Tarpaulin grey vs RAL 840-5
Tarpaulin grey is a RAL Classic color while RAL 840-5 comes from RAL Effect. Hue-wise, Tarpaulin grey belongs to the grey family and RAL 840-5 to the green-grey family. With LRVs of 13 and 11, they'll behave almost identically in terms of how much light they reflect back into a room. With a ΔE of 1.9, the difference is subtle — you'd need them side by side to reliably tell them apart. Below you'll find 2 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Tarpaulin grey vs RAL 840-5 in Real Spaces
2 real rooms side by side. Tarpaulin grey 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.
House
At full exterior scale, the difference between these two colors becomes much easier to judge than from a small chip. The two are close enough that the choice comes down to finer qualities — undertone, texture, what the color sits next to.
Kitchen Cabinets
On cabinetry, undertone and temperature become more pronounced against countertops and hardware. The two are close enough that the choice comes down to finer qualities — undertone, texture, what the color sits next to.
Color Details
Tarpaulin grey vs RAL 840-5 Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Tarpaulin grey 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 Tarpaulin grey comparisons
See how Tarpaulin grey stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
