Color spec
| Brand | Behr |
| Name | Cracked Pepper |
| SKU | PPU18-01 |
| Hex | #3C3A36 |
| RGB | 60, 58, 54 |
| HSL | 40°, 5%, 22% |
| LRV | 5 |
| Undertone | red-orange / warm |
| Family | Black |
About Behr Cracked Pepper
At LRV 5, Cracked Pepper is about as dark as paint gets — it reads near-black on a wall and reveals its character only in direct daylight or under warm bulbs. Because it carries almost no measurable hue, it stays a true neutral and pairs cleanly with nearly any trim or floor. In rooms with little natural light it can feel heavy, so reserve it for spaces you want to feel enveloping.
Cracked Pepper earns its keep as a statement: accent walls, a front door, cabinetry, a moody powder room, or exterior trim where you want sharp contrast. Near-blacks like this are best as contrast — doors, trim, cabinets, window frames.
Closest matches by brand
16 brands within ΔE 5The closest matches per brand by ΔE2000, computed against each brand's full deck. Only colors within ΔE 5 (close enough to substitute on a wall) are shown — brands with no real match are left off. Tap any swatch for its full single-color spec; tap the brand title to browse all black from that brand.
Sherwin-Williams
Benjamin Moore
Valspar
PPG / Glidden
Glidden
Dutch Boy
Dunn-Edwards
Magnolia Home
Farrow & Ball
Diamond Vogel
Hirshfield's
Rodda
C2 Paint
Clare
Backdrop
Kompozit
Similar Behr colors
closest in the Behr deckThe nearest shades to Cracked Pepper within Behr's own range, ranked by perceptual color distance — useful when you want the same look a touch lighter, darker, or warmer.
Coordinated palette
Generated by hue-rotating #3C3A36 in HSL space. Pair Cracked Pepper with one accent and one neutral — the swatches below are starting points, not final picks.
Accessibility (WCAG contrast)
WCAG 2.1: AA = 4.5:1 normal text · AA Large = 3:1 large text · AAA = 7:1 normal text.
Behr Cracked Pepper Equivalents at Other Brands
Matching Cracked Pepper from a different paint counter? Below is the single closest color in each major US deck and how close it really is. Remember that any paint store can also custom-tint Behr PPU18-01 directly — these equivalents are for when you'd rather stay inside one brand's own deck.
Sherwin-Williams Equivalent of Cracked Pepper
Sherwin-Williams has no exact twin of Cracked Pepper. The nearest is Greenblack (SW 6994) at ΔE 3.58 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 4 vs 5). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Greenblack swatch →
Benjamin Moore Equivalent of Cracked Pepper
At Benjamin Moore, the closest color to Cracked Pepper is Black Tar (2126-10) — very close at ΔE 3.45, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 6 vs 5) and carries a true neutral undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Black Tar swatch →
Valspar Equivalent of Cracked Pepper
Valspar has no exact twin of Cracked Pepper. The nearest is Black Heron (V120-3) at ΔE 3.68 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 4.5 vs 5). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Black Heron swatch →
PPG / Glidden Equivalent of Cracked Pepper
At PPG / Glidden, the closest color to Cracked Pepper is Starless Sky (PPG0995-7) — very close at ΔE 2.97, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 5 vs 5) and carries a true neutral undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Starless Sky swatch →
Glidden Equivalent of Cracked Pepper
At Glidden, the closest color to Cracked Pepper is Onyx Black (00NN 05/000) — very close at ΔE 3.3, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 5 vs 5) and carries a true neutral undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Onyx Black swatch →
Dutch Boy Equivalent of Cracked Pepper
At Dutch Boy, the closest color to Cracked Pepper is Ebony Sky (438-6DB) — very close at ΔE 2.39, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 5 vs 5) and carries a warm red-orange undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Ebony Sky swatch →
Dunn-Edwards Equivalent of Cracked Pepper
At Dunn-Edwards, the closest color to Cracked Pepper is Black (DEA002) — very close at ΔE 2.58, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 4 vs 5) and carries a true neutral undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Black swatch →
Magnolia Home Equivalent of Cracked Pepper
Magnolia Home has no exact twin of Cracked Pepper. The nearest is Moments (JG-150) at ΔE 4.5 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 4 vs 5). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Moments swatch →
Farrow & Ball Equivalent of Cracked Pepper
At Farrow & Ball, the closest color to Cracked Pepper is Pitch Black (NO. 256) — very close at ΔE 2.01, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 4 vs 5) and carries a true neutral undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Pitch Black swatch →
Diamond Vogel Equivalent of Cracked Pepper
At Diamond Vogel, the closest color to Cracked Pepper is Grantsburg Gray (H101) — very close at ΔE 3.42, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 4 vs 5) and carries a true neutral undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Grantsburg Gray swatch →
Hirshfield's Equivalent of Cracked Pepper
At Hirshfield's, the closest color to Cracked Pepper is Black Licorice (0529) — very close at ΔE 2.86, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 6 vs 5) and carries a true neutral undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Black Licorice swatch →
Rodda Equivalent of Cracked Pepper
Rodda has no exact twin of Cracked Pepper. The nearest is French Roast (CA213) at ΔE 3.67 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 5 vs 5). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full French Roast swatch →
C2 Paint Equivalent of Cracked Pepper
At C2 Paint, the closest color to Cracked Pepper is Aperture (C2-981) — very close at ΔE 2.64, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 4 vs 5) and carries a true neutral undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Aperture swatch →
Clare Equivalent of Cracked Pepper
Clare has no exact twin of Cracked Pepper. The nearest is Blackish (PNT100-DP-54) at ΔE 4.47 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 6 vs 5). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Blackish swatch →
Backdrop Equivalent of Cracked Pepper
Backdrop has no exact twin of Cracked Pepper. The nearest is After Hours (BD-AH) at ΔE 4.76 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 6 vs 5). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full After Hours swatch →
Kompozit Equivalent of Cracked Pepper
At Kompozit, the closest color to Cracked Pepper is Black Licorice (0529) — very close at ΔE 2.86, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 4 vs 5) and carries a true neutral undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Black Licorice swatch →