Carbonized Wood
DESS50 · #3C3C3C · LRV 5 — neutral with no strong undertone, very dark — reads black in most rooms.
- 1Cordovan Brown0
- 2Carbonized Wood5
What Color Is Carbonized Wood, Really?
Carbonized Wood reads as a neutral with no strong undertone — very dark — reads black in most rooms. The notes below cover how Dunn-Edwards DESS50 behaves in different light and the closest matches at competing US brands.
Best Rooms and Uses for Carbonized Wood
Carbonized Wood 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.
How Lighting Changes Carbonized Wood
At LRV 5, Carbonized Wood 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.
Most complaints about Carbonized Wood are a light mismatch. Upload a photo of your actual room and see it on your walls — then ask for the same wall in north light or evening lamps before you buy a single sample.
Need It From Another Brand?
Any paint counter can custom-tint Dunn-Edwards DESS50 directly. If you would rather stay in one brand's own deck, these are the closest stock matches, measured as ΔE2000. Under 2 is a difference you will not see on the wall.
| Brand | Closest color | ΔE | LRV | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sherwin-Williams | ArmorySW 9600 · Sherwin-Williams | 2.5 | 5 | Color page → |
| Behr | Limousine LeatherMQ5-05 · Behr | 1.1 | 4 | Color page → |
| Benjamin Moore | Black Jack2133-20 · Benjamin Moore | 0.8 | 5 | Color page → |
| Valspar | Black HeronV120-3 · Valspar | 1.3 | 4.5 | Color page → |
| PPG / Glidden | Starless SkyPPG0995-7 · PPG / Glidden | 0.7 | 5 | Color page → |
| Glidden | Starless SkyPPG0995-7 · Glidden | 0.7 | 5 | Color page → |
Similar Dunn-Edwards Colors
The nearest shades to Carbonized Wood within Dunn-Edwards's own range, ranked by perceptual color distance — useful when you want the same look a touch lighter, darker, or warmer.
WCAG 2.1: AA is 4.5 : 1 for normal text, 3 : 1 for large text, AAA is 7 : 1.
Coordinated palette
Generated by hue-rotating #3C3C3C in HSL space. Pair Carbonized Wood with one accent and one neutral — the swatches below are starting points, not final picks.
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