Design Guides
Matching Front and Back Doors: How to Make Your Exterior Doors Look Like One Set
Your front and back doors do not have to be twins, but they should look like they belong to the same house. Here is what to keep the same, what can differ, and how to handle glass, hardware and the view from inside.
By EHI Custom Doors
Key Takeaways
- Match the family, not every detail. Keep two or three things the same, such as the finish family, the hardware finish, the glass pattern and the frame colour, and let the rest change with each door's job.
- The front door leads and the back door supports. The back door can be simpler and more open, in the same finish.
- Use one metal family for the hardware on every exterior door.
- Remember the side door, the patio doors and the view from inside as well as the front elevation.
- You can quote your front and back doors together and choose matching finishes.
Matching front and back doors is about family resemblance, not identical twins. The two doors do different jobs, and they are seen from different places, but someone standing in your yard should still feel that they belong to the same house. This guide shows what to keep the same, what can change, and how to handle glass, hardware and the view from inside.
We are EHI Custom Doors. We manufacture and install custom fiberglass front doors and back doors, so we can build a matched set in one finish family and one hardware style.
Why Front and Back Doors Should Relate
You see the front door from the street and the back door from the deck, the yard and the kitchen window. Guests, family and neighbours see both. When they share a finish and a hardware style, the house reads as designed. When they do not, one door can look like it belongs to another home.
What to Keep the Same and What Can Differ
| Element | Keep it the same? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Finish family | Yes | Wood-tone or solid colour on both, in tones that sit together |
| Frame and brickmould colour | Yes | The frame shows on both, so keep it consistent |
| Hardware finish | Yes | One metal family: satin nickel, oil rubbed bronze or matte black |
| Glass pattern | Usually | The same divided-lite or decorative language, in different amounts |
| Panel style | It can simplify at the back | A paneled front and a simpler back door still read as related |
| Size and configuration | No | The job decides: single at the side, double at the deck |
| Lock type | Not necessarily | Choose it for the door's exposure and use |
| Handle style | It can differ | A pull bar on the front and a lever at the back can share a finish |
The Front Door Leads, the Back Door Supports
The front door carries the statement: the panel detail, the sidelights, the decorative glass. The back door can echo that at a lower volume. A paneled front door with a divided-lite transom pairs well with a back door in the same wood tone with divided lites and plain panels. A flush black front door with a pull bar pairs with a flush black back door with clear glass.
Matching by House Style
| House style | Front door | Back door |
|---|---|---|
| Colonial or Georgian | Raised panels with sidelights and a transom | A French-style pair or a single door with divided lites, same finish |
| Craftsman | Glass in the upper part with a dentil shelf | A simpler door with the same divided lites and finish |
| Modern | A flush or grooved slab with a pull bar and slim glass | A flush door with clear or frosted glass panels, same black or wood tone |
| Farmhouse | Panels or planks with black hardware | A single or double door in the same black or wood tone |
Our guides to front door styles for your home and modern front door ideas cover each look in more detail.
Finish and Colour Across Doors
Keep the finish family the same, and let the tone vary a little if the setting changes. A black front door pairs with a black or deep espresso back door. A warm oak-grain front door pairs with the same oak grain at the back. Sun and weather are different at the front and back, and strong sun wears any finish over time, so check which side of the house gets the most. Our guide to front door colours covers undertones and testing.
Hardware: One Metal Family
Use one metal family on every exterior door, in satin nickel, oil rubbed bronze or matte black. Handle styles can differ, such as a handle set at the front and a lever at the back, as long as the finish matches the light fixtures and house numbers. Our guide to front door hardware covers handles, locks and finishes.
Glass: The Same Language in Different Amounts
A front door facing the street usually needs more privacy, and a back door onto a private yard can use more clear glass. Keep the same divided-lite pattern or decorative language so they still relate. Our guide to exterior door glass options shows how to balance privacy and light, and our back door replacement guide covers the back of the house.
Side Doors, Patio Doors and the Garage
Include every exterior door in the plan: the side entrance, the deck or patio doors and any door to the garage. A side door can be a simple single door in the same finish. A garage door is a different product and we do not build them, so choose a front door colour that works with it, since the two sit in the same view.
The View From Inside
You see the inside face of your exterior doors every day. Look at it against your floors, trim and wall colours, and check the hardware finish on the inside. Ask what the inside face looks like on any door you order, and how the glass and sidelights look from the hall.
Ordering Front and Back Doors Together
You can request a quote for both doors at once and choose matching finishes. At EHI Custom Doors a custom fiberglass single door starts at $2,500 installed and a double door starts at $5,100 installed, for the front or the back. Our guide to custom exterior doors cost in Toronto shows what moves the price on each.
Mistakes to Avoid
- Choosing the front door first and the back door years later in a different finish
- Using two different metal finishes for the hardware
- Matching every detail, which makes the back door look too grand for its job
- Ignoring the side door and the patio doors
- Forgetting how the doors look from inside the house
Get a Quote for a Matched Set
Browse the door catalogue and photos of doors we have installed, then send photos of your front and back entrances. Call EHI Custom Doors at 647-952-2311 or request a quote. We are open Monday to Sunday, 9 AM to 5 PM, and there is no pressure to book on the spot. Read what customers say on our reviews page.
Matching front and back doors comes down to a few shared choices: a finish family, a hardware finish and a glass pattern. Decide those once for the whole house and every door will look like it belongs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should my front and back doors match?
They should relate, not match exactly. Keep two or three things the same, such as the finish family, the hardware finish and the glass pattern, and let size, configuration and detail change with each door's job.
Can I have a different colour on the back door?
You can, but keep it in the same family. A black front door pairs with a black or deep espresso back door. A very different colour can make the two look unrelated.
Should the hardware match on front and back doors?
Use the same metal family, such as satin nickel, oil rubbed bronze or matte black. The handle styles can differ, such as a handle set at the front and a lever at the back.
Should the glass be the same on both doors?
Keep the same pattern or language, but vary the amount. The front usually needs more privacy, and the back can use more clear glass.
Can I order the front and back doors together?
Yes. You can request a quote for both at once and choose matching finishes.
What about the side door and patio doors?
Include them in the plan. A side door can be a simple single door in the same finish, and patio or French-style doors should share the finish and hardware family.
How do I match a front door to a garage door?
We do not build garage doors, so choose a front door colour that works with your garage door, since the two are seen together. Keep the tones in the same family or use a deliberate contrast.
Does matching doors cost more?
At EHI Custom Doors a custom fiberglass single door starts at $2,500 installed and a double door starts at $5,100, for the front or the back. Finish is one of the choices that changes the final price.
Ready to See Real Pricing for Your Home?
Explore the pages below or request a free quote and we will get back to you with an accurate number.