RAL 420-2 vs Iron Ore
Where RAL 420-2 belongs to RAL Effect's range, Iron Ore is a Sherwin-Williams color. RAL 420-2 reads as pink-red, while Iron Ore reads as grey — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. RAL 420-2 (LRV 46) reflects noticeably more light than Iron Ore (LRV 6), a difference of 40 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. With a ΔE of 58.5, 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 6 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
RAL 420-2 vs Iron Ore in Real Spaces
6 real rooms side by side. Seeing RAL 420-2 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 LRV gap is large enough that RAL 420-2 will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Iron Ore would.
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 420-2 reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Iron Ore.
Kitchen
In a kitchen, colors are seen under bright task lighting that amplifies undertones — what reads neutral elsewhere can show its hand here. RAL 420-2 reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Iron Ore.
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 420-2 reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Iron Ore.
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 420-2 reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Iron Ore.
Kitchen Cabinets
Kitchen cabinets are constantly compared against adjacent materials, which means subtle differences between these two become much more visible. RAL 420-2 reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Iron Ore.
Color Details
RAL 420-2 vs Iron Ore Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see RAL 420-2 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 420-2 comparisons
See how RAL 420-2 stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
At LRV 83 vs 46, White Dove is decisively the brighter choice.
Purbeck Stone reads slightly lighter (LRV 52 vs 46), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
RAL 420-2 reflects far more light (LRV 46 vs 30), opening up a space where Evergreen Fog encloses it.
Agreeable Gray reflects far more light (LRV 60 vs 46), opening up a space where RAL 420-2 encloses it.
At LRV 58 vs 46, Accessible Beige is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 46 vs 27, RAL 420-2 is decisively the brighter choice.
With LRVs of 46 and 43, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
A 9-point LRV gap (55 vs 46) makes Tranquil Dawn the marginally brighter of the two.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 46 vs 44), so neither reads brighter in a room.
Pure White reflects far more light (LRV 84 vs 46), opening up a space where RAL 420-2 encloses it.
At LRV 66 vs 46, Balboa Mist is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 74 vs 46, Shoji White is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 46 vs 12, RAL 420-2 is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 46 vs 8, RAL 420-2 is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 68 vs 46, Skimming Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 46 vs 12, RAL 420-2 is decisively the brighter choice.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 46 vs 45), so neither reads brighter in a room.
RAL 420-2 reflects far more light (LRV 46 vs 31), opening up a space where Pale Green encloses it.
RAL 420-2 reflects far more light (LRV 46 vs 7), opening up a space where Pine Needle encloses it.