Finish carpentry in Delray Beach, inside and out

What the preservation rules cover, and what they leave to you

Delray Beach is unusually direct about the split. Interior alterations are left to the property owner. Exterior alterations and additions to a designated property go through a Certificate of Appropriateness, reviewed by the Historic Preservation Board or by city staff depending on the size of the job.

For finish carpentry, that draws a useful line:

Inside the house	Outside the house
Crown molding, chair rail, wainscoting	Entry doors and sidelights
Interior doors and casing	Exterior trim, shutters and porch ceilings
Stairs, railings and newel posts	Any change of exterior paint color
Owner’s decision, plus a permit where needed	Certificate of Appropriateness first

Five districts, five sets of details

The Delray Beach Historical Society describes five historic districts, each pointing the woodwork a different way.

• Old School Square. The largest, at the original center of town. About 45 percent of its buildings are frame vernacular and 21 percent masonry vernacular, with Craftsman bungalows, Mission and Mediterranean Revival in smaller shares, dated 1902 to 1945.
• Nassau Park. The first locally designated district, two blocks of cottages built from 1935 to 1941 in the Colonial-Cape Cod Revival style. The state marker notes their accentuated front doors with overhead fanlights and carved wood detailing.
• Del-Ida Park. Platted in 1923, with Mediterranean Revival houses and Craftsman bungalows on diagonal streets.
• Marina. Built around the City Marina on the Intracoastal Waterway, with a mix of styles.
• West Settlers. The site of the first African-American settlement in Delray Beach, in 1894, with many frame vernacular houses.

Interior trim that respects an older house

Houses from the first half of the last century often have plaster walls and ceilings that are rarely flat. Crown molding gets scribed to the plaster rather than caulked over a gap, and wainscoting runs at a height that suits the original windows. A bungalow wants flat casing with a simple head. A Mediterranean Revival living room wants a heavier profile and stained wood. Where original baseboard survives in one room, it sets the pattern for the rest.

Doors on Nassau Street and beyond

A fanlight entry door in Nassau Park is the kind of detail the district exists to protect. Repairing or replacing one is an exterior change and needs a Certificate of Appropriateness before any wood is cut. New doors also need a product approval for wind, even though Palm Beach County sits outside the High Velocity Hurricane Zone.