Vertical blinds for wide windows and patio doors

Why width favours a vertical

Most blinds get heavier and harder to lift as they get wider. A vertical does not lift at all: it slides sideways on the headrail, so a blind several metres wide is as easy to use as a small one. Rotating the louvres by a few degrees lets light in while keeping privacy, and closing them fully gives good coverage for a lounge or office.

Louvre materials

Louvres come in different materials, each with a different job:

• Fabric louvres: soft and warm, in plain, textured and patterned designs for living rooms and bedrooms.
• Dim-out and blackout fabrics: for rooms that need to get dark, such as media rooms.
• PVC louvres: wipe-clean and moisture-tolerant, good for kitchens and busy commercial spaces.
• Wider or narrower louvres: wider louvres look bolder and let more view through when open.

Patio doors and bifolds

On a sliding patio door we usually stack the louvres to the side the door opens, so you can walk straight through without moving the blind out of the way first. On bifold doors a vertical can work if there is room above the frame, but tracked shutters or perfect fit blinds sometimes suit better. We check the head height and the opening at the visit and tell you which works.

Offices and commercial rooms

Verticals are common in offices because they control glare across a long run of windows and are easy to keep clean. PVC and fabric louvres can be replaced individually if one is damaged, rather than replacing the whole blind.

If louvres keep falling off

The most common complaint about older vertical blinds is louvres dropping from the hooks. It is usually a worn carrier or a bent hanger, and a new, correctly measured blind with good carriers solves it. Our guide on vertical blind slats falling off explains the causes. New vertical blinds are usually fitted within two to three weeks, with temporary blinds available while you wait.

Choosing the stack side

A vertical can draw to the left, the right, or split from the middle. On a patio door it should stack to the side that stays fixed, so the blind is never in the doorway. On a wide window with a view, a split draw keeps the centre clear. We stand at the window with you to decide, because furniture placement often settles it.

Weights, chains and a tidy finish

Fabric louvres hang with bottom weights, and a linking chain along the bottom keeps them evenly spaced so they do not twist in a draught. Where children are in the house, we can fit a wand control instead of a loose cord and chain. Headrails can sit inside the recess or on the wall above, depending on how much space you have.

Replacing old verticals

Many homes still have vertical blinds fitted decades ago. Replacing them is a good moment to rethink fabric and colour, and to check the headrail height, as many older blinds were never quite square to the window.

Colours and patterns

Vertical fabrics now go well beyond office grey, with textured weaves, soft neutrals and bolder colours. A pale louvre keeps a room bright when closed; a darker one gives more privacy at night. We bring samples so you can see the colour with daylight passing through it.