RAL 420-3 vs Iron Ore
RAL 420-3 (RAL Effect) and Iron Ore (Sherwin-Williams) come from different manufacturers. RAL 420-3 reads as pink-red, while Iron Ore reads as grey — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. The 31-point LRV gap — 37 for RAL 420-3 vs 6 for Iron Ore — means RAL 420-3 will open up a space more effectively. A ΔE of 59.6 puts these firmly in different territory — two distinct design choices rather than close alternatives. Below you'll find 6 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
RAL 420-3 vs Iron Ore in Real Spaces
6 real rooms side by side. Seeing RAL 420-3 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 420-3 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 420-3 returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Kitchen
Kitchens often have the harshest, most revealing light in the house — under-cabinet LEDs and overhead fixtures that strip away subtlety. RAL 420-3 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 420-3 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 420-3 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 420-3 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 420-3 vs Iron Ore Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see RAL 420-3 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 420-3 comparisons
See how RAL 420-3 stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
White Dove reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 37), opening up a space where RAL 420-3 encloses it.
At LRV 52 vs 37, Purbeck Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
A 6-point LRV gap (37 vs 30) makes RAL 420-3 the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 60 vs 37, Agreeable Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Accessible Beige reflects far more light (LRV 58 vs 37), opening up a space where RAL 420-3 encloses it.
RAL 420-3 reads slightly lighter (LRV 37 vs 27), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
A 7-point LRV gap (43 vs 37) makes French Gray the marginally brighter of the two.
Tranquil Dawn reflects far more light (LRV 55 vs 37), opening up a space where RAL 420-3 encloses it.
Hardwick White reads slightly lighter (LRV 44 vs 37), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 84 vs 37, Pure White is decisively the brighter choice.
Balboa Mist reflects far more light (LRV 66 vs 37), opening up a space where RAL 420-3 encloses it.
Shoji White reflects far more light (LRV 74 vs 37), opening up a space where RAL 420-3 encloses it.
RAL 420-3 reflects far more light (LRV 37 vs 12), opening up a space where Pewter Green encloses it.
Skimming Stone reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 37), opening up a space where RAL 420-3 encloses it.
RAL 420-3 reflects far more light (LRV 37 vs 12), opening up a space where Vintage Vogue encloses it.
Saybrook Sage reads slightly lighter (LRV 45 vs 37), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
A 6-point LRV gap (37 vs 31) makes RAL 420-3 the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 37 vs 7, RAL 420-3 is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 37 vs 24, RAL 420-3 is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 57 vs 37, Guilford Green is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 72 vs 37, Just Walnut is decisively the brighter choice.