Iron Ore

SW 7069 · Sherwin-Williams

Sherwin-Williams

Iron Ore

SW 7069

Hex code

#434341

Light reflectance value (LRV)

5.6Very dark, close to black on a wall

0 black100 white

Undertone

None (a true neutral), a true neutral

Color family: Neutral
Sold for: Interior and exterior

Try it on your walls Get a sample

Sherwin-Williams Iron Ore SW 7069 is a very dark charcoal gray from the neutral family. Its LRV of 6 puts it close to black, though on a wall it reads as a soft charcoal rather than a true black. The undertone is neutral, with almost no measurable color. It works on exteriors, front doors, cabinets and accent walls inside.

Is Iron Ore warm or cool? Undertones by the numbers

too close to gray to lean

Undertone

None (a true neutral)

graysaturated

A true neutral, no lean at all.

Iron Ore measures as a true neutral: it holds so little color that it counts as no undertone at all, and the faint trace it has sits in the yellow-green range, far too weak to show on a wall. It pairs with warm whites, cool whites, wood, brick and stone without a fight. What people notice instead is how soft it is: a charcoal, not a black, lighter and grayer than Tricorn Black SW 6258. Any green-gray or blue-gray cast it picks up is reflected light, not pigment, so sample it beside your trim white and your floor; those neighbors decide whether it looks gray or black.

Iron Ore in north, south, east and west light

Iron Ore cares less about which way the window faces and more about how much light comes through: with no undertone to flip, the exposure changes how black it looks, not what color it looks. In a bright south or west room it stays a soft charcoal all day; in a north room or one with a small window it closes up toward black, so give it daylight or warm white bulbs if you chose it for its softness.

Watch for

In a dim north room it loses its gray and reads as plain black.
Direct sun across a dark wall shows roller marks and touch-ups, so cut in with care.
Under cool white bulbs it looks cooler and harder; warm white bulbs keep it charcoal.

Best rooms and surfaces for Iron Ore

Iron Ore is easiest to live with on things rather than on every wall: kitchen islands, lower cabinets, interior doors, a fireplace surround and built-ins, where it reads as a soft black that does not fight the room. As a wall color it does its best work in a bedroom, study, powder room or dining room, paired with light floors so the room keeps some bounce. It falls flat in a dim hallway or a windowless room, where the charcoal softness disappears into a black that shows every scuff. It sits well with white oak, walnut and medium brown floors, white or light gray quartz, marble and brick; against Alabaster SW 7008 it looks warmer and softer, against Extra White SW 7006 crisper and blacker.

Iron Ore on an exterior

Iron Ore sits in the Top Exterior Colors collection. Outdoors, in full sun, it reads lighter and grayer than the chip, so siding or board and batten in it looks charcoal rather than black. Extra White SW 7006 trim gives the sharpest contrast and Nebulous White SW 7063 a quieter one; for the door, Tricorn Black SW 6258 goes a step darker, or use Iron Ore itself in a higher sheen. Dark paint absorbs heat, so check that vinyl siding is rated for it.

Try Iron Ore on your own walls

Upload a photo of your room, or the outside of your house, and TryMyHome renders Iron Ore onto the walls so you can judge it in your light, with your floors and furniture. Your first five renders are free.

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Iron Ore vs Tricorn Black, Urbane Bronze and Pewter Green

Living room walls rendered in Sherwin-Williams Tricorn Black SW 6258, white trim, ceiling and wood floor unchanged

Iron Ore vs Tricorn Black SW 6258

Iron Ore is a touch lighter; both have a none (a true neutral) undertone.

Both measure as true neutrals, so the difference is depth. Iron Ore gives back about twice the light of Tricorn Black SW 6258. On a wall that gap is the difference between black and charcoal. Pick Tricorn Black for a real black on doors, window frames and a modern exterior. Pick Iron Ore when you want the dark look with softer edges, especially in rooms with less light, where Tricorn Black can go flat.

Living room walls rendered in Sherwin-Williams Urbane Bronze SW 7048, white trim, ceiling and wood floor unchanged

Iron Ore vs Urbane Bronze SW 7048

Iron Ore is a touch darker; undertone none (a true neutral) vs subtle yellow-brown.

Urbane Bronze SW 7048 is a touch lighter and carries a subtle yellow-brown undertone, so it reads as a warm brown-gray. Iron Ore has no measurable undertone and reads as charcoal. Pick Urbane Bronze for a house with warm stone, brick or cedar, where a neutral charcoal can look cold by contrast. Pick Iron Ore when the rest of the palette is white, gray or black and you want it to stay neutral.

Living room walls rendered in Sherwin-Williams Pewter Green SW 6208, white trim, ceiling and wood floor unchanged

Iron Ore vs Pewter Green SW 6208

Iron Ore is noticeably darker; undertone none (a true neutral) vs subtle yellow-leaning green.

Pewter Green SW 6208 is a dark green-gray, about twice as light as Iron Ore, with a subtle yellow-leaning green undertone that shows in daylight. Iron Ore stays gray. Both work on cabinets, doors and exteriors. Pick Pewter Green if you want the room to read as a color. Pick Iron Ore if you want dark without committing to green.

Questions about Iron Ore

Is Iron Ore black or gray?

Iron Ore is a very dark gray that reads as a soft black. Tricorn Black SW 6258, a true black, is a touch darker still. In good light you can see the gray in it; in a dim room it looks black. Most people describe it as charcoal.

What colors go with Iron Ore?

Sherwin-Williams suggests Nebulous White SW 7063 for trim and ceilings; Extra White SW 7006 is the crispest choice, and with no undertone to clash, any white works. It also sits well with white oak, walnut and medium brown floors, white or light gray quartz, marble and brick.

What is one shade lighter than Iron Ore?

Iron Ore is the lightest color on its own fan-deck strip; every step there goes darker, down to Tricorn Black SW 6258. For lighter, its close match Black Fox SW 7020 is a touch lighter and Urbane Bronze SW 7048 the next step up.

Is Iron Ore good for exteriors?

Yes. Sherwin-Williams lists it for interior and exterior use and includes it in the Top Exterior Colors collection. Outdoors it reads lighter and grayer than indoors, which is why whole houses in Iron Ore look charcoal rather than black. Check that vinyl siding is rated for dark colors before you paint it.

Get a sample before you paint

Use the visualizer to narrow your shortlist, then confirm the finalist on your actual wall. A peel-and-stick sample of Iron Ore, checked in morning and evening light, is the last step before a gallon.