A glass patio door can be one of the most stylish and attractive windows in your home, if you treat it right. A large part of that is choosing a window treatment for your patio door to protect your privacy and control for light.
By far the best-looking and most effective patio door window treatments are plantation shutters. And no matter if your patio door is a sliding door or french door, there’s a style of plantation shutter to accentuate your patio door.
French Door Patio Shutters
Plantation shutters are adaptable, which makes them perfect for french patio doors. For any kind of patio french door, Sunburst can make a set of plantation shutters to fit them.
Is one door stationary or do both french doors open? Are the handles near the interior or the exterior of the doorframe? Is it important to have a buffer so the doors don’t swing open too far and hit the wall? Interior shutters are perfect for any situation.
Don’t forget their other vast benefits. Interior shutters offer more control over lighting than any other window treatment, compared to curtains or blinds where you only have two choices: shut or open. Shutters will also outlive any other window covering, and will survive as long as your french patio do. Shutters are also affixed directly to your patio doors, so they don’t sway wildly when you open or close go through the patio door. And with our premier faux wood Polywood® plantation shutters, you get best in class energy efficiency, which is especially important with how much your patio doors can contribute to the temperature in your home.
Sliding Patio Door Shutters
Similar to Philadelphia french doors, sliding glass patio doors can vary, and it could be somewhat difficult to find a window treatment that works in tandem with your sliding patio door. Fortunately, shutters are custom-built to fit exactly how your sliding patio doors work. Shutters for sliding patio doors have two different configurations: bypass or bifold.
Bypass Sliding Patio Door Shutters
A bypass sliding door shutter has panels that slide over one another, similar to the sliding door itself.

One of the biggest benefits of bypass shutters for a patio door is that it doesn’t sacrifice light control when you want privacy like you might with other window coverings. You can open the shutter louvers to any angle, without leaving your home interior completely visible from the outside.
Bypass shutters for the most part are built with fewer shutter panels than bifold shutters, resulting in a a modern and clean style for your patio door.
Bifold Sliding Patio Door Shutters
As you can gather from the name, bifold sliding door shutters fold and collapse into themselves and can move away from your sliding door. While a little more rare than, bifold shutters have more shutter panels, giving you more discriminating light control since you have access to more individual louvers to adjust.
Patio Door Shutter FAQs
How do I know if I need bypass or bifold shutters for my patio door?
It mainly depends on the the space around your sliding glass door. Your Sunburst pro can help you determine what will work best for your home.
Is there enough room around my sliding door to put in shutters?
In almost every single case, yes, there will be enough room. That’s because there are a wide array of frame and mount configurations that can fit various types of sliding patio doors.
My french doors open in opposite directions – will that work with shutters?
As with sliding door shutters, french door shutters are custom built to your exact needs. Sunburst Shutters Philadelphia is able to create a frame and mounting that won’t get in the way of your french doors.
Can shutters fold away from my glass patio door to give me a full view outside?
They certainly can!
Will my door handle get in the way of installing shutters?
No, the Sunburst team can build shutters with custom cut-outs, which wrap around the door handle, giving you full access to it at all times.
If I get shutters on my patio door, do I also need to cover my transom window?
Only if you want to cover the transom. The beauty of shutters is in how adaptable they are.
Will shutters survive pets scratching at the door?
No treatment can eliminate scuffs from pets. But for unrivaled strength and durability, we recommend our Polywood plantation shutters.
Do patio door shutters help protect my flooring and furniture from fading?
Absolutely! With the unmatched light control offered by shutters comes the ultimate in sun protection. Your belongings, flooring, art on the wall on the wall and more will be guarded from harsh UV light.
When putting in patio door shutters, is anything screwed into my floor?
No – all of our patio door shutters adhere to either the door frame itself or the wall around the door, depending on the style you go with.
Will patio door shutters sway in the breeze when I leave the door open?
Not a chance. Patio door shutters by Sunburst heavy, sturdy and solid enough that they won’t ever sway in the wind, even if the door is wide open.
Time to Make Your Patio Doors Shine Brighter
Are you ready to up the style and usability of your patio doors? If so, Sunburst Shutters Philadelphia can help. Drop us a line by calling 215-874-4897 today or by filling out our online contact form below. We’ll get in touch soon schedule your in-home consultation.