Tarpaulin grey vs Naval
Where Tarpaulin grey belongs to RAL Classic's range, Naval is a Sherwin-Williams color. Hue-wise, Tarpaulin grey belongs to the grey family and Naval to the blue family. Tarpaulin grey (LRV 13) reflects noticeably more light than Naval (LRV 4), a difference of 8 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. With a ΔE of 19.3, 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.
Tarpaulin grey vs Naval in Real Spaces
2 real rooms side by side. Seeing Tarpaulin grey and Naval in actual rooms makes the difference concrete; browse the spaces below to get a feel for how each color lives on a wall.
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. Tarpaulin grey reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Naval.
Kitchen Cabinets
Kitchen cabinets are constantly compared against adjacent materials, which means subtle differences between these two become much more visible. Tarpaulin grey reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Naval.
Color Details
Tarpaulin grey vs Naval Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Tarpaulin grey on one side and Naval 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.
