RAL 180-2 vs Iron Ore
RAL 180-2 (RAL Effect) and Iron Ore (Sherwin-Williams) come from different manufacturers. Hue-wise, RAL 180-2 belongs to the blue family and Iron Ore to the grey family. The 53-point LRV gap — 58 for RAL 180-2 vs 6 for Iron Ore — means RAL 180-2 will open up a space more effectively. A ΔE of 54.3 puts these firmly in different territory — two distinct design choices rather than close alternatives. Below you'll find 5 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
RAL 180-2 vs Iron Ore in Real Spaces
5 real rooms side by side. Seeing RAL 180-2 and Iron Ore 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
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. RAL 180-2 reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Iron Ore.
Bedroom
Bedrooms are typically lit with warmer, lower light than the rest of the house — a condition that flatters warm tones and deepens cool ones. RAL 180-2 returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Bathroom
Small bathrooms intensify color. A shade that seems quiet in a larger room can feel immersive when you're surrounded by it on four walls. RAL 180-2 returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
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. RAL 180-2 returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Kitchen Cabinets
Cabinet color is always seen in context — against countertops, backsplash, and hardware — which amplifies undertone differences that might disappear on a plain wall. RAL 180-2 returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Color Details
RAL 180-2 vs Iron Ore Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see RAL 180-2 on one side and Iron Ore 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 RAL 180-2 comparisons
See how RAL 180-2 stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
White Dove reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 58), opening up a space where RAL 180-2 encloses it.
A 6-point LRV gap (58 vs 52) makes RAL 180-2 the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 58 vs 30, RAL 180-2 is decisively the brighter choice.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 60 vs 58), so neither reads brighter in a room.
With LRVs of 58 and 58, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
RAL 180-2 reflects far more light (LRV 58 vs 27), opening up a space where Denim Drift encloses it.
At LRV 58 vs 43, RAL 180-2 is decisively the brighter choice.
RAL 180-2 reads slightly lighter (LRV 58 vs 55), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
RAL 180-2 reflects far more light (LRV 58 vs 44), opening up a space where Hardwick White encloses it.
At LRV 84 vs 58, Pure White is decisively the brighter choice.
Balboa Mist reads slightly lighter (LRV 66 vs 58), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Shoji White reflects far more light (LRV 74 vs 58), opening up a space where RAL 180-2 encloses it.
RAL 180-2 reflects far more light (LRV 58 vs 12), opening up a space where Pewter Green encloses it.
Skimming Stone reads slightly lighter (LRV 68 vs 58), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
RAL 180-2 reflects far more light (LRV 58 vs 12), opening up a space where Vintage Vogue encloses it.
RAL 180-2 reflects far more light (LRV 58 vs 45), opening up a space where Saybrook Sage encloses it.
At LRV 58 vs 31, RAL 180-2 is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 58 vs 7, RAL 180-2 is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 58 vs 24, RAL 180-2 is decisively the brighter choice.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 58 vs 57), so neither reads brighter in a room.
At LRV 72 vs 58, Just Walnut is decisively the brighter choice.