Mortar vs Black grey

MortarCloverdale PaintvsBlack greyRAL ClassicΔE 47.9Very different colors

Where Mortar belongs to Cloverdale Paint's range, Black grey is a RAL Classic color. Hue-wise, Mortar belongs to the grey family and Black grey to the blue-grey family. Mortar (LRV 38) reflects noticeably more light than Black grey (LRV 6), a difference of 32 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. With a ΔE of 47.9, the contrast is hard to miss. These aren't variations on a theme — they're two different answers to the same question. Below you'll find 1 real-room photo comparison where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.

Mortar vs Black grey in Real Spaces

1 real room side by side. Seeing Mortar and Black grey 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

In a living room, color works across both daylight and evening light — the same wall can read very differently at noon and at 8pm. The LRV gap is large enough that Mortar will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Black grey would.

MortarMortar EX230 by Cloverdale Paint — Living Room

@visualization

Black greyRAL Classic Black grey 7021 living room

@dorfstadtvilla

Color Details

Mortar
Cloverdale Paint · EX230
Hex#A5A79E
LRV38.1
BrandCloverdale Paint
NumberEX230
Undertone
Temperature
BrightnessMedium
Black grey
RAL Classic · RAL 7021
Hex#2F3234
LRV6.5
BrandRAL Classic
NumberRAL 7021
Undertone
Temperature
BrightnessDark

Mortar vs Black grey Simulated Comparison

5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Mortar on one side and Black grey on the other.

Bathroom
Bedroom
House
Kitchen Cabinets
Living Room

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 Mortar comparisons

See how Mortar stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.

White Dove
Mortar
White Dove
Benjamin Moore
White Dove
LRV 83

White Dove is the lighter choice

Ammonite
Mortar
Ammonite
Farrow & Ball
Ammonite
LRV 69

Ammonite is the lighter choice

Iron Ore
Mortar
Iron Ore
Sherwin-Williams
Iron Ore
LRV 6

Mortar is the lighter choice

Purbeck Stone
Mortar
Purbeck Stone
Farrow & Ball
Purbeck Stone
LRV 52

Purbeck Stone reads noticeably lighter

Evergreen Fog
Mortar
Evergreen Fog
Sherwin-Williams
Evergreen Fog
LRV 30

Mortar reads slightly lighter

Mizzle
Mortar
Mizzle
Farrow & Ball
Mizzle
LRV 52

Mizzle reads noticeably lighter

Agreeable Gray
Mortar
Agreeable Gray
Sherwin-Williams
Agreeable Gray
LRV 60

Agreeable Gray reads noticeably lighter

Denim Drift
Mortar
Denim Drift
Dulux
Denim Drift
LRV 27

Mortar reads slightly lighter

Tranquil Dawn
Mortar
Tranquil Dawn
Dulux
Tranquil Dawn
LRV 55

Tranquil Dawn reads noticeably lighter

Balboa Mist
Mortar
Balboa Mist
Benjamin Moore
Balboa Mist
LRV 66

Balboa Mist is the lighter choice

Vintage Vogue
Mortar
Vintage Vogue
Benjamin Moore
Vintage Vogue
LRV 12

Mortar is the lighter choice

Pale Green
Mortar
Pale Green
RAL ClassicClassic
Pale Green
LRV 31

Mortar reads slightly lighter

Pine Needle
Mortar
Pine Needle
Dulux
Pine Needle
LRV 7

Mortar is the lighter choice

Cement grey
Mortar
Cement grey
RAL ClassicClassic
Cement grey
LRV 24

Mortar reads noticeably lighter

Piazza
Mortar
Piazza
Tikkurila
Piazza
LRV 65

Piazza is the lighter choice

Humble Yellow
Mortar
Humble Yellow
Jotun
Humble Yellow
LRV 57

Humble Yellow reads noticeably lighter

Grey Blue
Mortar
Grey Blue
RAL ClassicClassic
Grey Blue
LRV 7

Mortar is the lighter choice

Windmill Lane
Mortar
Windmill Lane
Little Greene
Windmill Lane
LRV 31

Mortar reads slightly lighter

Senses
Mortar
Senses
Jotun
Senses
LRV 41

Senses reads slightly lighter

Lamp Black
Mortar
Lamp Black
Little Greene
Lamp Black
LRV 3

Mortar is the lighter choice

Washed Linen
Mortar
Washed Linen
Jotun
Washed Linen
LRV 55

Washed Linen reads noticeably lighter

Tea with Florence
Mortar
Tea with Florence
Little Greene
Tea with Florence
LRV 18

Mortar reads noticeably lighter

Thames Fog
Mortar
Thames Fog
Valspar
Thames Fog
LRV 27

Mortar reads slightly lighter

Ocean Abyss
Mortar
Ocean Abyss
Behr
Ocean Abyss
LRV 7

Mortar is the lighter choice

Classic Silver
Mortar
Classic Silver
Behr
Classic Silver
LRV 48

Classic Silver reads slightly lighter

Teton Blue
Mortar
Teton Blue
Behr
Teton Blue
LRV 31

Mortar reads slightly lighter

RAL 110-2
Mortar
RAL 110-2
RAL EffectEffect
RAL 110-2
LRV 72

RAL 110-2 is the lighter choice

RAL 110-1
Mortar
RAL 110-1
RAL EffectEffect
RAL 110-1
LRV 80

RAL 110-1 is the lighter choice

Paper
Mortar
Paper
Tikkurila
Paper
LRV 88

Paper is the lighter choice

Passageway
Mortar
Passageway
Valspar
Passageway
LRV 14

Mortar reads noticeably lighter