Mulholland Brand designs, fabricates and installs aluminum wall toppers for homes in Los Angeles. A topper is a row of panels mounted on top of the block or stucco wall you already have, so you get more height and privacy without tearing the wall out. Mulholland builds each topper to the exact length and height of your wall in its own Canoga Park factory, and its own W-2 crew installs it. The panels are powder-coated aluminum, which does not rot or rust and does not need repainting.
Why add a topper instead of building a new wall?
Most Los Angeles lots already have a perimeter wall. Plenty of them are sound but short. A neighbor adds a second story, a street gets busier, or you put in a pool and want the yard screened. The wall is fine. It is just not tall enough anymore.
Tearing out a solid wall to build a taller one is a lot of demolition for a height problem. A topper keeps the base you have and adds to it. You keep the footing and the wall face, and only the top changes.
There is a design benefit too. A plain block wall with a slatted aluminum topper can look more current than a taller block wall would. The topper can match your gates and any new fencing on the property.
What should you check about your existing wall first?
A topper is only as good as the wall under it. Before anyone quotes you, look at the wall with a critical eye:
- Are there cracks running through the block or the stucco?
- Is any section leaning, or pulling away from a post or pilaster?
- Is the cap loose or missing in places?
- Has a tree root or a slope pushed part of the wall out of line?
A company that measures the site should look at these things and tell you what it sees. Hillside lots are common in Los Angeles, and walls on a grade often step down in sections. The topper has to follow those steps, so it gets measured along its full run rather than at one spot.
You should also ask your city whether added height on a wall needs a permit or has a height limit where you live. Rules differ between Los Angeles and the other cities in the county, and front walls are often treated differently from side and back walls.
Which topper material holds up best in Los Angeles?
Toppers get sold in a few materials. Each has a place.
Wood lattice or slats is the cheapest way to add height and it looks soft against a block wall. It is also the first to fail. The sun dries it out, the boards split and twist, and termites find it. Wood sitting on top of a wall is exposed on every side.
Vinyl does not rot and needs little care. Color choices are narrower, and it reads as vinyl up close.
Steel or iron is strong but heavy, and it rusts where the finish wears. Weight matters when the load sits on top of an older wall.
Powder-coated aluminum does not rust or rot. Mulholland states that its powder-coat finish lasts 30+ years in the Southern California sun. Aluminum weighs a fraction of iron at the same span, which is easier on the wall it is mounted to. It is also non-combustible and CAL FIRE tested. In the hillside and canyon neighborhoods where fire exposure is real, a topper that will not burn is worth more than one that looks nice for a few seasons.
If you want the warmth of timber on top of the wall, ask about woodgrain powder-coat finishes. They look like wood without the sanding, staining or termites. See the benefits of wood-like aluminum gates and fencing.
What designs are available for wall toppers?
Mulholland's fencing range runs from privacy and horizontal-slat panels to frameless modern profiles, and the consultation is where you pick the one that suits a topper on your wall. Spacing between slats changes how much you can see through, so you can choose full privacy or a lighter screen that lets some air and light in.
Color is chosen from the powder-coat range. On properties inside a homeowners association, the powder coat can be matched to an approved association color, with a profile chosen to sit within the existing scheme.
Because everything is made in one factory, the topper can match a new driveway gate, a walk gate or a run of fence elsewhere on the lot. For laser-cut patterns or one-off designs, Mulholland also does custom work.
The wall toppers page has more on the product.
How does a wall topper project run?
Mulholland runs it in five steps.
- In-home consultation. They come to your property. There is no showroom visit.
- Site measurement. They measure the full length of the wall, each step on a slope, and the height you want to reach.
- Design and written quote. You get a clear, itemized price in writing.
- Fabrication in Canoga Park. Panels are built to your wall's dimensions. There is no off-the-shelf sizing and no outsourcing.
- Installation and walkthrough. Mulholland's own crew, W-2 employees and not subcontractors, mounts the topper and walks the finished job with you.
Financing is available. Ask about it during the consultation.
Mulholland has served Southern California since 1994 and holds California contractor license CSLB #1061373. If you want to see how panels are made before you sign anything, you can tour the factory by appointment.
What should you ask any company that quotes a topper?
These questions work for any contractor, not only Mulholland.
Did they look at the wall? A quote given without inspecting the wall is a guess about the part that carries the load.
How is it fixed to the wall? Ask how the posts or brackets attach and what happens at pilasters and corners.
Who makes the panels? Some companies buy stock panels and cut them down. Ask whether the topper is built to your measurements.
Who installs it? Find out if the crew is employed by the company or brought in as subcontractors.
Is the quote itemized in writing? It should show what you are paying for, line by line.
Is the license active? Check the number on the CSLB website before you sign.
Frequently asked questions
Can a topper go on a stucco wall as well as a block wall?
Yes. Mulholland mounts aluminum toppers on existing block and stucco walls.
Will an aluminum topper look like an add-on?
It does not have to. The profile and color are chosen to suit the wall and the house, and the topper can match your gates and fencing.
Can I get a wood look on a wall topper?
Ask about woodgrain powder-coat finishes during the consultation. They give the look of timber without the upkeep.
Does Mulholland serve all of Los Angeles County?
Yes. See the Los Angeles service area page. The company also serves Orange, Ventura and San Diego counties.
If your wall is solid but too short, Mulholland Brand can measure it and give you a written quote for an aluminum topper built for your Los Angeles home. Book a consultation or call (800) 562-5770.
