City guide
A Painter's Guide to Grapevine, TX: Historic Districts, HOAs, Weather and When to Paint
What Grapevine homeowners should know before a repaint, from the historic-district approval process to hail season.
State 28's office is on South Main Street in Grapevine, a few blocks from the College Street homes. This guide covers what we tell Grapevine homeowners before a repaint: what kind of house you have and what that means for prep, how the city's historic-district color approval works, how HOA approval usually goes, and what North Texas heat and hail do to paint. If you'd rather talk it through, our house painters in Grapevine page has the details and a quote form.
Grapevine's housing, by era
The historic core (about 1865 to 1949)
The College Street district has homes built from about 1865 to 1949: two-room central-hall houses, Queen Anne homes, Tudor Revival cottages, Arts and Crafts bungalows, and Prairie-style houses on the 200 and 300 blocks of East College. The brick commercial buildings on Main Street date from the late 1800s to about 1920. On these homes expect old wood siding under many coats of paint. If the house was built before 1978, some of those coats may contain lead, so lead-based paint testing comes before any sanding.
Post-war growth
Grapevine was settled in the 1840s, platted by 1854 and incorporated in 1907. The war-industry boom of the 1940s turned it from a farm town into a suburb, according to the city's Main Street design guidelines. Houses from that period usually have simpler trim and fewer colors than the Victorian-era homes.
Newer subdivisions
Most Grapevine homeowners live in newer subdivisions. These are mostly brick veneer, so the paint work is on the trim, fascia, garage doors and fences. Those surfaces take the sun and hail, and they're usually what makes a house look tired. Our wood trim painting and fence painting pages cover that work.
Painting in a Grapevine historic district
Which districts
Grapevine protects six districts under its 1991 preservation ordinance: Historic Grapevine Township, College Street, Commercial (Main Street), Cotton Belt Railroad, West Wall Street and the D.E. Box Addition. The city lists them on its historic districts page.
Certificate of Appropriateness
Any exterior change in a district or on a landmark, including new paint colors, needs an approved Certificate of Appropriateness (CA) before work starts. Routine requests can get staff approval in a few days. Bigger ones go to the Historic Preservation Commission, which meets monthly, and full applications are due 4 weeks before the meeting. A CA isn't a building permit. Properties in the Township also need a pre-construction meeting with the owner, the contractor and the preservation officer before a permit is issued. The CA page lists what to submit.
Approved palettes
The city's paint guidelines accept four palettes: Sherwin-Williams Preservation Palette, Pittsburgh Paints Historic Paints, Do It Best American Historical Restoration (exteriors only) and Valspar American Tradition (lights only). Historically, most Grapevine houses had a white body and white trim with dark green or black screens and shutters. The guidelines also say the simpler the house, the fewer colors it should have.
Brick and stone
Original brick and stone in the districts should stay unpainted unless deterioration requires paint. Masonry that was painted before is usually repainted. Outside the districts the rules are looser, and our brick painting page explains the options.
Who to call
Grapevine's Historic Preservation Office: 817.410.3197.
HOA homes outside the historic districts
Most subdivisions in Grapevine have deed restrictions or an architectural control committee. The usual process is the same: get your HOA's current documents, submit color chips or samples, and wait for written approval before the crew is booked. Rules differ from one HOA to the next, so go by your own paperwork, not a neighbor's.
What North Texas weather does to paint
Sun and heat
DFW averages 20 days a year at 100°F or hotter, based on the NWS 1991–2020 normals. UV fades dark colors and turns old paint chalky, and the south and west walls take the worst of it.
Hail and wind
Tarrant County has averaged about 7.8 hail days a year from 2010 to 2025, based on NOAA Storm Events reports. Most DFW hail falls March through June, and April is the peak. Hail chips trim and scuffs siding and garage doors. If you have a roof or siding claim, get that work done first and repaint after.
Humidity, dew and spring storms
Paint needs a dry surface. On spring and fall mornings the walls can be wet with dew even when it hasn't rained, so exterior crews often start later in the morning. Spring storms also leave gaps in the schedule.
Best time of year to paint in Grapevine
Exterior
Spring and fall are best. In summer we start early and work around the house with the shade. In winter the risk is a cold snap. Every paint has its own limits: Sherwin-Williams generally calls for 50°F or warmer, and some products such as A-100 are rated down to 35°F as long as the air, surface and paint stay 5°F above the dew point (product data sheet). We go by the data sheet for the product on your house.
Interior
Interior painting works year-round. Winter is a good time to book it, as long as you plan around holidays and guests.
Historic homes
Add the CA to your timeline. Staff approvals take a few days. A Commission review can take 4 weeks or more.
Local landmarks and what they show about color
Main Street's brick storefronts show the period materials the Commercial district protects. Nash Farm at 626 Ball St was established in 1859, and its 1869 I-house farmhouse was listed on the National Register in 2010 (Texas Historical Commission). It's a good example of the plain farmhouse paint scheme the city's guidelines describe. The Cotton Belt line reached Grapevine in 1888, and the railroad district around it is one of the six protected districts.
Grapevine painting FAQ
Do I need permission to paint my house in Grapevine's historic district?
Yes. Any exterior change in a historic district or on a landmark, including new paint colors, needs an approved Certificate of Appropriateness before work starts.
How long does a Certificate of Appropriateness take in Grapevine?
Routine requests usually get staff approval in a few days. If the request goes to the Historic Preservation Commission, plan on 4 weeks or more, since full applications are due 4 weeks before the monthly meeting.
What paint colors are approved for historic homes in Grapevine?
Colors from the Sherwin-Williams Preservation Palette, Pittsburgh Paints Historic Paints, Do It Best American Historical Restoration (exteriors only) and Valspar American Tradition (lights only).
Can I paint the brick on a historic Grapevine home?
Original unpainted brick should stay unpainted unless deterioration requires it. Brick that was painted before is usually repainted.
Do I need a city permit to paint my house in Grapevine?
In a historic district you need a Certificate of Appropriateness, which is separate from a building permit. Outside the districts, ask the city about your project before you start.
When is the best time of year to paint a house exterior in North Texas?
Spring and fall. Summer work starts early and follows the shade, and winter work depends on the paint's temperature and dew point limits.
How does hail affect exterior paint, and should I repaint before or after roof and siding repairs?
Hail chips trim and scuffs siding and garage doors. Repaint after the roof and siding repairs are done.
How hot is too hot to paint outside?
It depends on the product. Check the paint's data sheet for its temperature range. In a DFW summer we start early and stay out of direct afternoon sun.
Does my HOA need to approve my paint color?
Many Grapevine HOAs do. Check your deed restrictions or architectural guidelines and get written approval before work starts.
Planning a repaint in Grapevine?
Call (214) 771-9145 or request a quote. We're on South Main, so we can stop by and look. We don't file the historic-district paperwork, but we help you pick colors from the approved palettes. See our Grapevine painting page for services, or contact us with questions.