RAL 820-3 vs Steely Gray
RAL 820-3 is a RAL Effect color while Steely Gray comes from Sherwin-Williams. Hue-wise, RAL 820-3 belongs to the grey family and Steely Gray to the blue-grey family. With LRVs of 29 and 30, 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 1 real-room photo comparison where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
RAL 820-3 vs Steely Gray in Real Spaces
1 real room side by side. RAL 820-3 and Steely Gray 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.
Bathroom
Bathrooms amplify color — the enclosed space and reflective surfaces make what reads subtle elsewhere feel more present here. The two are close enough that the choice comes down to finer qualities — undertone, texture, what the color sits next to.
Color Details
RAL 820-3 vs Steely Gray Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see RAL 820-3 on one side and Steely Gray 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 820-3 comparisons
See how RAL 820-3 stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
White Dove reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 29), opening up a space where RAL 820-3 encloses it.
At LRV 52 vs 29, Purbeck Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 30 vs 29), so neither reads brighter in a room.
At LRV 60 vs 29, Agreeable Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Accessible Beige reflects far more light (LRV 58 vs 29), opening up a space where RAL 820-3 encloses it.
With LRVs of 29 and 27, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
At LRV 43 vs 29, French Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Tranquil Dawn reflects far more light (LRV 55 vs 29), opening up a space where RAL 820-3 encloses it.
Hardwick White reflects far more light (LRV 44 vs 29), opening up a space where RAL 820-3 encloses it.
At LRV 84 vs 29, Pure White is decisively the brighter choice.
Balboa Mist reflects far more light (LRV 66 vs 29), opening up a space where RAL 820-3 encloses it.
Shoji White reflects far more light (LRV 74 vs 29), opening up a space where RAL 820-3 encloses it.
RAL 820-3 reflects far more light (LRV 29 vs 12), opening up a space where Pewter Green encloses it.
Skimming Stone reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 29), opening up a space where RAL 820-3 encloses it.
RAL 820-3 reflects far more light (LRV 29 vs 12), opening up a space where Vintage Vogue encloses it.
Saybrook Sage reflects far more light (LRV 45 vs 29), opening up a space where RAL 820-3 encloses it.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 31 vs 29), so neither reads brighter in a room.
At LRV 29 vs 7, RAL 820-3 is decisively the brighter choice.
A 5-point LRV gap (29 vs 24) makes RAL 820-3 the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 57 vs 29, Guilford Green is decisively the brighter choice.