RAL 860-4 vs African Gray

Where RAL 860-4 belongs to RAL Effect's range, African Gray is a Sherwin-Williams color. These are both greys, so the question isn't which hue to choose — it's where within grey to land. They have nearly identical light reflectance values (33 vs 31), so they'll read as similarly Medium in most lighting conditions. At ΔE 2.2, these are close — the kind of difference that matters when choosing between them, but doesn't read strongly in a finished room. Below you'll find 2 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.

RAL 860-4 vs African Gray in Real Spaces

2 real rooms side by side. RAL 860-4 and African 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.

Kitchen

In a kitchen, colors are seen under bright task lighting that amplifies undertones — what reads neutral elsewhere can show its hand here. At this scale the difference is subtle — you'd need them side by side, as shown here, to reliably tell them apart.

RAL 860-4RAL Effect 860-4 kitchen painted backsplash

@visualization

African GraySherwin Williams African Gray kitchen

@classallc

Kitchen Cabinets

Kitchen cabinets are constantly compared against adjacent materials, which means subtle differences between these two become much more visible. At this scale the difference is subtle — you'd need them side by side, as shown here, to reliably tell them apart.

RAL 860-4RAL Effect 860-4 kitchen cabinets

@visualization

African GraySherwin Williams African Gray kitchen cabinets

@nicolemariepainting

Color Details

RAL 860-4
RAL Effect · RAL 860-4
Hex#9A9A9B
LRV32.5
BrandRAL Effect
NumberRAL 860-4
Undertone
Temperature
BrightnessMedium
African Gray
Sherwin-Williams · 9162
Hex#939899
LRV31.0
BrandSherwin-Williams
Number9162
Undertone
TemperatureNeutral
BrightnessMedium

RAL 860-4 vs African Gray Simulated Comparison

5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see RAL 860-4 on one side and African Gray 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 860-4 comparisons

See how RAL 860-4 stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.

White Dove
RAL 860-4
White Dove
Benjamin Moore
White Dove
LRV 83

White Dove is the lighter choice

Ammonite
RAL 860-4
Ammonite
Farrow & Ball
Ammonite
LRV 69

Ammonite is the lighter choice

Iron Ore
RAL 860-4
Iron Ore
Sherwin-Williams
Iron Ore
LRV 6

RAL 860-4 is the lighter choice

Purbeck Stone
RAL 860-4
Purbeck Stone
Farrow & Ball
Purbeck Stone
LRV 52

Purbeck Stone reads noticeably lighter

Evergreen Fog
RAL 860-4
Evergreen Fog
Sherwin-Williams
Evergreen Fog
LRV 30

Nearly identical in tone

Mizzle
RAL 860-4
Mizzle
Farrow & Ball
Mizzle
LRV 52

Mizzle reads noticeably lighter

Agreeable Gray
RAL 860-4
Agreeable Gray
Sherwin-Williams
Agreeable Gray
LRV 60

Agreeable Gray is the lighter choice

Accessible Beige
RAL 860-4
Accessible Beige
Sherwin-Williams
Accessible Beige
LRV 58

Accessible Beige is the lighter choice

Denim Drift
RAL 860-4
Denim Drift
Dulux
Denim Drift
LRV 27

RAL 860-4 reads slightly lighter

French Gray
RAL 860-4
French Gray
Farrow & Ball
French Gray
LRV 43

French Gray reads slightly lighter

Naval
RAL 860-4
Naval
Sherwin-Williams
Naval
LRV 4

RAL 860-4 is the lighter choice

Tranquil Dawn
RAL 860-4
Tranquil Dawn
Dulux
Tranquil Dawn
LRV 55

Tranquil Dawn reads noticeably lighter

Bancha
RAL 860-4
Bancha
Farrow & Ball
Bancha
LRV 13

RAL 860-4 reads noticeably lighter

Hardwick White
RAL 860-4
Hardwick White
Farrow & Ball
Hardwick White
LRV 44

Hardwick White reads slightly lighter

Pure White
RAL 860-4
Pure White
Sherwin-Williams
Pure White
LRV 84

Pure White is the lighter choice

Artichoke
RAL 860-4
Artichoke
Sherwin-Williams
Artichoke
LRV 21

RAL 860-4 reads slightly lighter

Balboa Mist
RAL 860-4
Balboa Mist
Benjamin Moore
Balboa Mist
LRV 66

Balboa Mist is the lighter choice

Shoji White
RAL 860-4
Shoji White
Sherwin-Williams
Shoji White
LRV 74

Shoji White is the lighter choice

Snowbound
RAL 860-4
Snowbound
Sherwin-Williams
Snowbound
LRV 83

Snowbound is the lighter choice

Pewter Green
RAL 860-4
Pewter Green
Sherwin-Williams
Pewter Green
LRV 12

RAL 860-4 reads noticeably lighter

Skimming Stone
RAL 860-4
Skimming Stone
Farrow & Ball
Skimming Stone
LRV 68

Skimming Stone is the lighter choice

Dix Blue
RAL 860-4
Dix Blue
Farrow & Ball
Dix Blue
LRV 41

Dix Blue reads slightly lighter

Calamine
RAL 860-4
Calamine
Farrow & Ball
Calamine
LRV 68

Calamine is the lighter choice

Treron
RAL 860-4
Treron
Farrow & Ball
Treron
LRV 25

RAL 860-4 reads slightly lighter

Vintage Vogue
RAL 860-4
Vintage Vogue
Benjamin Moore
Vintage Vogue
LRV 12

RAL 860-4 reads noticeably lighter

Saybrook Sage
RAL 860-4
Saybrook Sage
Benjamin Moore
Saybrook Sage
LRV 45

Saybrook Sage reads noticeably lighter

Pale Green
RAL 860-4
Pale Green
RAL ClassicClassic
Pale Green
LRV 31

Nearly identical in tone

Pine Needle
RAL 860-4
Pine Needle
Dulux
Pine Needle
LRV 7

RAL 860-4 is the lighter choice

Cement grey
RAL 860-4
Cement grey
RAL ClassicClassic
Cement grey
LRV 24

RAL 860-4 reads slightly lighter

Guilford Green
RAL 860-4
Guilford Green
Benjamin Moore
Guilford Green
LRV 57

Guilford Green reads noticeably lighter