Can You Paint Brick or Stone in Sherborn's Historic District?

TL;DR: In the Sherborn Center Local Historic District, repainting a house needs no hearing, and the color of paint on previously painted surfaces is an exception to review. Brick and stone that have never been painted are the opposite: the Historic District Commission's Design Review Guidelines say that paint or other coatings, such as stucco, on unpainted masonry "will not be approved." Painted masonry can be repainted. Bare masonry stays bare. The commission determines within 14 days whether proposed work is subject to review.

Weighing a repaint on a house in Sherborn Center? Call or text Dave at (774) 217-9567. We will sort out what is a simple repaint and what is a conversation with the commission before the ladders go up.

Sherborn's rule is the reverse of what most owners expect. People assume the commission cares about color and will shrug at a chimney. In the Center district it is close to the other way around: color on painted wood is not reviewed, while a first coat of paint on old brick is something the commission says it will not approve. This page covers that one rule, where it comes from and what it means for a paint job.

Can you paint brick or stone in Sherborn's historic district?

Not if it has never been painted. Under the heading "Masonry: Stonework, Brickwork, and Stucco," the commission's Sherborn Center Local Historic District Design Review Guidelines state: "Applying paint or other coatings such as stucco to masonry that has otherwise been unpainted or uncoated will not be approved."

The same section covers building walls, chimneys, steps, columns, railings and similar masonry features, and adds two related points:

• Keep the original. "Wherever possible, original masonry, stonework, brickwork, and mortar should be retained."
• Repair in kind. Deteriorated masonry should be repaired or replaced with material that matches the original as closely as possible.

Be precise about where this comes from. It is the commission's published guidelines, not the text of the bylaw itself. The guidelines explain how the commission reviews applications and say owners "should not expect that the Commission will permit applicants to depart from them in most circumstances." For an owner, that is a clear signal of how an application to paint bare brick will go.

Do you need approval to repaint a house in Sherborn Center?

No. The guidelines say plainly, "The Commission does not require a hearing if you wish to repaint your house," and they list "the color of paint on previously painted surfaces" among the exceptions to review. That covers clapboard, trim, doors, shutters, and masonry that was already painted.

The commission does ask for one courtesy: it "encourages owners to select colors that are harmonious and compatible with other buildings in the district." It also asks that downspouts, "when painted, match the siding or trim." Neither is a review step.

That makes Sherborn noticeably simpler than its neighbor. In Hopkinton Center a new color needs a certificate, as we covered in Hopkinton's historic district paint color rules. In Sherborn Center a new color on painted wood does not.

Why is unpainted masonry treated differently from paint color?

Because paint color is reversible and a first coat on brick is not. The Massachusetts Historical Commission's guide to establishing local historic districts lists paint color among "typical exemptions from review," which is the logic Sherborn follows for painted wood.

Brick is a different material problem. The National Park Service's guidance on common problems with brick masonry warns that non-permeable coatings "will accelerate the decay by trapping moisture," and that where a coating is used, "a water-permeable coating will work best." Old brick and soft mortar need to dry out. Seal the face and the moisture has nowhere to go.

Note the wording "paint or other coatings such as stucco." The guideline names stucco as an example and does not set aside limewash or a German smear. If you are considering either on bare brick in the district, raise it with the commission first. The technique itself, outside a district, is in our post on exterior limewash and German smear on brick.

Which masonry does the rule reach, and which does it not?

Only exterior masonry visible to the public, on a property inside the local district. The guidelines define what is subject to review as changes visible "from a public way, a private way open to public travel, a park, or a body of water." They also say fences and landscaping are "deemed not to block sight lines," so a hedge in front of a chimney does not take it out of scope.

• In scope: unpainted brick or stone walls, chimneys, steps and foundations you can see from the street, a public path, a park or the water.
• Out of scope: interiors. A brick fireplace in your living room is an interior arrangement, which the guidelines list as an exception. Painting one is covered in painting a brick or stone fireplace.
• Out of scope: houses outside the district. Sherborn's local district is the Sherborn Center district, created under Section 8 of the zoning bylaw at the 1983 Annual Town Meeting and bounded by North Main, South Main, Washington and Sawin Streets.

Two National Register districts, Sherborn Center and Edwards Plain-Dowse's Corner, are listed on the town's historic districts page. National Register listing by itself does not restrict a private owner, per the National Park Service. The masonry guideline applies to the local district.

What happens if your project does need review?

You file with the Historic District Commission, which determines within 14 days whether the work is subject to review. The guidelines describe four outcomes:

• Certificate of Non-Applicability for work not visible to the public or a like-kind replacement of existing conditions.
• Certificate of Appropriateness after a hearing, or for very minor work through a "Ten Day Letter of Approval" if no abutter or commissioner objects. A certificate is valid for 1 year.
• Notice of Disapproval, with the reasons and recommendations.
• Certificate of Hardship in rare cases.

A straight repaint does not go through this. Masonry repair, new masonry, or anything else that changes the exterior can. Most Sherborn homes are older ones: about 72.9 percent of homes were built before 1980 and about 20 percent in 1939 or earlier, per American Community Survey 2020 to 2024 estimates. For the statewide picture, see our guide to historic district paint approval in Massachusetts.

Frequently asked questions

Can I paint the brick on my house in Sherborn's historic district?

Not if the brick has never been painted, because the Sherborn Center Local Historic District Design Review Guidelines say paint or other coatings on unpainted or uncoated masonry will not be approved by the commission.

Do I need a hearing to repaint my house in Sherborn Center?

No, the commission's guidelines state that it does not require a hearing if you wish to repaint your house, and the color of paint on previously painted surfaces is listed as an exception to review.

Can I repaint brick that is already painted in Sherborn?

Yes, the guidelines except the color of paint on previously painted surfaces from review, so painted masonry can be repainted, while the bar on coatings applies only to masonry that has otherwise been unpainted or uncoated.

Is the Sherborn masonry rule in the bylaw?

No, the "will not be approved" wording comes from the Historic District Commission's Design Review Guidelines, which explain how the commission reviews applications under Section 8 of the town's zoning bylaw, adopted in 1983.

Does the Sherborn rule apply to an interior brick fireplace?

No, the guidelines list interior arrangements and features not visible from a public way among the exceptions to review, so painting an interior fireplace is outside the commission's scope.

The bottom line

In Sherborn Center, painted wood and painted masonry can be repainted any color without a hearing. Unpainted brick and stone should stay that way, because the commission's guidelines say a first coat will not be approved, and the masonry is better for it. If a project touches anything beyond paint, ask the commission early. For everything else about painting in town, see our Sherborn painters page.

Paint Pro New England has painted homes across Sherborn, Holliston, Dover, Medfield and the rest of our 18 towns since 2011, with Benjamin Moore and Sherwin-Williams, fully insured, with a 2-year warranty on our work. See exterior painting in Sherborn and power washing in Sherborn, or call (774) 217-9567 and we will help you work out what needs review before we start.