Cement grey vs Hardware
Cement grey (RAL Classic) and Hardware (Sherwin-Williams) come from different manufacturers. Cement grey reads as grey, while Hardware reads as greige-grey — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. Their light reflectance values are nearly the same — 24 vs 23 — so neither will read significantly brighter or darker than the other. ΔE 5.1 means they're clearly different, but not dramatically so — they'd pair well in the same room. Below you'll find 2 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Cement grey vs Hardware in Real Spaces
2 real rooms side by side. Cement grey and Hardware 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
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. The distinction reads clearly at room scale, making the choice between them concrete.
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. At this scale, the choice between them becomes clear in a way that a swatch alone can't communicate.
Color Details
Cement grey vs Hardware Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Cement grey on one side and Hardware 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 Cement grey comparisons
See how Cement grey stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
