A natural redwood privacy fence built on a Glendale hillside — the final shots captured at golden hour on handoff day. The lot drops sharply from street to backyard, with an old painted stucco retaining wall running along the sidewalk. Rather than demolish that wall, we built the new fence to sit on top of it, so the hillside stays stable and the new work reads as a clean addition rather than a replacement.
What the project needed
The previous fence had reached end of life — split pickets, grey-black weathering, rails pulling away from the posts (see the last photo in this post for the before). The client wanted a solid-face privacy fence that respected the hillside, stepped evenly with the grade, and could age naturally without a yearly maintenance schedule.
Why redwood
Redwood is the classic California fencing material for a reason:
- Rot and insect resistant without chemicals — no pressure treatment near the house.
- Dimensionally stable — stays flat and does not cup as aggressively as some other softwoods.
- Weathers gracefully — left untreated it drifts to a soft silver-grey; stain or seal remains a future option.
- Light framework — easier to anchor on a slope than heavier hardwoods, less dead load on the retaining wall.
How it was built
Structural 4×4 posts set through the cap of the existing stucco knee-wall and plumbed down the slope. Two 2×4 rails per span. Clear dog-ear redwood pickets, no gap, nailed from the outside so the back face stays flush. The top line was snapped as a stepped picture frame so each panel sits level with the one before it instead of running crooked with the grade.
Before
Here is what was there when we arrived — a tired wood fence on top of the same retaining wall. Same footprint, completely different presence.
Thinking about a redwood privacy fence, a hillside build, or a replacement for an old wood fence that is finally giving up? Call ProHands at (818) 401-7766 or email info@prohandshandyman.com for a free on-site estimate.