window-coverings/