Applications · Rolling Shutter Guide
Can you put a rolling shutter over a sliding glass door or French doors?
Yes. The shutter usually mounts on the outside wall, with the box above the door and a guide rail each side of the opening. If a handle or hinge sticks out, 1 x 2 in furring moves the shutter out 1 or 2 in so the curtain clears it. Plan on the box size plus 2 in above the door.
Key facts
- Roll-A-Shield's furring is 1 x 2 in aluminum tube powder-coated to match the shutter: on its tall side it gives 2 in of clearance, on its short side 1 in, and pieces can be stacked. Roll-A-Shield data
- For a typical 80 in door the box is 8 in on the 38 mm insulated slat, and the shutter needs about the box height plus 2 in of wall above the opening. Roll-A-Shield data
- A U-channel bottom track cannot be used across a walkway, because it is a trip hazard. Roll-A-Shield data
- Where an outside door-closer arm is in the curtain's path, Roll-A-Shield's practice on commercial doors is to have the door re-hung to swing in rather than stack furring. Roll-A-Shield data
Applies to: Rolling shutters over sliding glass (patio) doors, French doors and other exterior doors, any make; Roll-A-Shield shutters with 38 mm or 55 mm insulated or 63 mm single-wall slats.
Sliding glass doors and French doors are among the most common openings people ask to cover, for security, storms and heat. The shutter goes over the door the same way it goes over a window, but a door has things a window does not: handles, hinges, closers, a threshold people walk over, and the question of how you get out. This page covers each one.
Where does the shutter mount on a slider or French door?
Usually on the outside wall. The box sits above the door and a guide rail runs down each side just outside the opening, which Roll-A-Shield's measure sheet calls a surface mount; a recessed mount inside the door opening is the other option. A shutter can also go inside the house, but on a patio slider it usually looks better outside. Before choosing, check for anything in the way, such as out-swinging doors, screens or cabinets. More detail: Inside vs outside mount.
Will the shutter hit my door handle?
It will if the handle sticks out past the wall and nothing moves the shutter out. Mounted flush, the closing curtain meets a handle that juts 1 to 2 in and cannot close. The fix is furring, a spacer behind the box and rails:
- Roll-A-Shield sells 1 x 2 in rectangular aluminum tube, powder-coated to match, cut to the shutter's size.
- Mounted on its tall side it gives 2 in of clearance; on its short side, 1 in; pieces can be stacked.
- It only goes where it is needed: all sides, or just the top, bottom or sides.
- You can also fur out with your own wood or matching material.
On one storefront door, a handle that stood out 1-3/4 in was cleared by setting the 1 x 2 in furring on its edge for the full 2 in. See Does my shutter need furring?.
What about doors that swing out, or a door closer?
Anything that swings into the curtain's path has to be dealt with before ordering. On commercial doors with the closer arm on the outside, Roll-A-Shield's practice is to have the door re-hung to swing in, rather than stacking furring to build out around the arm. For an out-swinging French door on a home, send photos and talk it through with the rep before the shutter is built.
How much room do I need above the door?
About the box size plus 2 in: when a shutter is ordered by its clear opening, the overall height adds the box and a 2 in allowance for the end slat. The box size follows the door's height and the slat:
| Door opening height | 38 mm insulated | 55 mm insulated | 63 mm single-wall (end retention every slat) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 70 in | 8 in box | 8 in box | 7 in box |
| 80 in | 8 in box | 8 in box (9 in with the larger 70 mm axle) | 8 in box |
| 96 in | 8 in box | 9 in box | 9 in box |
A wide door can step up one box size to keep the axle from sagging. So an 80 in door on the 38 mm slat, with its 8 in box, needs about 10 in of wall above the opening. Box depths are in How far does the box stick out?.
What happens at the threshold?
The curtain comes down onto the floor or the sill in front of the door. A U-channel bottom track gives the curtain a surface to rest on, but it cannot be used where people walk, because it is a trip hazard. A sloped or uneven threshold is a custom job: the side rails can be made to their own lengths, with the box height taken from the taller side. See Do I need a U-channel?.
Motor or manual for a door?
Door shutters can be motorized or manual. Manual options include a strap or crank on the wall and a spring-loaded shutter you pull down by hand, which locks with a key at the bottom. Manual operators are limited by curtain weight, about 50 lb for strap and crank, and spring shutters top out at 192 in wide and 120 in tall. The 55 mm insulated slat is built only as a motorized shutter.
A three-panel slider or a wall of French doors can be wider than one shutter allows; then it is split at a mullion into two shutters, each with its own rails. See Can one shutter cover a very wide opening?.
Can I get out if the power fails?
Plan it before ordering. A manual override (CMO) adds a hand crank to a wired motor. On one recorded call about French doors, staff said the override can be placed on the inside or the outside, but not on both, so decide which side you would need it from and confirm it with the rep. See What is a manual override?.
Safety: For any door you may need to leave through, check your local egress rules. An override, solar or battery motor keeps the shutter operable in an outage. See Rolling shutters on bedroom windows.
How does a door shutter lock?
Manual shutters can add a lock at the bottom; motorized shutters are held down by the motor. Roll-A-Shield's order sheet offers a key lock or a slide lock on manual shutters and asks which side of the shutter the lock goes on (box side or back side), so decide which side of the door you will lock from. See How do rolling shutters lock?.
What next
Measure from outside, where the shutter will mount, and send the door's width and height, the headroom above it and photos of the handle and threshold. For pricing, see How much do rolling shutters cost?; for a quote, call (480) 921-0200 or request a quote.
Watch it done
Product Overview – Furring
The written steps on this page are the reference; the video shows the same job.
Frequently asked questions
Can a rolling shutter go inside the house over a slider?
Yes, it can be mounted inside, but on a patio slider it usually looks better outside, where the box and rails face the yard rather than the room.
How much headroom do I need above my patio door?
About the box size plus 2 in. An 80 in tall door takes an 8 in box on the 38 mm insulated slat, so plan on about 10 in of wall above the opening; the 55 mm slat on its larger axle needs a 9 in box.
What if I replace the sliding door later?
The shutter can usually stay. If the window company needs it out of the way, it can be removed and reinstalled; some window companies insist on removal and others work around it.
Should I measure French doors from inside or outside?
From outside, where the shutter will be mounted.
Parts and next step
Need a part or a hand?
Replacement motors, remotes, straps, slats and hardware ship from our Tempe, Arizona factory. Phoenix-area owners can book a service visit; everywhere else, our technicians help by phone. Call (480) 921-0200; the factory answers technical questions for any rolling shutter, not only ours.