Dark Clay vs RAL 840-5
Where Dark Clay belongs to Cloverdale Paint's range, RAL 840-5 is a RAL Effect color. Dark Clay reads as grey, while RAL 840-5 reads as green-grey — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. They have nearly identical light reflectance values (11 vs 11), so they'll read as similarly Dark in most lighting conditions. The ΔE 6.2 gap is real but not dramatic — close enough to use together, distinct enough to matter as a choice. Below you'll find 3 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Dark Clay vs RAL 840-5 in Real Spaces
3 real rooms side by side. Dark Clay and RAL 840-5 are close enough that the difference can be hard to judge from a chip alone — these photos show how each reads at scale, across different spaces and lighting conditions.
Living Room
In a living room, color works across both daylight and evening light — the same wall can read very differently at noon and at 8pm. Side by side like this, the difference is easy to read — which is exactly why seeing them in a real space is more useful than comparing chips.
Bedroom
The context that matters most in a bedroom is how a color reads under a bedside lamp at night, not under noon daylight. The distinction reads clearly at room scale, making the choice between them concrete.
Color Details
Dark Clay vs RAL 840-5 Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Dark Clay on one side and RAL 840-5 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 Dark Clay comparisons
See how Dark Clay stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
White Dove reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 11), opening up a space where Dark Clay encloses it.
At LRV 52 vs 11, Purbeck Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 30 vs 11, Evergreen Fog is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 60 vs 11, Agreeable Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Accessible Beige reflects far more light (LRV 58 vs 11), opening up a space where Dark Clay encloses it.
Denim Drift reflects far more light (LRV 27 vs 11), opening up a space where Dark Clay encloses it.
At LRV 43 vs 11, French Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Tranquil Dawn reflects far more light (LRV 55 vs 11), opening up a space where Dark Clay encloses it.
Hardwick White reflects far more light (LRV 44 vs 11), opening up a space where Dark Clay encloses it.
At LRV 84 vs 11, Pure White is decisively the brighter choice.
Balboa Mist reflects far more light (LRV 66 vs 11), opening up a space where Dark Clay encloses it.
Shoji White reflects far more light (LRV 74 vs 11), opening up a space where Dark Clay encloses it.
With LRVs of 12 and 11, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
Skimming Stone reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 11), opening up a space where Dark Clay encloses it.
With LRVs of 12 and 11, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
Saybrook Sage reflects far more light (LRV 45 vs 11), opening up a space where Dark Clay encloses it.
At LRV 31 vs 11, Pale Green is decisively the brighter choice.
A 4-point LRV gap (11 vs 7) makes Dark Clay the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 24 vs 11, Cement grey is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 57 vs 11, Guilford Green is decisively the brighter choice.