Back Door & Side Door Replacement Toronto: New Doors and Frames for Homes (2026)
Back and side doors get the least attention and the most weather. Rotted sills, rusted bottoms, drafts and weak frames are common by the time they're 20 years old. We replace the door, the frame, or both, and hand it back sealed, locking and closing properly.
Replace Your Back or Side Door
Tell us which door, what's wrong with it, and whether it has glass. Photos of the door, sill and frame help.
No obligation. We reply quickly, 24/7.
Why Back and Side Doors Wear Out First
They're used every day and looked after least.
The front door gets painted and fussed over. The back door takes the recycling out, lets the dog in and out, opens onto a deck that holds snow against it all winter, and faces the weather with no porch roof. Side doors along a driveway get splashed with salt and slush every time a car goes by.
Over the years that shows up as a rotted wood sill, a steel door rusting from the bottom up, a frame that has soaked up water and gone soft, and weatherstripping that no longer seals. Many older Toronto homes also have back doors that were never very secure to begin with: thin doors, short screws and a single lock.
When the door is the only problem, we replace the slab in the existing frame. When the frame and sill are rotted, the whole unit comes out and a new pre-hung door and frame goes in, which is what you'll see in the job below.
Sealed against weather
New sill, weatherstripping and exterior sealing to keep drafts and water out.
Locks properly
New lock and deadbolt, with longer screws into the frame.
Door and frame
We replace rotted frames, not just the door.
A Recent Job: Exterior Door and Frame Replaced
Old door and wooden frame out, complete new door system in.
This rear door opened onto a deck. The original wood frame had worn and softened, so a new slab alone wouldn't have lasted. We cut out and removed the complete old frame, installed a new pre-hung door with its own frame and threshold, fitted a new handle and deadbolt, insulated the gap between the frame and the wall, and caulked the exterior to seal it against drafts and water.
The same approach applies to side doors, doors to an attached garage, and basement walkout doors. See more on door replacement in Mississauga and exterior door frame repair.
Signs It's Time to Replace a Back or Side Door
Some of these can be repaired. Several together usually can't.
Drafts and daylight around the door
Weatherstripping has failed or the door has warped and no longer seals.
Rust at the bottom of a steel door
Water and salt rust the steel skin from the bottom edge up.
Rotted sill or frame
Water gets under the sill and soaks the bottom of the frame.
Dented or damaged door
Impacts, pets, or a forced entry have left the door bent or split.
Foggy or cracked glass
The glass insert seal has failed or the glass has cracked.
Weak or damaged lock side
A thin door or short screws make the door easy to force.
Back door kicked in or won't lock?
We secure it the same day and measure for the new door. Available 24/7 across Toronto and the GTA.
New Slab or New Door and Frame?
The frame decides.
A new slab is enough when
- The frame is dry, solid and square
- The sill isn't rotted or leaking
- Only the door is warped, dented or rusted
- The hinge and strike areas are sound
- You want to keep the interior trim
- The opening is a standard or matchable size
Replace door and frame when
- The sill or frame bottom is rotted
- Water is getting in under the door
- The frame was split in a break-in
- The frame is badly out of square
- You're changing the door size or swing
- The old door and frame were poorly installed
Replacing only the slab is covered on our door slab replacement page. Full door and frame replacement is what this page covers.
Choosing a Back or Side Door
Material, glass and a few details that matter.
Steel
Strong, secure and good value. The most common choice for back and side doors. Choose a door with a good finish on the bottom edge and keep the sweep in good shape to slow rust.
Fiberglass
Doesn't rust, rot or dent easily, which makes it a good choice for doors that take a lot of weather. See fiberglass door repair.
Glass options
Half-lite and full-lite doors bring light into kitchens and mudrooms. Blinds-between-glass is popular on back doors that open onto a deck. Glass near the lock should be laminated or obscure for security.
The door to an attached garage
A door between the house and an attached garage has a job to do: keep exhaust fumes out of the house. It needs to be tight-fitting and weatherstripped, and in many homes a self-closing device is required. We check what your door needs before replacing it.
Storm doors
A storm door protects a back door from the worst weather. If you have one, its closer and wind chain should be working so it doesn't slam into the new door. See storm door repair.
How We Replace a Back or Side Door
From measuring to a sealed, locking door.
1. Measure and inspect
The opening, the frame, the sill and the wall around it are checked for rot and square.
2. Choose the door
Material, glass, swing and hardware to suit the opening and how you use it.
3. Remove the old unit
The old door and, where needed, the frame and sill are cut out cleanly.
4. Install and level
The new pre-hung door is set plumb, level and square, and fastened into the wall framing.
5. Insulate and seal
The gap to the wall is insulated, and the exterior is caulked against water and drafts.
6. Hardware and test
New lock and deadbolt with long screws, weatherstripping checked, door tested for a tight close.
Mistakes We See With Back Door Replacements
Why some new doors leak or stick within a year.
- No sill flashing or slope. Water sits under the new sill and rots the subfloor.
- Frame not plumb or square. The door rubs, won't latch, or lets air in on one side.
- Short screws in the strike and hinges. A new door that can be kicked in just as easily as the old one.
- Gap left uninsulated. Cold air leaks around the frame even though the door seals.
- No exterior caulking. Rain gets behind the brick moulding and into the wall.
- Wrong door for the garage. A door into an attached garage that isn't weatherstripped and tight-fitting.
What Affects the Cost
We quote after measuring.
- Slab or door and frame. A full unit includes frame removal, insulation and exterior finishing.
- Door material. Steel, fiberglass or wood.
- Glass. Solid, half-lite, full-lite or blinds-between-glass.
- Size. Standard sizes or custom openings in older homes.
- Hardware. Handle set, deadbolt, and security upgrades.
- Repairs around the door. Rotted subfloor, sill or siding found when the old door comes out.
See the residential door repair cost guide for general numbers.
Related Door Services
Often part of the same job.
Front door replacement
New entry doors for the front of the house.
Door slab replacement
A new door in your existing frame.
Exterior frame repair
Rotted and split frames repaired.
Weatherstripping
Stop drafts around the door.
Door reinforcement
Stronger frames, strikes and hinges.
Patio door repair
Sliding and hinged patio doors.
Back and Side Door FAQ
Questions homeowners ask.
Do I need to replace the frame too?
Only if the frame or sill is rotted, split or out of square. If it's sound, a new slab in the existing frame is enough.
How long does a back door replacement take?
A full door and frame replacement is usually done in one visit once the door is ready.
Can you match my existing door size?
Yes. Many older Toronto homes have non-standard openings, and doors can be sized to suit.
What door is best for a back door that gets a lot of weather?
Fiberglass resists rust and rot well. Steel is strong and good value if the bottom edge is kept sealed.
Does a door to the garage have special requirements?
Yes. It must be tight-fitting and weatherstripped to keep exhaust out, and many homes need it to be self-closing.
My back door was kicked in. Can it be fixed?
Often the frame can be repaired and reinforced. If the door or frame is badly damaged, we replace them.
Can you put in a door with blinds between the glass?
Yes. Blinds-between-glass doors are a common choice for back doors onto decks.
Can I send photos for a quote?
Yes. Send photos of the door, sill and frame to our WhatsApp at 647-866-0956.
More Guides
Related help from our team.
Door Replacement Across the GTA
Local door pages near you.
A back door that seals, locks and lasts
Back, side and garage entry doors and frames replaced for homes across Toronto and the GTA. Licensed, insured and available 24/7.
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