Black grey vs RAL 820-5
Where Black grey belongs to RAL Classic's range, RAL 820-5 is a RAL Effect color. These are both blue-greys, so the question isn't which hue to choose — it's where within blue-grey to land. RAL 820-5 (LRV 9) reflects noticeably more light than Black grey (LRV 6), a difference of 3 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. With a ΔE of 15.7, 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 2 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Black grey vs RAL 820-5 in Real Spaces
2 real rooms side by side. Seeing Black grey and RAL 820-5 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. 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.
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.
Color Details
Black grey vs RAL 820-5 Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Black grey on one side and RAL 820-5 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 Black grey comparisons
See how Black grey stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
