Forged Steel
SW 9565 · #5B5B59 · LRV 10 — neutral with no strong undertone, dark — high drama, needs strong daylight or warm bulbs.
- 1Fired Bronze5
- 2Forged Steel10
- 3Kendall Charcoal15
- 4Retreat21
What Color Is Forged Steel, Really?
Forged Steel reads as a neutral with no strong undertone — dark — high drama, needs strong daylight or warm bulbs. The notes below cover how Sherwin-Williams SW 9565 behaves in different light and the closest matches at competing US brands.
Best Rooms and Uses for Forged Steel
Forged Steel 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.
How Lighting Changes Forged Steel
With an LRV of 10, Forged Steel 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.
Most complaints about Forged Steel 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 Sherwin-Williams SW 9565 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Behr | IntellectualPPU18-19 · Behr | 2.5 | 11 | Color page → |
| Benjamin Moore | Ambler SlateCW-685 · Benjamin Moore | 2.1 | 10 | Color page → |
| Valspar | Sable Evening5006-2C · Valspar | 2.7 | 9.9 | Color page → |
| PPG / Glidden | ZombiePPG1010-7 · PPG / Glidden | 2.0 | 10 | Color page → |
| Glidden | ZombiePPG1010-7 · Glidden | 2.5 | 10 | Color page → |
| Dutch Boy | Ship's Anchor437-6DB · Dutch Boy | 1.6 | 10 | Color page → |
Similar Sherwin-Williams Colors
The nearest shades to Forged Steel within Sherwin-Williams'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 #5B5B59 in HSL space. Pair Forged Steel with one accent and one neutral — the swatches below are starting points, not final picks.
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