Mulholland Brand designs, fabricates and installs wood-look aluminum fences for homes in the San Fernando Valley. The fence is powder-coated aluminum with a woodgrain finish, so it reads as timber from the yard and the street, but it cannot rot and termites have nothing to eat. It is built in Mulholland's own factory in Canoga Park, which sits in the Valley, and installed by the company's own W-2 crew. Customers regularly say they cannot tell it is not wood.
Mulholland has built gates and fences in Southern California since 1994. It holds California contractor license CSLB #1061373.
The Valley climate is why your wood fence keeps rotting
A wood fence in the Valley gets the worst of both seasons. Summer brings long stretches of heat and hard sun. The boards dry out, gray and crack. Then the winter rain soaks into those cracks and sits there. Every wet and dry cycle opens the grain a little more.
The damage shows up first where wood meets ground. Posts set in soil or concrete stay damp at the base long after the rest of the fence has dried. That is where rot starts, and it is also where termites get in. A post can look fine above the ground and be soft a few inches below it. Press a screwdriver into the base of each post. If it sinks in easily, that post is done.
Replacing a board or two helps for a season. Replacing posts helps longer. But the new wood faces the same sun and the same soil, and the cycle starts again.
Wood-look aluminum does not rot at the post
The fix is to take wood out of the fence entirely while keeping the look.
Mulholland's fences are aluminum. Aluminum does not rot and it does not rust. Termites ignore it. The posts that used to fail first are now the part you think about least.
The wood look comes from a woodgrain powder-coat finish baked onto the aluminum. There is no sanding and no staining. There is nothing to reseal before summer. Mulholland states that its powder coat lasts 30+ years in the Southern California sun.
Two other facts matter in the Valley. Aluminum is non-combustible and CAL FIRE tested. For homes along the foothills and canyon edges, a fence that will not burn is worth having. And because aluminum weighs a fraction of iron at the same span, gates in the fence line stay easy on their hinges and posts.
For a longer look at the finish itself, see the benefits of wood-like aluminum gates and fencing.
Composite and vinyl also imitate wood, with tradeoffs
Aluminum is not the only material that looks like wood without being wood. Here is a fair comparison.
Composite fencing is made from a blend of wood fiber and plastic. It resists rot better than real wood and has a convincing texture up close. It is heavier than aluminum. Ask any composite installer what the posts are made of, since that is where your old fence failed.
Vinyl does not rot and needs little care. It comes in woodgrain textures, though the color range is narrower and it tends to look like vinyl at close range. If you want a simple, low-cost privacy fence and are not set on a real wood look, vinyl can be a sensible choice.
New wood is still an option. Redwood or treated lumber looks great when it goes in. If you enjoy the upkeep and plan to stain it every few years, that is a fair trade. Just expect the posts to be the weak point again.
Wood-look aluminum is the choice when you want the look of timber and never want to think about rot, termites or refinishing again. Of the four, it is the one that will not burn.
Mulholland builds the fence to your lot, slope included
Every Mulholland fence is designed and fabricated in-house to the measurements of your property. There is no off-the-shelf sizing.
Profiles range from privacy fencing and horizontal-slat designs to frameless modern styles and spear-top picket. On a sloped yard, runs can be stepped or raked to follow the grade, which matters on the hillside lots at the edges of the Valley. Pool fencing is built with code spacing and self-closing gates. Dog runs are available too. In a homeowners association, the powder coat can be matched to an approved association color so the new fence fits the existing scheme.
Walk gates and driveway gates can be built to match the fence, in the same finish. If your garage door is due for replacement, Mulholland can build a new one to match as well.
The fencing page shows the full range, and the gates and fences page shows how a fence and gate can be built as a set.
The project runs in five steps from your yard to the factory and back
- In-home consultation. Mulholland comes to your property. You do not need to visit a showroom.
- Site measurement. They measure the run, the slope and the exact dimensions, including where the old posts sit.
- Design and written quote. You get a clear, itemized price in writing.
- Fabrication in Canoga Park. The fence is built to spec in Mulholland's own factory, with no outsourcing.
- Installation and walkthrough. Mulholland's own crew, W-2 employees rather than subcontractors, installs the fence and walks it with you.
Financing is available. Ask about it at the consultation.
Because the factory is in the Valley, it is easy to see the work before you commit. Factory tours are by appointment.
Five questions sort out any fence company
These apply to any contractor you talk to.
Where is the fence made? Ask whether it is built to your measurements or cut down from stock panels.
Who does the install? A company's own employees answer to that company. Subcontracted crews may not.
What happens to the old posts? Rotted wood posts and their footings should come out. A new fence set against old rot is a short-lived fix.
Is the quote itemized and in writing? You should be able to see what each part of the job costs.
Is the license active? Look the number up on the CSLB website. It takes less than a minute.
Homeowners ask these questions most
Does wood-look aluminum really look like wood?
Customers regularly tell Mulholland they cannot tell it is not wood.
Will the woodgrain finish fade in the Valley sun?
Mulholland states that its powder-coat finish lasts 30+ years in the Southern California sun, and it never needs repainting.
Can Mulholland match a gate to the new fence?
Yes. Walk gates and driveway gates are built in the same factory and can share the fence's finish and style.
Does Mulholland repair wood fences?
No. Mulholland replaces them with aluminum. Its repair and service work covers its own installs.
Where does Mulholland work?
Across the Valley and all of Los Angeles County. See the Los Angeles service area page. It also serves Orange, Ventura and San Diego counties.
If your wood fence keeps rotting, Mulholland Brand can measure your San Fernando Valley yard and give you a written quote for a wood-look aluminum fence built in the Valley at Canoga Park. Book a consultation or call (800) 562-5770.
