RAL 840-5 vs Iron Ore
Where RAL 840-5 belongs to RAL Effect's range, Iron Ore is a Sherwin-Williams color. RAL 840-5 reads as green-grey, while Iron Ore reads as grey — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. RAL 840-5 (LRV 11) reflects noticeably more light than Iron Ore (LRV 6), a difference of 5 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. With a ΔE of 11.5, 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 5 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
RAL 840-5 vs Iron Ore in Real Spaces
5 real rooms side by side. Seeing RAL 840-5 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
In a living room, color works across both daylight and evening light — the same wall can read very differently at noon and at 8pm. The brightness difference is modest but present — RAL 840-5 gives the walls a little more lift.
Bedroom
The context that matters most in a bedroom is how a color reads under a bedside lamp at night, not under noon daylight. RAL 840-5 reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.
Bathroom
Bathrooms are one of the few spaces where you're genuinely enclosed by the paint color, which makes the choice between these two more consequential. RAL 840-5 reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.
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. RAL 840-5 reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.
Kitchen Cabinets
Kitchen cabinets are constantly compared against adjacent materials, which means subtle differences between these two become much more visible. RAL 840-5 reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.
Color Details
RAL 840-5 vs Iron Ore Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see RAL 840-5 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 840-5 comparisons
See how RAL 840-5 stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
White Dove reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 11), opening up a space where RAL 840-5 encloses it.
At LRV 52 vs 11, Purbeck Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 30 vs 11, Evergreen Fog is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 60 vs 11, Agreeable Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Accessible Beige reflects far more light (LRV 58 vs 11), opening up a space where RAL 840-5 encloses it.
Denim Drift reflects far more light (LRV 27 vs 11), opening up a space where RAL 840-5 encloses it.
At LRV 43 vs 11, French Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Tranquil Dawn reflects far more light (LRV 55 vs 11), opening up a space where RAL 840-5 encloses it.
Hardwick White reflects far more light (LRV 44 vs 11), opening up a space where RAL 840-5 encloses it.
At LRV 84 vs 11, Pure White is decisively the brighter choice.
Balboa Mist reflects far more light (LRV 66 vs 11), opening up a space where RAL 840-5 encloses it.
Shoji White reflects far more light (LRV 74 vs 11), opening up a space where RAL 840-5 encloses it.
With LRVs of 12 and 11, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
With LRVs of 11 and 8, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
Skimming Stone reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 11), opening up a space where RAL 840-5 encloses it.
With LRVs of 12 and 11, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
Saybrook Sage reflects far more light (LRV 45 vs 11), opening up a space where RAL 840-5 encloses it.
At LRV 31 vs 11, Pale Green is decisively the brighter choice.
A 4-point LRV gap (11 vs 7) makes RAL 840-5 the marginally brighter of the two.