Iron Ore

A soft charcoal, deep enough to read nearly black but gentler than true black.

Code SW 7069

LRV 5.5 · Dark

Hex #434341

RGB 67, 67, 65

Temperature Neutral

Family Black

Our take

A favorite for front doors, islands and exterior trim. It is dark; use it where you want contrast.

Order a peel-and-stick sample See similar colors

How light is Iron Ore?

LRV 5.5 means it reflects about 6% of the light that hits it. Most whites sit above 80; most mid-tones sit between 40 and 60.

0 · black 50 100 · white

How it shifts in different light

Simulated from the published color, not photographs. Your room will differ, which is why a physical sample matters.

North-facing light

Cooler, bluer daylight mutes warmth.

Midday daylight

Close to the brand's published value.

Warm evening bulb

Warm bulbs (2700K) push it toward yellow.

Where it works best

Front doors and window frames
Kitchen islands and lower cabinets
Exterior trim against a light body color

Watch out for

On all four walls of a small room it absorbs most of the light
Dark paint shows dust and touch-ups; test the sheen you plan to use

Colors that go with Iron Ore

Common pairings for trim, accents and neighboring rooms.

Alabaster SW 7008 Classic high-contrast pairing Pure White SW 7005 Crisper contrast Agreeable Gray SW 7029 Walls around an Iron Ore island

Similar colors and cross-brand matches

We have not added colors close enough to Iron Ore to list yet. Cross-brand matches will appear here as the database grows.

About Iron Ore

Sherwin-Williams Iron Ore (SW 7069) is in the black family with an LRV of 5.5. A soft charcoal, deep enough to read nearly black but gentler than true black.

Screens can't show paint accurately. Before you buy, put a large sample on two walls and look at it morning, midday and night.

How to test paint colors

Questions people ask

What is the LRV of Iron Ore?

Iron Ore (SW 7069) has an LRV of 5.5, which we class as dark. LRV runs from 0 (black) to 100 (pure white), so it reflects about 6% of the light that hits it.

What are the hex and RGB codes for Iron Ore?

The published hex code is #434341 and the RGB value is 67, 67, 65. Use these for mood boards and screens, not for mixing paint: the store mixes from the code SW 7069.

Is Iron Ore warm or cool?

Neutral. Measured in CIELAB, it sits at a* -0.4 and b* +1.2; a positive b* means a yellow lean and a negative a* means a green lean. Its undertone lean is: none strong.

Code, hex, RGB and LRV from Sherwin-Williams' published color data, checked 6 Nov 2026. Temperature, lean and Delta E are calculated by Shop Spruce from those values. How we check