Finding a Sherwin Williams Equivalent for Off Broadway

If you love Behr Off Broadway but need a Sherwin Williams alternative, you are not alone. This is one of the most common cross-brand paint matching searches, whether you are working with a painter who prefers Sherwin Williams, your local store does not carry Behr, or you simply want to compare prices across brands before committing.

Off Broadway (PPU18-17) is a dark gray with warm charcoal undertones. A dark, warm charcoal gray. Rich and dramatic without being black. To find a good Sherwin Williams match, we need a color that captures not just the right depth (LRV 14) but also that specific undertone character. That is where Delta E color science comes in.

We calculated the perceptual color distance between Off Broadway and every Sherwin Williams color using the CIE2000 Delta E formula, which measures how different two colors look to the human eye. A Delta E under 2 means most people cannot tell the colors apart. Between 2 and 4, you might notice a difference in certain lighting. Above 5, the difference is clearly visible side by side.

The results are decent but not perfect. The closest Sherwin Williams option is Iron Ore (SW 7069) with a Delta E of 4.8, which is a "good match" level match. Iron Ore is darker and browner. Off Broadway is slightly lighter and more neutral. You will want to test a sample before committing, as the difference may be noticeable in certain lighting.

Sherwin Williams Matches for Off Broadway

Iron Ore SW 7069
Good match · ΔE 4.8

Iron Ore is darker and browner. Off Broadway is slightly lighter and more neutral.

Off BroadwayIron Ore
LRV146
Hex#7F7C77#524C47
UndertoneWarm CharcoalWarm Brown-Black
FamilyGrayBlack

Undertone Comparison

Off Broadway has warm charcoal undertones. A dark, warm charcoal gray. Rich and dramatic without being black.

Iron Ore has warm brown-black undertones. A warm, rich near-black with brown-charcoal undertones. The most popular dark paint color in America for good reason.

The undertone difference is worth paying attention to. While they are close in overall appearance, the different undertones mean they may diverge in certain lighting. Off Broadway's warm charcoal quality may read differently than Iron Ore's warm brown-black character, especially in rooms with strong directional light or colored accents that could pull out one undertone more than the other. Test a sample in your specific room before committing.

How These Colors Behave in Different Lighting

Off Broadway in Your Room

Reads as a warm dark gray. The warmth keeps it approachable and sophisticated.

Iron Ore in Your Room

In bright light, the warm brown undertone is visible. In dim rooms, it reads as a sophisticated soft black. Warmer than a true black, which gives it depth.

LRV and Brightness

Off Broadway has an LRV of 14, while Iron Ore has an LRV of 6. That means Off Broadway reflects noticeably more light. In the same room, Off Broadway will make the space feel brighter and more open than Iron Ore. If you are switching to the Sherwin Williams option, expect the room to feel slightly more intimate and cozy.

Best Rooms for Off Broadway

Behr recommends Off Broadway for: accent wall, front door, cabinets, exterior trim, office. With an LRV of 14, this is a dark color that absorbs more light than it reflects. It makes a bold statement and works beautifully on accent walls, front doors, exterior trim, and features where drama is the goal. In a full room, make sure you have good lighting and bright white trim for contrast.

Iron Ore is recommended for: front door, accent wall, exterior trim, cabinets, shutters. The recommended applications differ slightly between brands, but the color's properties should work in the same rooms regardless of which brand you choose. Trust the LRV and undertone data more than the specific room suggestions, and always test in your actual space.

Off Broadway in Other Brands

Looking for Off Broadway equivalents in other brands besides Sherwin Williams? We have matches across all major paint brands.

Frequently Asked Questions

The closest Sherwin Williams match for Off Broadway (PPU18-17) is Iron Ore (SW 7069) with a Delta E of 4.8, which rates as a "good match" match. Iron Ore is darker and browner. Off Broadway is slightly lighter and more neutral. Delta E measures perceptual color distance on a scale where under 2 means nearly identical, 2 to 4 means close with subtle differences, and over 5 means clearly noticeable.

No, they are not identical. Off Broadway is a Behr color with warm charcoal undertones and an LRV of 14. Iron Ore is a Sherwin Williams color with warm brown-black undertones and an LRV of 6. With a Delta E of 4.8, you will likely notice a difference, especially in bright or direct lighting. Paint formulations differ between brands, so even colors with similar values can look slightly different due to pigment concentration, binders, and finish.

With a Delta E of 4.8, the difference is enough that they should not be used on adjacent walls in the same room. You can use them in separate rooms of the same house, but be aware that walking from one room to the other may reveal the difference, especially if the rooms have similar lighting. For the most consistent look, pick one brand for all connected living spaces and reserve the other brand for visually separate rooms like bathrooms or bedrooms behind closed doors.

There are several practical reasons to look for a Sherwin Williams equivalent. Price differences between brands can be significant on large projects. Availability matters if your nearest paint store or home center specializes in Sherwin Williams. Some painters have strong preferences for one brand's formula based on coverage, dry time, or workability. And if you are touching up existing Sherwin Williams work, matching within the same brand gives you the best consistency for seamless results.

Colors on screen are approximations. Your monitor, lighting, and paint finish will affect how colors appear in your space. Always test with a physical paint sample before purchasing.

Match calculations use Delta E (CIE2000) computed from Lab color space conversion. Color data sourced from manufacturer specifications. Last reviewed: March 22, 2026.