RAL 840-1 vs Iron Ore

RAL 840-1RAL EffectvsIron OreSherwin-WilliamsΔE 62.1Very different colors

RAL 840-1 is a RAL Effect color while Iron Ore comes from Sherwin-Williams. Hue-wise, RAL 840-1 belongs to the beige-greige family and Iron Ore to the grey family. At LRV 77 vs 6, RAL 840-1 will read as the brighter of the two — a 71-point gap that matters most in north-facing or low-light rooms. At ΔE 62.1, these are genuinely distinct colors — a strong contrast if used together, or a meaningful choice between two different directions. Below you'll find 6 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.

RAL 840-1 vs Iron Ore in Real Spaces

6 real rooms side by side. Seeing RAL 840-1 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

Living rooms test a color across a full range of conditions — morning sun, afternoon shade, and evening lamp light all shift how both of these read. RAL 840-1 returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.

RAL 840-1RAL Effect 840-1 living room

@visualization

Iron OreIron Ore SW 7069 living room

@mybudgetrecipes

Bedroom

Bedroom walls are often seen under warm artificial light, a context that shifts both colors from how they look on a chip. The LRV gap is large enough that RAL 840-1 will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Iron Ore would.

RAL 840-1RAL Effect 840-1 bedroom

@visualization

Iron OreBedroom painted in Sherwin-Williams Iron Ore

@mybudgetrecipes

Kitchen

Kitchen lighting tends to be bright and directional, which sharpens contrast and makes undertone differences more apparent. The LRV gap is large enough that RAL 840-1 will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Iron Ore would.

RAL 840-1RAL Effect 840-1 kitchen interior

@visualization

Iron OreSherwin Williams Iron Ore kitchen cabinets

@mybudgetrecipes

Bathroom

Bathrooms amplify color — the enclosed space and reflective surfaces make what reads subtle elsewhere feel more present here. The LRV gap is large enough that RAL 840-1 will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Iron Ore would.

RAL 840-1RAL Effect 840-1 bathroom

@visualization

Iron OreGray bathroom in Iron Ore by Sherwin Williams

@mybudgetrecipes

House

At full exterior scale, the difference between these two colors becomes much easier to judge than from a small chip. The LRV gap is large enough that RAL 840-1 will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Iron Ore would.

RAL 840-1RAL Effect 840-1 victorian house interior

@visualization

Iron OreIron Ore house color review

@mybudgetrecipes

Kitchen Cabinets

On cabinetry, undertone and temperature become more pronounced against countertops and hardware. The LRV gap is large enough that RAL 840-1 will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Iron Ore would.

RAL 840-1RAL Effect 840-1 kitchen cabinets

@visualization

Iron OreSw Iron Ore Painted Cabinets

@fieldandforestdesign

Color Details

RAL 840-1
RAL Effect · RAL 840-1
Hex#E7E3D8
LRV76.7
BrandRAL Effect
NumberRAL 840-1
Undertone
Temperature
BrightnessLight
Iron Ore
Sherwin-Williams · 7069
Hex#434341
LRV5.5
BrandSherwin-Williams
Number7069
Undertone
TemperatureNeutral
BrightnessDark

RAL 840-1 vs Iron Ore Simulated Comparison

5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see RAL 840-1 on one side and Iron Ore on the other.

Bathroom
Bedroom
House
Kitchen Cabinets
Living Room

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 840-1 comparisons

See how RAL 840-1 stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.

White Dove
RAL 840-1
White Dove
Benjamin Moore
White Dove
LRV 83

White Dove reads slightly lighter

Ammonite
RAL 840-1
Ammonite
Farrow & Ball
Ammonite
LRV 69

RAL 840-1 reads slightly lighter

Purbeck Stone
RAL 840-1
Purbeck Stone
Farrow & Ball
Purbeck Stone
LRV 52

RAL 840-1 reads noticeably lighter

Evergreen Fog
RAL 840-1
Evergreen Fog
Sherwin-Williams
Evergreen Fog
LRV 30

RAL 840-1 is the lighter choice

Mizzle
RAL 840-1
Mizzle
Farrow & Ball
Mizzle
LRV 52

RAL 840-1 is the lighter choice

Agreeable Gray
RAL 840-1
Agreeable Gray
Sherwin-Williams
Agreeable Gray
LRV 60

RAL 840-1 reads noticeably lighter

Accessible Beige
RAL 840-1
Accessible Beige
Sherwin-Williams
Accessible Beige
LRV 58

RAL 840-1 reads noticeably lighter

Denim Drift
RAL 840-1
Denim Drift
Dulux
Denim Drift
LRV 27

RAL 840-1 is the lighter choice

Tranquil Dawn
RAL 840-1
Tranquil Dawn
Dulux
Tranquil Dawn
LRV 55

RAL 840-1 reads noticeably lighter

Balboa Mist
RAL 840-1
Balboa Mist
Benjamin Moore
Balboa Mist
LRV 66

RAL 840-1 reads slightly lighter

Vintage Vogue
RAL 840-1
Vintage Vogue
Benjamin Moore
Vintage Vogue
LRV 12

RAL 840-1 is the lighter choice

Pale Green
RAL 840-1
Pale Green
RAL ClassicClassic
Pale Green
LRV 31

RAL 840-1 is the lighter choice

Pine Needle
RAL 840-1
Pine Needle
Dulux
Pine Needle
LRV 7

RAL 840-1 is the lighter choice

Cement grey
RAL 840-1
Cement grey
RAL ClassicClassic
Cement grey
LRV 24

RAL 840-1 is the lighter choice

Black grey
RAL 840-1
Black grey
RAL ClassicClassic
Black grey
LRV 6

RAL 840-1 is the lighter choice

Piazza
RAL 840-1
Piazza
Tikkurila
Piazza
LRV 65

RAL 840-1 reads slightly lighter

Humble Yellow
RAL 840-1
Humble Yellow
Jotun
Humble Yellow
LRV 57

RAL 840-1 reads noticeably lighter

Windmill Lane
RAL 840-1
Windmill Lane
Little Greene
Windmill Lane
LRV 31

RAL 840-1 is the lighter choice

Senses
RAL 840-1
Senses
Jotun
Senses
LRV 41

RAL 840-1 is the lighter choice

Lamp Black
RAL 840-1
Lamp Black
Little Greene
Lamp Black
LRV 3

RAL 840-1 is the lighter choice

Washed Linen
RAL 840-1
Washed Linen
Jotun
Washed Linen
LRV 55

RAL 840-1 reads noticeably lighter

Tea with Florence
RAL 840-1
Tea with Florence
Little Greene
Tea with Florence
LRV 18

RAL 840-1 is the lighter choice

Thames Fog
RAL 840-1
Thames Fog
Valspar
Thames Fog
LRV 27

RAL 840-1 is the lighter choice

Ocean Abyss
RAL 840-1
Ocean Abyss
Behr
Ocean Abyss
LRV 7

RAL 840-1 is the lighter choice

Classic Silver
RAL 840-1
Classic Silver
Behr
Classic Silver
LRV 48

RAL 840-1 is the lighter choice

Teton Blue
RAL 840-1
Teton Blue
Behr
Teton Blue
LRV 31

RAL 840-1 is the lighter choice

RAL 110-2
RAL 840-1
RAL 110-2
RAL EffectEffect
RAL 110-2
LRV 72

RAL 840-1 reads slightly lighter

RAL 110-1
RAL 840-1
RAL 110-1
RAL EffectEffect
RAL 110-1
LRV 80

Nearly identical in tone

Paper
RAL 840-1
Paper
Tikkurila
Paper
LRV 88

Paper reads slightly lighter

Passageway
RAL 840-1
Passageway
Valspar
Passageway
LRV 14

RAL 840-1 is the lighter choice