Thunderbird vs RAL 770-4 paint color comparison

Thunderbird vs RAL 770-4

ThunderbirdPPGvsRAL 770-4RAL EffectΔE 5.2Noticeable difference

Where Thunderbird belongs to PPG's range, RAL 770-4 is a RAL Effect color. Both sit in the greige-grey family, which is useful context if you're narrowing within a single hue direction. They have nearly identical light reflectance values (21 vs 20), so they'll read as similarly Dark in most lighting conditions. The ΔE 5.2 gap is real but not dramatic — close enough to use together, distinct enough to matter as a choice. Below you'll find 4 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.

Thunderbird vs RAL 770-4 in Real Spaces

4 real rooms side by side. Thunderbird and RAL 770-4 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.

ThunderbirdA contemporary living room painted in Thunderbird

@simplywalldecor

RAL 770-4RAL Effect 770-4 living room

@visualization

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.

ThunderbirdA art deco bedroom painted in Thunderbird

@simplywalldecor

RAL 770-4RAL Effect 770-4 bedroom

@visualization

Bathroom

Bathrooms are one of the few spaces where you're genuinely enclosed by the paint color, which makes the choice between these two more consequential. The distinction reads clearly at room scale, making the choice between them concrete.

ThunderbirdThunderbird — moody bathroom

@simplywalldecor

RAL 770-4RAL Effect 770-4 bathroom

@visualization

House

Seen across an entire facade, subtle tonal differences become pronounced. What reads as nearly the same on a chip often reads as clearly different at scale. The distinction reads clearly at room scale, making the choice between them concrete.

ThunderbirdThunderbird color — coastal house inspiration

@simplywalldecor

RAL 770-4RAL Effect 770-4 victorian house interior

@visualization

Color Details

Thunderbird
PPG · PPG1021-5
Hex#8c7b6c
LRV21.0
BrandPPG
NumberPPG1021-5
Undertone
Temperature
BrightnessDark
RAL 770-4
RAL Effect · RAL 770-4
Hex#817A66
LRV19.6
BrandRAL Effect
NumberRAL 770-4
Undertone
Temperature
BrightnessDark

Thunderbird vs RAL 770-4 Simulated Comparison

5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Thunderbird on one side and RAL 770-4 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 Thunderbird comparisons

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

White Dove
White Dove
Thunderbird
PPG
Thunderbird
PPG1021-5 · LRV 21

At LRV 83 vs 21, White Dove is decisively the brighter choice.

Ammonite
Ammonite
Thunderbird
Farrow & Ball
Ammonite
LRV 69
PPG
Thunderbird
PPG1021-5 · LRV 21

Ammonite reflects far more light (LRV 69 vs 21), opening up a space where Thunderbird encloses it.

Iron Ore
Thunderbird
Iron Ore
PPG
Thunderbird
PPG1021-5 · LRV 21

At LRV 21 vs 6, Thunderbird is decisively the brighter choice.

Purbeck Stone
Purbeck Stone
Thunderbird
PPG
Thunderbird
PPG1021-5 · LRV 21

Purbeck Stone reflects far more light (LRV 52 vs 21), opening up a space where Thunderbird encloses it.

Evergreen Fog
Thunderbird
Evergreen Fog
PPG
Thunderbird
PPG1021-5 · LRV 21

Evergreen Fog reads slightly lighter (LRV 30 vs 21), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.

Mizzle
Mizzle
Thunderbird
Farrow & Ball
Mizzle
LRV 52
PPG
Thunderbird
PPG1021-5 · LRV 21

At LRV 52 vs 21, Mizzle is decisively the brighter choice.

Agreeable Gray
Thunderbird
Agreeable Gray
PPG
Thunderbird
PPG1021-5 · LRV 21

Agreeable Gray reflects far more light (LRV 60 vs 21), opening up a space where Thunderbird encloses it.

Accessible Beige
Thunderbird
Accessible Beige
PPG
Thunderbird
PPG1021-5 · LRV 21

At LRV 58 vs 21, Accessible Beige is decisively the brighter choice.

Denim Drift
Denim Drift
Thunderbird
PPG
Thunderbird
PPG1021-5 · LRV 21

A 6-point LRV gap (27 vs 21) makes Denim Drift the marginally brighter of the two.

French Gray
French Gray
Thunderbird
PPG
Thunderbird
PPG1021-5 · LRV 21

French Gray reflects far more light (LRV 43 vs 21), opening up a space where Thunderbird encloses it.

Naval
Thunderbird
Naval
PPG
Thunderbird
PPG1021-5 · LRV 21
Sherwin-Williams
Naval
LRV 4

Thunderbird reflects far more light (LRV 21 vs 4), opening up a space where Naval encloses it.

Tranquil Dawn
Tranquil Dawn
Thunderbird
PPG
Thunderbird
PPG1021-5 · LRV 21

At LRV 55 vs 21, Tranquil Dawn is decisively the brighter choice.

Bancha
Bancha
Thunderbird
Farrow & Ball
Bancha
LRV 13
PPG
Thunderbird
PPG1021-5 · LRV 21

A 8-point LRV gap (21 vs 13) makes Thunderbird the marginally brighter of the two.

Hardwick White
Hardwick White
Thunderbird
PPG
Thunderbird
PPG1021-5 · LRV 21

At LRV 44 vs 21, Hardwick White is decisively the brighter choice.

Pure White
Thunderbird
Pure White
PPG
Thunderbird
PPG1021-5 · LRV 21

Pure White reflects far more light (LRV 84 vs 21), opening up a space where Thunderbird encloses it.

Artichoke
Thunderbird
Artichoke
PPG
Thunderbird
PPG1021-5 · LRV 21
Sherwin-Williams
Artichoke
LRV 21

With LRVs of 21 and 21, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.

Balboa Mist
Balboa Mist
Thunderbird
PPG
Thunderbird
PPG1021-5 · LRV 21

At LRV 66 vs 21, Balboa Mist is decisively the brighter choice.

Shoji White
Thunderbird
Shoji White
PPG
Thunderbird
PPG1021-5 · LRV 21

At LRV 74 vs 21, Shoji White is decisively the brighter choice.

Snowbound
Thunderbird
Snowbound
PPG
Thunderbird
PPG1021-5 · LRV 21
Sherwin-Williams
Snowbound
LRV 83

At LRV 83 vs 21, Snowbound is decisively the brighter choice.

Pewter Green
Thunderbird
Pewter Green
PPG
Thunderbird
PPG1021-5 · LRV 21

A 9-point LRV gap (21 vs 12) makes Thunderbird the marginally brighter of the two.

Skimming Stone
Skimming Stone
Thunderbird
PPG
Thunderbird
PPG1021-5 · LRV 21

At LRV 68 vs 21, Skimming Stone is decisively the brighter choice.

Dix Blue
Dix Blue
Thunderbird
Farrow & Ball
Dix Blue
LRV 41
PPG
Thunderbird
PPG1021-5 · LRV 21

Dix Blue reflects far more light (LRV 41 vs 21), opening up a space where Thunderbird encloses it.

Calamine
Calamine
Thunderbird
Farrow & Ball
Calamine
LRV 68
PPG
Thunderbird
PPG1021-5 · LRV 21

Calamine reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 21), opening up a space where Thunderbird encloses it.

Treron
Treron
Thunderbird
Farrow & Ball
Treron
LRV 25
PPG
Thunderbird
PPG1021-5 · LRV 21

Treron reads slightly lighter (LRV 25 vs 21), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.

Vintage Vogue
Vintage Vogue
Thunderbird
PPG
Thunderbird
PPG1021-5 · LRV 21

A 9-point LRV gap (21 vs 12) makes Thunderbird the marginally brighter of the two.

Saybrook Sage
Saybrook Sage
Thunderbird
PPG
Thunderbird
PPG1021-5 · LRV 21

At LRV 45 vs 21, Saybrook Sage is decisively the brighter choice.

Pale Green
Thunderbird
Pale Green
PPG
Thunderbird
PPG1021-5 · LRV 21
RAL ClassicClassic
Pale Green
LRV 31

Pale Green reads slightly lighter (LRV 31 vs 21), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.

Pine Needle
Pine Needle
Thunderbird
PPG
Thunderbird
PPG1021-5 · LRV 21

Thunderbird reflects far more light (LRV 21 vs 7), opening up a space where Pine Needle encloses it.

Cement grey
Thunderbird
Cement grey
PPG
Thunderbird
PPG1021-5 · LRV 21
RAL ClassicClassic
Cement grey
LRV 24

Cement grey reads slightly lighter (LRV 24 vs 21), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.

Guilford Green
Guilford Green
Thunderbird
PPG
Thunderbird
PPG1021-5 · LRV 21

Guilford Green reflects far more light (LRV 57 vs 21), opening up a space where Thunderbird encloses it.