Door Curtain Calculator
Curtains for a sliding glass door, French doors or a doorway: get the rod length, how far it should extend so the door still works, the curtain length and how many panels to buy.
Common door sizes
| Door | Typical width | Rod | Curtain width (2×) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 ft sliding glass door | 72 in | 96–108 in | 192–216 in |
| 8 ft sliding glass door | 96 in | 120–132 in | 240–264 in |
| French doors (pair of 30 in doors) | about 66 in with trim | out-swing 86 in; in-swing about 132 in | 172–264 in |
| Standard doorway | about 36 in with trim | 48 in | 96 in |
Widths include the trim. Measure your own door: sizes vary, especially in older homes.
How door curtains differ from window curtains
- Extend the rod further. Sliding doors need the curtains to stack completely off the glass and the handle, so 12–18 inches past each side is normal, not the 6–12 inches used on windows.
- Watch the door swing. French doors that open inward swing into the space where the curtains stack. Extend the rod about one door width (plus 3 inches) past each side, or put sash rods on the doors themselves.
- Keep them off the floor. Float or just touching, never puddled: the hem gets walked on and caught under the door.
- Choose easy-glide headers. Grommets, rings or a traverse rod with a wand make daily opening easier than rod pockets or tab tops.
For windows, use the curtain size calculator; for just the rod, the curtain rod length calculator.
Frequently asked questions
What size curtains for a sliding glass door?
Most sliding glass doors are 72 inches wide (6 ft) or 96 inches (8 ft), with the top of the trim around 80–82 inches. For a 72-inch door, use a 96–108 inch rod (12–18 inches past each side) and about 192–216 inches of curtain width at 2× fullness, for example four 54-inch panels. With the rod 4–6 inches above the door, 84- or 95-inch panels reach the floor.
Should curtains on a sliding door be one panel or two?
Either works. A single wide panel that stacks on the side of the fixed glass keeps the opening clear and looks tidy; a pair gives a symmetrical look but one stack sits in front of the opening side, so extend the rod further on that side.
How do I hang curtains on French doors that open inward?
In-swing doors hit curtains that stack beside the frame. Either extend the rod past each side by about the width of one door leaf plus 3 inches, so the curtains stack beyond the open doors, or mount sash rods on each door so the panels move with it.
How long should door curtains be?
End them about ½ inch above the floor, or let them just touch it. Avoid puddled curtains on doors you use every day: they catch underfoot and on the door.