Black Tar vs Pure White
Black Tar (Benjamin Moore) and Pure White (Sherwin-Williams) come from different manufacturers. Black Tar reads as grey, while Pure White reads as beige-greige — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. The 78-point LRV gap — 84 for Pure White vs 6 for Black Tar — means Pure White will open up a space more effectively. Where Black Tar leans blue, Pure White reads warm — a distinction that shifts noticeably depending on the light source and surrounding finishes. A ΔE of 69.5 puts these firmly in different territory — two distinct design choices rather than close alternatives. Below you'll find 3 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Black Tar vs Pure White in Real Spaces
3 real rooms side by side. Seeing Black Tar and Pure White in actual rooms makes the difference concrete; browse the spaces below to get a feel for how each color lives on a wall.
Living Room
A living room wall sees more varied light than almost any other surface in the house, which makes the choice between these two more nuanced than a chip suggests. Pure White reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Black Tar.
House
A full exterior is the most demanding test for a paint color — scale and outdoor light both amplify differences that seem small on a swatch. Pure White returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Kitchen Cabinets
Cabinet color is always seen in context — against countertops, backsplash, and hardware — which amplifies undertone differences that might disappear on a plain wall. Pure White returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Color Details
Black Tar vs Pure White Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Black Tar on one side and Pure White on the other.
Digital color is approximate. These simulations are generated from the manufacturer's hex values and overlaid on grayscale room photos — your screen's calibration, brightness, and viewing angle all affect how they render. Before committing to either color, test physical samples in your own space under the light you actually live with.
More Black Tar comparisons
See how Black Tar stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
At LRV 83 vs 6, White Dove is decisively the brighter choice.
Purbeck Stone reflects far more light (LRV 52 vs 6), opening up a space where Black Tar encloses it.
Evergreen Fog reflects far more light (LRV 30 vs 6), opening up a space where Black Tar encloses it.
Agreeable Gray reflects far more light (LRV 60 vs 6), opening up a space where Black Tar encloses it.
At LRV 58 vs 6, Accessible Beige is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 27 vs 6, Denim Drift is decisively the brighter choice.
French Gray reflects far more light (LRV 43 vs 6), opening up a space where Black Tar encloses it.
At LRV 55 vs 6, Tranquil Dawn is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 44 vs 6, Hardwick White is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 66 vs 6, Balboa Mist is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 74 vs 6, Shoji White is decisively the brighter choice.
A 6-point LRV gap (12 vs 6) makes Pewter Green the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 68 vs 6, Skimming Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
A 6-point LRV gap (12 vs 6) makes Vintage Vogue the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 45 vs 6, Saybrook Sage is decisively the brighter choice.
Pale Green reflects far more light (LRV 31 vs 6), opening up a space where Black Tar encloses it.
With LRVs of 7 and 6, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
Cement grey reflects far more light (LRV 24 vs 6), opening up a space where Black Tar encloses it.
Guilford Green reflects far more light (LRV 57 vs 6), opening up a space where Black Tar encloses it.
Just Walnut reflects far more light (LRV 72 vs 6), opening up a space where Black Tar encloses it.