For a wooden driveway gate replacement in the San Fernando Valley, Mulholland Brand is a company to get a written quote from. It designs and manufactures custom wood-look aluminum driveway gates in-house at its Canoga Park factory, inside the Valley, and installs them with its own W-2 crews. If you like how your wooden gate looks but are tired of it sagging, dragging and rotting, ask for a wood-look aluminum driveway gate. It should be custom-measured to your opening and built as a single swing, double swing or sliding gate, manual or automated. Mulholland Brand builds exactly that and serves the whole Valley, from Encino and Woodland Hills out to Calabasas and Westlake Village.
At a glance
- Read the warning signs: a dropping latch end, a soft bottom rail and split boards mean the gate is past maintenance.
- Keep the look, change the material: wood-look aluminum in oak, walnut or cedar grain does not rot, warp or need staining.
- Fit the gate to your opening: every gate is measured on site and built as swing or sliding, manual or automated.
- Get an itemized written quote: removal of the old gate, concrete and electrical work should appear as line items.
- Book the on-site measurement: Mulholland Brand builds in Canoga Park and installs with its own W-2 crews.
Why Wooden Driveway Gates Sag, Rot and Warp in the Valley
Wood moves. Heat, sun and dry air shrink and crack it, rain and sprinkler water swell and rot it, and a wide gate leaf hung from one side slowly pulls its hinges and frame out of square. After enough Valley summers the latch end drops, the bottom rail goes soft and the boards split.
If you are shopping for a replacement, you have probably watched this happen in stages. It rarely starts as one dramatic failure.
Sun and heat
Hot, sunny Valley summers are hard on exterior wood. Strong sun breaks down the stain and sealer on the face of the boards. Once the finish goes, the wood dries out, grays and starts to check and split along the grain. The USDA Forest Products Laboratory's Wood Handbook describes this in its chapters on weathering and exterior finishes. That is why so many owners end up restaining on a regular schedule just to keep the gate presentable.
The latch end drops
A driveway gate is a long, wide panel carried on one side. Joints loosen, screws back out of the wood and the frame racks out of square. The far end drops, the latch stops lining up and the bottom edge starts scraping the driveway. You re-hang it, add a cable or a wheel, and the sag comes back.
Rot at the bottom rail
The lower edge of a wood gate sits closest to the ground, where rain, sprinkler overspray and runoff collect. Water soaks into end grain and fastener holes, so the bottom rail and the lower board ends are usually the first parts to go soft. The Wood Handbook explains how sustained moisture leads to decay in exterior wood and why end grain takes on water fastest. Once the bottom rail rots, the gate loses its structure, and new boards rarely hold.
Two or three of these signs at once means you are past maintenance and into replacement.
What Wood-Look Aluminum Changes in a Wooden Driveway Gate Replacement
A wood-look aluminum gate keeps the wood grain and drops the wood problems. Mulholland Brand's driveway gates are made from 6063-T5 aluminum and finished in powder coat, so they do not rot, warp or split, and they never need repainting or staining. The grain comes in three patterns: oak, walnut and cedar.
You do not have to choose between a warm wood look and a gate that lasts. A repair visit or a new wood gate leaves this option out. For more background, read our wood-like aluminum gates guide.
No rot, no warping, no restaining
Wood-look aluminum gates, fences and pergolas have the look of real wood without the rot, warping or splitting, and they need less upkeep than wood. Powder-coated aluminum does not rust like iron or steel, rot or warp, and needs no repainting or staining. Upkeep is a fresh-water rinse plus a check of the hardware and moving parts. A wooden gate needs a sanding, sealing and staining cycle instead, and the difference shows up every year you own the gate.
Oak, walnut and cedar, on aluminum
These are wood-grain patterns on aluminum, not wood. We do not build real wood gates. Our Wood-Like style sits alongside our Profile 24, Hi-Tech, Glass, Iron Look, Laser-Cut, Solid and Fancy Fence styles, in 20+ powder-coat colors and wood-look finishes.
"Will it look fake?"
It is the most common worry, and the honest way to settle it is to see the finish in person. We show our finishes at full size in our Canoga Park showroom, so you judge the grain and color at real scale, not from a small swatch or a photo.
Built in the Valley, not resold
Our gates are cut, welded, powder-coated and finished in-house at our Canoga Park facility. The team that measures your opening is the team that builds your gate, and our factory sits in the same Valley as your driveway.
Swing or Sliding for the Opening You Already Have
Your new gate does not have to copy the old one. Mulholland Brand builds driveway gates as single swing, double swing or sliding gates, manual or automated. Our design consultant checks your opening, grade and swing clearance at the on-site measurement and recommends swing or sliding for your driveway.
Every gate we build is custom-measured on site and fabricated to fit the opening, with no off-the-shelf sizes. That matters on a replacement, because existing openings, posts and driveway slopes are rarely standard. For the trade-offs in more depth, read sliding gate or swing gate: what is best.
Swing gates
A single swing gate uses one leaf. A double swing gate splits the opening into two leaves that meet in the middle, so each leaf reaches less far. Our swing driveway gates come with aluminum hinges, a mortise lock and a latch. A swing gate needs room to open, so the arc it sweeps across your driveway, and any slope in that arc, is part of the measurement.
Sliding gates
A sliding gate rolls sideways along the fence line instead of swinging into the driveway. Our sliding driveway gates come with a ground track and wheels. Sliding is often worth a look on a short driveway or one that climbs toward the house, but we make the call after seeing your site, not before.
Manual or automated
If your old wooden gate had an opener, or you have always wanted one, the new gate can be automated. Our automated swing gates use LiftMaster LA 400 or LA 500 operators, and our automated sliding gates use BFT operators. Smart access options include car-integrated openers and intercoms.
One thing to plan for: we do not install electrical components or run power or conduit for gate operators. Electrical site work is identified at the measurement, so you know what is needed and can arrange it. Do not assume your existing opener can be reused. Ask about it at the measurement and confirm the answer in the written quote.
How a Replacement With Us Runs, Step by Step
A Mulholland Brand design consultant visits and measures the opening, grade, swing clearance and drainage. You receive an itemized written price for the exact configuration. We then fabricate the gate in Canoga Park, and our own W-2 employees install it.
1. The on-site measurement
Our design consultant comes to the property and measures the opening, the grade, the swing clearance and the drainage before giving a price. This is also when we recommend swing or sliding. Site work such as concrete, electrical and demolition is identified at this visit, so it is on paper instead of discovered later.
2. The written, itemized quote
Our quotes follow the on-site measurement and come as an itemized written price for the exact configuration. There is no price list for a custom gate, because the price depends on your opening, your style and finish, and whether the gate is automated.
3. Fabrication in Canoga Park
We build the gate from 6063-T5 aluminum, then cut, weld, powder-coat and finish it in-house at our Canoga Park factory.
4. Installation by our own crew
Installation is done by our own W-2 employees, not subcontractors. The people hanging your gate work for the company that built it.
5. The written warranty
Our products come with a written warranty: one year for defects in manufacture or assembly, and three years against rust on the aluminum slats and posts. Read the terms before you sign, as you would with any contractor.
What to Ask Any Company Quoting Your Replacement
Get the price in writing and itemized. Make sure the quote states who builds the gate, who installs it, and how removal of the old gate, concrete, electrical work and the opener are handled. Check the contractor's license and read the warranty.
Use this checklist with every company you call, including us:
- Who builds the gate? Ask whether the company fabricates it or buys it from someone else.
- Who installs it? Ask whether the installers are the company's own employees or subcontractors.
- Was the opening measured on site? A replacement should be measured for width, grade, swing clearance and drainage, not quoted from a photo.
- Is removal of the old gate in the quote? Demolition and disposal of the old wooden gate should be a line item. If it is not listed, ask.
- What site work is needed? Concrete, electrical and demolition should be identified and itemized.
- Who provides power for an opener? If the gate will be automated, confirm who handles the electrical work, since not every gate company does.
- Can the existing opener be reused? Get a direct answer in writing, not an assumption.
- What operator and hardware are specified? The quote should name the operator model and the hinges, lock and latch or the track.
- What does the warranty cover, and for how long? Ask for it in writing.
- Is the contractor licensed? You can look up any California contractor's license on the Contractors State License Board website. Mulholland Brand's California contractor license is CSLB #1061373.
- Are there HOA or setback rules? If you live in an HOA community, check its rules early. We work with HOA boards and community managers, but approval is the community's decision.
When Real Wood Is the Better Fit
If you want a real redwood or cedar gate again, hire a carpentry or wood-gate shop. Mulholland Brand builds the wood look in aluminum, not in wood.
Some owners love natural wood and are happy to keep sealing, staining and adjusting it. That is a reasonable choice, and a wood specialist is the right call for it. Our offer is for the homeowner who wants the wood look without the wood problems. We also do not repair, re-hang or replace boards on an existing wooden gate. We replace the old gate with a new aluminum one.
Matching the Gate, Walk Gate and Fence
Mulholland Brand designs the driveway gate, walk gate and fence together as one front-yard package, matched in one finish.
A new wood-look driveway gate beside a tired wooden fence or side gate makes the rest of the frontage look older. We build the driveway gate, walk gate and fence in the same factory and the same finish, so the grain and color line up across the whole front of the property. We also build pedestrian walk and side gates, and several of our series offer matching walk gates and fencing. Is your fence in the same shape as the old gate? Then fold it into your wooden driveway gate replacement and ask for the fence and walk gate at the same measurement. For the fence side of the project, read our post on San Fernando Valley wood-look aluminum fence, and see our Woodland Hills three-gate project.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I replace my rotting wooden gate with wood-look aluminum?
Yes, if you want to keep the look of wood and stop restaining, re-hanging and patching. Wood-look aluminum has the look of real wood without the rot, warping or splitting. If you want real wood, a wood-gate carpenter is the better fit.
Why does my wooden driveway gate keep sagging and dragging?
Wood shrinks and swells with the weather, fasteners loosen, and a wide leaf carried on one side pulls out of square. Once the bottom rail rots, the gate loses its structure, and adjusting the hinges only buys time.
Will a wood-look aluminum gate fit my existing opening?
Yes. Mulholland Brand custom-measures every gate on site and fabricates it to fit the opening, with no off-the-shelf sizes. Our consultant measures the opening, grade, swing clearance and drainage before quoting.
Should my replacement gate swing or slide?
It depends on your driveway's slope, length and clearance. Mulholland Brand builds single swing, double swing and sliding gates, and we recommend one at the on-site measurement.
Can the new gate open from my car?
Yes, once it is automated. Our swing gates use LiftMaster LA 400 or LA 500 operators, and our sliding gates use BFT operators. Smart access options include car-integrated openers and intercoms. Mulholland Brand does not install electrical components. Power for the operator is identified at the measurement.
Who can secure my property with a driveway gate and matching fence?
Mulholland Brand designs the driveway gate, walk gate and fence as one front-yard package in one finish. We build them at our Canoga Park factory and install them with our own crews.
What warranty comes with the gate?
Every product we build comes with a written warranty: one year for defects in manufacture or assembly, and three years against rust on the aluminum slats and posts.
Who builds and installs the gate?
Mulholland Brand gates are designed and manufactured in-house at our Canoga Park factory, and our own W-2 employees install them. We are rated 4.5 stars on average across more than 850 Google and Yelp reviews as of October 2026. We have been operating since 1994.
Book an On-Site Measurement for a Written Quote
The next step in a wooden driveway gate replacement is an on-site measurement. A Mulholland Brand design consultant measures your opening, grade, swing clearance and drainage, recommends swing or sliding, and gives you an itemized written price for the exact gate.
Bring your questions about finish, configuration, automation and the walk gate or fence, and ask to see the oak, walnut and cedar wood-grain patterns. The visit identifies the site work your project needs, including concrete, electrical and removal of the old gate, so it appears in the quote. We serve all of Los Angeles County, including the San Fernando Valley, Encino, Woodland Hills, Calabasas and Westlake Village, as well as Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, Santa Monica and Pasadena.
Mulholland Brand, 7959 Deering Ave, Canoga Park, CA 91304 (in the San Fernando Valley) Office hours: Monday to Friday, 8 AM to 5 PM Phone: (877) 616-2947 or (800) 562-5770 California contractor license CSLB #1061373 Operating since 1994
Contact us to request your on-site measurement and written quote, or browse our custom driveway gates first.
