Having last received a facelift in 1995, the Hollywood sign is now due for another. Bay Cal Painting is proud to be able to donate its services toward the restoration of this important historic landmark. This page contains information about the project, and will be updated as work proceeds.

Historical Background


Click images on this page to view their full versions

Equipment was brought to the site in early November to begin the process of restoration of the sign. The first stage of this involves scraping and sanding rusted areas of the backs of the letters and their support structures. Next, a rust-inhibiting primer is applied to those areas. The fronts of the letters are then cleaned to remove any dirt or debris, and any paint that has flaked, peeled, or developed bubbles. After this preperation, the front surface of each letter has Red Diamond Ceryllium fade-resistant coating applied to it.


As of November 18, work on the support structures is 80% completed, and the front faces of four of the letters have been painted.

On November 11, Stacy Gualandi of Inside Edition (waving in picture at left) became the first reporter to brave the heights on the mountainside and help with the job by rolling some paint onto the second L, followed by Rick Chambers from KCAL Channel 9 News in Los Angeles on November 13. Click here to view his report online. Safety is foremost when working on a narrow scaffold 45 feet above the ground, but the experience can still be daunting for those not used to it. Congratulations, Stacy and Rick!

In the picture at right, Rick Chambers interviews Chris Baumgart, Chairman of the Hollywood Sign Trust, for KCAL9 News.

Numerous news organizations have reported on the current restoration of the sign. So well-recognized is this icon of the entertainment industry that the project has even made news in countries such as Russia, India, Japan, and China.

The pictures below were taken between November 11 and November 16. Click any image to view the larger version.

       

   

Media or others interested in obtaining higher-resolution copies (up to 1200 x 900 pixels) of these and many other photographs of the current work on the sign can find them by clicking here.