Standards and Guidelines 2023-0607

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City of South Bend and St. Joseph County Historic Preservation Guidelines 49 Commercial Standards: Painting General understanding and approach Paint is one of the most common ways to protect the exterior surfaces of historic buildings, as well as highlight architectural details and appearance . Although paint colors are temporary and generally reversible, they are also quite visible and should be selected wisely . Colors should be suited to the age of the building, its style, and the district . Generally, a paint color scheme is broken down into the various parts of the building, including siding, trim, decorative details, and window sashes . Read more about selecting paint colors and color schemes here . The key to a long-lasting paint job is good surface preparation involving the removal of loose paint, sanding, caulking, primer, and several coats of paint . More information on proper preparation and painting techniques can be found here . What is your project? Repaint a building • Repaint building in a color scheme suitable to the age, style, and district . The following is not recommended: • Painting walls that have not previously been painted • Single-color for walls, trim, and windows • Exceptionally bright or high-contrast paint schemes (such as neon orange siding with lime green trim) • High gloss paint finish Return to the Table of Contents Painting