CP
GLIDDEN · PPG1038-6

Glidden Lava Gray#5E686D · LRV 13

Lava Gray reads as a blue / cool — dark — high drama, needs strong daylight or warm bulbs. The notes below cover the spec, what Glidden PPG1038-6 actually looks like under different light, and the closest matches at competing US brands.

GLIDDEN LAVA GRAY
RGB 94, 104, 109 LRV 13

Color spec

Brand Glidden
Name Lava Gray
SKU PPG1038-6
Hex #5E686D
RGB 94, 104, 109
HSL 200°, 7%, 40%
LRV 13
Undertone blue / cool
Family Gray

About Glidden Lava Gray

With an LRV of 13, Lava Gray is a deep, dramatic shade. It soaks up light in north-facing rooms and looks richest where strong daylight hits it. Its blue undertone is the part to watch: it gets picked up by whatever sits next to it, so test it against your trim, floor and the room's main light before committing. Warm artificial light softens it; cool LED can make it look flat, so match your bulbs to the mood you want.

Lava Gray 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 at every US brand

20 brands · top 5 each

5 closest matches per brand by ΔE2000, computed against each brand's full deck. Tap any swatch for its full single-color spec; tap the brand title to browse all gray from that brand.

Sherwin-Williams

1,947 colors in deck · best ΔE 2.26
All gray at Sherwin-Williams →
SW 6257 · #626970 · ΔE 2.26 · LRV 14
SW 7075 · #616669 · ΔE 2.33 · LRV 13
SW 9560 · #656A6E · ΔE 2.55 · LRV 14
SW 6250 · #606B75 · ΔE 2.88 · LRV 14
SW 9655 · #5C6A6A · ΔE 3.89 · LRV 14

Behr

5,644 colors in deck · best ΔE 2.37
All gray at Behr →
PPU25-20 · #5E6869 · ΔE 2.37 · LRV 13
HDC-MD-28 · #606666 · ΔE 3.02 · LRV 13
PPU26-02 · #676A6A · ΔE 3.95 · LRV 14
770F-5 · #576C6E · ΔE 5.32 · LRV 14
780F-6 · #5A6B68 · ΔE 6.17 · LRV 14

Benjamin Moore

3,934 colors in deck · best ΔE 1.55
All gray at Benjamin Moore →
CW-665 · #5A656C · ΔE 1.55 · LRV 13
1630 · #5F666C · ΔE 1.81 · LRV 14
HC-178 · #646769 · ΔE 3.32 · LRV 13
PM-8 · #646769 · ΔE 3.32 · LRV 13
1616 · #626568 · ΔE 3.33 · LRV 14

Valspar

2,858 colors in deck · best ΔE 1.3
All gray at Valspar →
4006-2B · #5F676D · ΔE 1.3 · LRV 13.2
5001-2B · #59686C · ΔE 2.48 · LRV 13
4005-2B · #616467 · ΔE 3.43 · LRV 12.6
8004-46F · #636A74 · ΔE 3.79 · LRV 14
V136-6 · #636A74 · ΔE 3.79 · LRV 14.2

PPG / Glidden

2,132 colors in deck · best ΔE 0.58
All gray at PPG / Glidden →
PPG1038-6 · #5E686E · ΔE 0.58 · LRV 13
PPG1153-6 · #526871 · ΔE 4.39 · LRV 13
PPG1042-6 · #5B6777 · ΔE 5.56 · LRV 13
PPG1145-6 · #566B6B · ΔE 6.02 · LRV 14
PPG1043-6 · #656874 · ΔE 6.19 · LRV 14

Dutch Boy

1,340 colors in deck · best ΔE 0.71
All gray at Dutch Boy →
430-7DB · #5D676B · ΔE 0.71 · LRV 13
435-6DB · #5D6265 · ΔE 2.98 · LRV 12
433-6DB · #5E6974 · ΔE 3.19 · LRV 14
432-6DB · #55646E · ΔE 3.2 · LRV 12
431-5DB · #506771 · ΔE 4.78 · LRV 13
HGSW 1462 · #616669 · ΔE 2.33 · LRV 13
HGSW 7075 · #616669 · ΔE 2.33 · LRV 13
HGSW 3362 · #606B75 · ΔE 2.88 · LRV 14
HGSW 6250 · #606B75 · ΔE 2.88 · LRV 14
HGSW 3322 · #536872 · ΔE 4.13 · LRV 14

Dunn-Edwards

2,298 colors in deck · best ΔE 1.36
All gray at Dunn-Edwards →
DET593 · #5B686F · ΔE 1.36 · LRV 14
DESS35 · #5F666A · ΔE 1.43 · LRV 13
DET616 · #62696B · ΔE 1.9 · LRV 14
DE6363 · #646767 · ΔE 3.78 · LRV 13
DE6314 · #606865 · ΔE 4.59 · LRV 13

Magnolia Home

160 colors in deck · best ΔE 2.94
All gray at Magnolia Home →
JG-86 · #616F74 · ΔE 2.94 · LRV 15
JG-170 · #616664 · ΔE 4.22 · LRV 13
JG-142 · #626368 · ΔE 4.83 · LRV 13
JG-140 · #626663 · ΔE 4.91 · LRV 13
JG-147 · #6C6563 · ΔE 9.32 · LRV 13

Farrow & Ball

209 colors in deck · best ΔE 3.8
All gray at Farrow & Ball →
NO. 289 · #586768 · ΔE 3.8 · LRV 13
NO. 26 · #626664 · ΔE 4.39 · LRV 13
NO. 244 · #736660 · ΔE 12.69 · LRV 14
NO. 221 · #6E6656 · ΔE 12.78 · LRV 13
NO. 290 · #706556 · ΔE 13.25 · LRV 13

Diamond Vogel

1,386 colors in deck · best ΔE 3.66
All gray at Diamond Vogel →
0514 · #5F646C · ΔE 3.66 · LRV 13
0535 · #646564 · ΔE 4.94 · LRV 13
0584 · #676A64 · ΔE 6.65 · LRV 14
H091 · #5E6A61 · ΔE 8.2 · LRV 13
H064 · #67636E · ΔE 9.2 · LRV 13

Hirshfield's

1,469 colors in deck · best ΔE 2.49
All gray at Hirshfield's →
0528 · #626869 · ΔE 2.49 · LRV 15
H0148 · #636869 · ΔE 2.76 · LRV 14
0507 · #5E6C76 · ΔE 2.9 · LRV 17
0493 · #5C6B6B · ΔE 4.21 · LRV 15
H0064 · #66626D · ΔE 9.24 · LRV 13

Rodda

357 colors in deck · best ΔE 1.55
All gray at Rodda →
R095 · #5C6568 · ΔE 1.55 · LRV 13
CA201 · #646C71 · ΔE 1.92 · LRV 15
CA209 · #5C6267 · ΔE 2.73 · LRV 12
CA208 · #6A6B74 · ΔE 6.19 · LRV 15
CA206 · #6D6866 · ΔE 8.25 · LRV 14

C2 Paint

580 colors in deck · best ΔE 3.97
All gray at C2 Paint →
C2-966 · #666869 · ΔE 3.97 · LRV 14
C2-982 · #626369 · ΔE 5.06 · LRV 13
BD20 · #5E5F63 · ΔE 5.23 · LRV 11
C2-678 · #5F6B65 · ΔE 6.69 · LRV 14
C2-918 · #67695B · ΔE 10.43 · LRV 14

Clare

78 colors in deck · best ΔE 4
All gray at Clare →
PNT100-DP-42 · #545E66 · ΔE 4 · LRV 11
PNT100-DP-51 · #5A6964 · ΔE 6.69 · LRV 13
PNT100-DP-65 · #4D6A70 · ΔE 6.82 · LRV 13
PNT100-DP-53 · #726460 · ΔE 13.07 · LRV 14
PNT100-DP-33 · #706473 · ΔE 13.83 · LRV 14

Portola Paints

69 colors in deck · best ΔE 5.32
All gray at Portola Paints →
NEWBURY PORT · #4C5F6A · ΔE 5.32 · LRV 11
IN THE NAVY · #51555E · ΔE 7.78 · LRV 9
BLUE MOON · #4A5562 · ΔE 8.03 · LRV 9
WONDERLAND · #595B46 · ΔE 14.3 · LRV 10
CIGARRO · #7B5F44 · ΔE 20.21 · LRV 13

Annie Sloan

31 colors in deck · best ΔE 14.15
All gray at Annie Sloan →
RODMELL · #655862 · ΔE 14.15 · LRV 11
GREEK BLUE · #6A88A2 · ΔE 14.89 · LRV 23
OLIVE · #746B4A · ΔE 18.06 · LRV 15
COCO · #8C7D66 · ΔE 18.68 · LRV 21
PRIMER RED · #7F504A · ΔE 25.3 · LRV 11

Backdrop

30 colors in deck · best ΔE 5.64
All gray at Backdrop →
BD-MJ · #5A6E7E · ΔE 5.64 · LRV 18
BD-WK · #3F546B · ΔE 11.07 · LRV 8
BD-OS · #7E7C5C · ΔE 18.66 · LRV 18
BD-BA · #7C5F47 · ΔE 19.98 · LRV 14
BD-TS · #7C5F47 · ΔE 19.98 · LRV 14

Rust-Oleum

16 colors in deck · best ΔE 9.84
All gray at Rust-Oleum →
329207 · #486682 · ΔE 9.84 · LRV 12
391445 · #41594C · ΔE 13.89 · LRV 9
285144 · #363B3E · ΔE 15.42 · LRV 4
391446 · #958E86 · ΔE 18.71 · LRV 27
285141 · #8E948A · ΔE 18.85 · LRV 29

Kompozit

1,321 colors in deck · best ΔE 2.49
All gray at Kompozit →
0528 · #626869 · ΔE 2.49 · LRV 14
0507 · #5E6C76 · ΔE 2.9 · LRV 14
0493 · #5C6B6B · ΔE 4.21 · LRV 14
0584 · #60635F · ΔE 5.82 · LRV 12
0472 · #556E6B · ΔE 8.3 · LRV 14

Similar Glidden colors

closest in the Glidden deck

The nearest shades to Lava Gray within Glidden's own range, ranked by perceptual color distance — useful when you want the same look a touch lighter, darker, or warmer.

30BB 13/034 · LRV 13
30BB 13/068 · LRV 13
PPG1145-6 · LRV 14
PPG1043-6 · LRV 14
PPG1003-6 · LRV 13
PPG1035-6 · LRV 15

Coordinated palette

Generated by hue-rotating #5E686D in HSL space. Pair Lava Gray with one accent and one neutral — the swatches below are starting points, not final picks.

COMPLEMENTARY
#5E686D + #6D635E
TRIADIC
#5E686D · #6D5E68 · #686D5E
ANALOGOUS
#5E6D6B · #5E686D · #5E616D

Accessibility (WCAG contrast)

Sample text on white
5.71:1 AA
Sample text on black
3.68:1 AA Large

WCAG 2.1: AA = 4.5:1 normal text · AA Large = 3:1 large text · AAA = 7:1 normal text.

Glidden Lava Gray Equivalents at Other Brands

Matching Lava Gray 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 Glidden PPG1038-6 directly — these equivalents are for when you'd rather stay inside one brand's own deck.

Sherwin-Williams Equivalent of Lava Gray

At Sherwin-Williams, the closest color to Lava Gray is Web Gray (SW 7075) — very close at ΔE 2.33, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 13 vs 13) and carries a true neutral undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Web Gray swatch →

Behr Equivalent of Lava Gray

At Behr, the closest color to Lava Gray is Le Luxe (PPU25-20) — very close at ΔE 2.37, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 13 vs 13) and carries a cool blue-green undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Le Luxe swatch →

Benjamin Moore Equivalent of Lava Gray

Benjamin Moore's nearest match is Ocean Floor (1630), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.81). It sits at the same lightness (LRV 14 vs 13) and carries a cool blue undertone, so it substitutes for Lava Gray without repainting risk. See the full Ocean Floor swatch →

Valspar Equivalent of Lava Gray

Valspar's nearest match is Crucible (4006-2B), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.3). It sits at the same lightness (LRV 13.2 vs 13) and carries a cool blue undertone, so it substitutes for Lava Gray without repainting risk. See the full Crucible swatch →

PPG / Glidden Equivalent of Lava Gray

The closest PPG / Glidden equivalent of Lava Gray is Lava Gray (PPG1038-6). At ΔE 0.58 the two are indistinguishable on a wall — it carries the same cool blue undertone and sits at the same lightness (LRV 13 vs 13). If PPG / Glidden is your counter, order Lava Gray and you'll get the same color. See the full Lava Gray swatch →

Dutch Boy Equivalent of Lava Gray

The closest Dutch Boy equivalent of Lava Gray is Steeled Blue (430-7DB). At ΔE 0.71 the two are indistinguishable on a wall — it carries the same cool blue-green undertone and sits at the same lightness (LRV 13 vs 13). If Dutch Boy is your counter, order Steeled Blue and you'll get the same color. See the full Steeled Blue swatch →

HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams Equivalent of Lava Gray

At HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams, the closest color to Lava Gray is Web Gray (HGSW 1462) — very close at ΔE 2.33, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 13 vs 13) and carries a true neutral undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Web Gray swatch →

Dunn-Edwards Equivalent of Lava Gray

Dunn-Edwards's nearest match is Made of Steel (DET593), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.36). It sits at the same lightness (LRV 14 vs 13) and carries a cool blue undertone, so it substitutes for Lava Gray without repainting risk. See the full Made of Steel swatch →

Magnolia Home Equivalent of Lava Gray

Magnolia Home has no exact twin of Lava Gray. The nearest is Ridge Rock (JG-170) at ΔE 4.22 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 13 vs 13). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Ridge Rock swatch →

Farrow & Ball Equivalent of Lava Gray

Farrow & Ball has no exact twin of Lava Gray. The nearest is Inchyra Blue (NO. 289) at ΔE 3.8 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 13 vs 13). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Inchyra Blue swatch →

Diamond Vogel Equivalent of Lava Gray

Diamond Vogel has no exact twin of Lava Gray. The nearest is Thunderstorm (0514) at ΔE 3.66 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 13 vs 13). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Thunderstorm swatch →

Hirshfield's Equivalent of Lava Gray

At Hirshfield's, the closest color to Lava Gray is Greybeard (0528) — very close at ΔE 2.49, though not an exact twin. It runs slightly lighter (LRV 15 vs 13) and carries a true neutral undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Greybeard swatch →

Rodda Equivalent of Lava Gray

Rodda's nearest match is Midnight Surf (R095), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.55). It sits at the same lightness (LRV 13 vs 13) and carries a cool blue-green undertone, so it substitutes for Lava Gray without repainting risk. See the full Midnight Surf swatch →

C2 Paint Equivalent of Lava Gray

C2 Paint has no exact twin of Lava Gray. The nearest is Vault (C2-966) at ΔE 3.97 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 14 vs 13). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Vault swatch →

Clare Equivalent of Lava Gray

Clare doesn't make a true equivalent of Lava Gray — the nearest deck color, Current Mood (PNT100-DP-51), is clearly different (ΔE 6.69). For an exact match, any Clare retailer can custom-tint Glidden PPG1038-6 instead. See the full Current Mood swatch →

Portola Paints Equivalent of Lava Gray

Portola Paints doesn't make a true equivalent of Lava Gray — the nearest deck color, Newbury Port (NEWBURY PORT), is clearly different (ΔE 5.32). For an exact match, any Portola Paints retailer can custom-tint Glidden PPG1038-6 instead. See the full Newbury Port swatch →

Annie Sloan Equivalent of Lava Gray

Annie Sloan doesn't make a true equivalent of Lava Gray — the nearest deck color, Rodmell (RODMELL), is clearly different (ΔE 14.15). For an exact match, any Annie Sloan retailer can custom-tint Glidden PPG1038-6 instead. See the full Rodmell swatch →

Backdrop Equivalent of Lava Gray

Backdrop doesn't make a true equivalent of Lava Gray — the nearest deck color, Mom Jeans (BD-MJ), is clearly different (ΔE 5.64). For an exact match, any Backdrop retailer can custom-tint Glidden PPG1038-6 instead. See the full Mom Jeans swatch →

Rust-Oleum Equivalent of Lava Gray

Rust-Oleum doesn't make a true equivalent of Lava Gray — the nearest deck color, Coastal Blue (329207), is clearly different (ΔE 9.84). For an exact match, any Rust-Oleum retailer can custom-tint Glidden PPG1038-6 instead. See the full Coastal Blue swatch →

Kompozit Equivalent of Lava Gray

At Kompozit, the closest color to Lava Gray is Greybeard (0528) — very close at ΔE 2.49, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 14 vs 13) and carries a true neutral undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Greybeard swatch →

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