Color spec
| Brand | Benjamin Moore |
| Name | Steel Wool |
| SKU | 2121-20 |
| Hex | #787B7D |
| RGB | 120, 123, 125 |
| HSL | 204°, 2%, 48% |
| LRV | 20 |
| Undertone | neutral with no strong undertone |
| Family | Gray |
About Benjamin Moore Steel Wool
With an LRV of 20, Steel Wool is a deep, dramatic shade. It soaks up light in north-facing rooms and looks richest where strong daylight hits it. Because it carries almost no measurable hue, it stays a true neutral and pairs cleanly with nearly any trim or floor. Warm artificial light softens it; cool LED can make it look flat, so match your bulbs to the mood you want.
Steel Wool works best as a feature — a single wall, built-ins, a study or dining room — rather than wrapping a whole bright space. Grays like this read as a modern neutral and sit comfortably alongside both warm woods and cool metals.
Closest matches by brand
13 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 gray from that brand.
Sherwin-Williams
Behr
Valspar
PPG / Glidden
Glidden
Dutch Boy
HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams
Dunn-Edwards
Diamond Vogel
Hirshfield's
Rodda
Clare
Kompozit
Similar Benjamin Moore colors
closest in the Benjamin Moore deckThe nearest shades to Steel Wool within Benjamin Moore'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 #787B7D in HSL space. Pair Steel Wool 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.
Benjamin Moore Steel Wool Equivalents at Other Brands
Matching Steel Wool 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 Benjamin Moore 2121-20 directly — these equivalents are for when you'd rather stay inside one brand's own deck.
Sherwin-Williams Equivalent of Steel Wool
At Sherwin-Williams, the closest color to Steel Wool is Westchester Gray (SW 2849) — very close at ΔE 2.2, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 19 vs 20) and carries a true neutral undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Westchester Gray swatch →
Behr Equivalent of Steel Wool
At Behr, the closest color to Steel Wool is Ocean Swell (PPU25-19) — very close at ΔE 3.43, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 19 vs 20) and carries a cool blue-green undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Ocean Swell swatch →
Valspar Equivalent of Steel Wool
Valspar has no exact twin of Steel Wool. The nearest is Night on the Moors (8004-1E) at ΔE 4.68 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 20 vs 20). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Night on the Moors swatch →
PPG / Glidden Equivalent of Steel Wool
At PPG / Glidden, the closest color to Steel Wool is City Skyline (PPG0995-6) — very close at ΔE 2.11, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 20 vs 20) and carries a true neutral undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full City Skyline swatch →
Glidden Equivalent of Steel Wool
Glidden's nearest match is Industrial Revolution (PPG0997-6), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.91). It sits at the same lightness (LRV 20 vs 20) and carries a true neutral undertone, so it substitutes for Steel Wool without repainting risk. See the full Industrial Revolution swatch →
Dutch Boy Equivalent of Steel Wool
Dutch Boy has no exact twin of Steel Wool. The nearest is Smoldered (444-4DB) at ΔE 4.68 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 20 vs 20). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Smoldered swatch →
HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams Equivalent of Steel Wool
HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams has no exact twin of Steel Wool. The nearest is Special Gray (HGSW 3373) at ΔE 4.22 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 19 vs 20). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Special Gray swatch →
Dunn-Edwards Equivalent of Steel Wool
At Dunn-Edwards, the closest color to Steel Wool is Tarnished Silver (DE6355) — very close at ΔE 2, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 19 vs 20) and carries a true neutral undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Tarnished Silver swatch →
Diamond Vogel Equivalent of Steel Wool
Diamond Vogel has no exact twin of Steel Wool. The nearest is Ocean Frigate (0555) at ΔE 4.52 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 21 vs 20). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Ocean Frigate swatch →
Hirshfield's Equivalent of Steel Wool
Hirshfield's has no exact twin of Steel Wool. The nearest is Ocean Frigate (0555) at ΔE 3.5 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 20 vs 20). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Ocean Frigate swatch →
Rodda Equivalent of Steel Wool
Rodda has no exact twin of Steel Wool. The nearest is Lapilli (R021) at ΔE 4.6 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 20 vs 20). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Lapilli swatch →
Clare Equivalent of Steel Wool
At Clare, the closest color to Steel Wool is Irony (PNT100-MD-16) — very close at ΔE 2.06, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 21 vs 20) and carries a true neutral undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Irony swatch →
Kompozit Equivalent of Steel Wool
Kompozit has no exact twin of Steel Wool. The nearest is Ocean Frigate (0555) at ΔE 3.5 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 19 vs 20). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Ocean Frigate swatch →