RAL 180-3 vs Dover Surf
RAL 180-3 (RAL Effect) and Dover Surf (Valspar) come from different manufacturers. Both sit in the blue family, which is useful context if you're narrowing within a single hue direction. The 15-point LRV gap — 68 for RAL 180-3 vs 53 for Dover Surf — means RAL 180-3 will open up a space more effectively. A ΔE of 11.3 puts these firmly in different territory — two distinct design choices rather than close alternatives. Below you'll find 2 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
RAL 180-3 vs Dover Surf in Real Spaces
2 real rooms side by side. Seeing RAL 180-3 and Dover Surf 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 180-3 reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Dover Surf.
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 180-3 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 180-3 vs Dover Surf Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see RAL 180-3 on one side and Dover Surf 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 180-3 comparisons
See how RAL 180-3 stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
At LRV 83 vs 68, White Dove is decisively the brighter choice.
RAL 180-3 reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 52), opening up a space where Purbeck Stone encloses it.
RAL 180-3 reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 30), opening up a space where Evergreen Fog encloses it.
RAL 180-3 reads slightly lighter (LRV 68 vs 60), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
A 10-point LRV gap (68 vs 58) makes RAL 180-3 the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 68 vs 27, RAL 180-3 is decisively the brighter choice.
RAL 180-3 reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 43), opening up a space where French Gray encloses it.
At LRV 68 vs 55, RAL 180-3 is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 68 vs 44, RAL 180-3 is decisively the brighter choice.
Pure White reflects far more light (LRV 84 vs 68), opening up a space where RAL 180-3 encloses it.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 68 vs 66), so neither reads brighter in a room.
A 7-point LRV gap (74 vs 68) makes Shoji White the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 68 vs 12, RAL 180-3 is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 68 vs 8, RAL 180-3 is decisively the brighter choice.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 68 vs 68), so neither reads brighter in a room.
At LRV 68 vs 12, RAL 180-3 is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 68 vs 45, RAL 180-3 is decisively the brighter choice.
RAL 180-3 reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 31), opening up a space where Pale Green encloses it.