Color spec
| Brand | Valspar |
| Name | Cut Ruby |
| SKU | 1009-4 |
| Hex | #8A181F |
| RGB | 138, 24, 31 |
| HSL | 356°, 70%, 32% |
| LRV | 6.2 |
| Undertone | warm red tone |
| Family | Red |
About Valspar Cut Ruby
At LRV 6.2, Cut Ruby 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. Its red 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. In rooms with little natural light it can feel heavy, so reserve it for spaces you want to feel enveloping.
Cut Ruby earns its keep as a statement: accent walls, a front door, cabinetry, a moody powder room, or exterior trim where you want sharp contrast. Reds bring energy and appetite, classic in dining rooms and front doors.
Closest matches by brand
5 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 red from that brand.
Sherwin-Williams
Behr
Benjamin Moore
Dutch Boy
Backdrop
Similar Valspar colors
closest in the Valspar deckThe nearest shades to Cut Ruby within Valspar'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 #8A181F in HSL space. Pair Cut Ruby 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.
Valspar Cut Ruby Equivalents at Other Brands
Matching Cut Ruby 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 Valspar 1009-4 directly — these equivalents are for when you'd rather stay inside one brand's own deck.
Sherwin-Williams Equivalent of Cut Ruby
Sherwin-Williams's nearest match is Poppy Flower (SW 2904), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.1). It sits at the same lightness (LRV 6 vs 6.2) and carries a warm red undertone, so it substitutes for Cut Ruby without repainting risk. See the full Poppy Flower swatch →
Behr Equivalent of Cut Ruby
Behr has no exact twin of Cut Ruby. The nearest is Antique Red (S-H-190) at ΔE 3.52 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 7 vs 6.2). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Antique Red swatch →
Benjamin Moore Equivalent of Cut Ruby
At Benjamin Moore, the closest color to Cut Ruby is Caliente (AF-290) — very close at ΔE 2.39, though not an exact twin. It runs slightly lighter (LRV 9 vs 6.2) and carries a warm red undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Caliente swatch →
Dutch Boy Equivalent of Cut Ruby
Dutch Boy has no exact twin of Cut Ruby. The nearest is Double Decker (205-7DB) at ΔE 3.93 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It runs slightly lighter (LRV 8 vs 6.2). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Double Decker swatch →
Backdrop Equivalent of Cut Ruby
Backdrop has no exact twin of Cut Ruby. The nearest is Stage Beauty (BD-SB) at ΔE 4.96 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 5 vs 6.2). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Stage Beauty swatch →