Underground → Valspar
The closest Valspar matches for Behr Underground (PPU18-02), ranked by perceptual color distance.
Finding a Valspar Equivalent for Underground
If you love Behr Underground but need a Valspar 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 Valspar, your local store does not carry Behr, or you simply want to compare prices across brands before committing.
Underground (PPU18-02) is a dark gray with warm dark charcoal undertones. A warm, dark charcoal-brown. Deeper than Off Broadway, lighter than Granite Boulder. The warm brown gives it an earthy, organic quality at a very dark depth. To find a good Valspar match, we need a color that captures not just the right depth (LRV 10) but also that specific undertone character. That is where Delta E color science comes in.
We calculated the perceptual color distance between Underground and every Valspar 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 good news: there is a strong Valspar match for Underground. Woodsmoke (VR078C) comes in with a Delta E of 2.3, which puts it in the "excellent match" range. Woodsmoke is the closest Valspar option. Very close match.
Valspar Matches for Underground
Woodsmoke is the closest Valspar option. Very close match.
| Underground | Woodsmoke | |
|---|---|---|
| LRV | 10 | 12 |
| Hex | #65625E | #716F6B |
| Undertone | Warm Dark Charcoal | Warm Smoky Charcoal |
| Family | Gray | Gray |
Undertone Comparison
Underground has warm dark charcoal undertones. A warm, dark charcoal-brown. Deeper than Off Broadway, lighter than Granite Boulder. The warm brown gives it an earthy, organic quality at a very dark depth.
Woodsmoke has warm smoky charcoal undertones. A warm, smoky charcoal. The color of wood smoke. Darker than Tempered Gray, with a warm, organic quality.
These two colors share the same undertone family, which is a good sign for a cross-brand swap. The undertone similarity means they will behave similarly as lighting changes throughout the day, and they should coordinate well with the same accent colors, trim, and furnishings.
How These Colors Behave in Different Lighting
Underground in Your Room
In bright light, the warm brown undertone is visible. In dim rooms, it reads as a warm near-black. A strong, earthy dark neutral.
Woodsmoke in Your Room
Warm and smoky. In bright rooms, the warm brown-charcoal shows. In dim rooms, approaches a warm near-black.
LRV and Brightness
Underground has an LRV of 10, while Woodsmoke has an LRV of 12. These two colors reflect a very similar amount of light, so you should not notice a significant difference in room brightness when switching between them. The room will feel approximately the same in terms of light and space, which makes this a smoother transition.
Best Rooms for Underground
Behr recommends Underground for: accent wall, front door, cabinets, exterior trim, shutters. With an LRV of 10, 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.
Woodsmoke is recommended for: accent wall, exterior, front door, cabinets, office. Both colors are recommended for similar applications, which confirms that this is a practical cross-brand match. You can use Woodsmoke in the same rooms you planned for Underground.
Underground in Other Brands
Looking for Underground equivalents in other brands besides Valspar? We have matches across all major paint brands.
Frequently Asked Questions
The closest Valspar match for Underground (PPU18-02) is Woodsmoke (VR078C) with a Delta E of 2.3, which rates as a "excellent match" match. Woodsmoke is the closest Valspar option. Very close match. 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. Underground is a Behr color with warm dark charcoal undertones and an LRV of 10. Woodsmoke is a Valspar color with warm smoky charcoal undertones and an LRV of 12. With a Delta E of 2.3, the difference is subtle and mainly visible in direct side-by-side comparison. 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 2.3, these colors are close enough to use in separate rooms of the same house without a jarring difference. However, avoid painting them on adjacent walls in the same room, as even subtle differences become apparent at a hard edge where two paints meet. For the smoothest result, use one brand consistently within each connected space and reserve the other brand for rooms that are visually separated.
There are several practical reasons to look for a Valspar equivalent. Price differences between brands can be significant on large projects. Availability matters if your nearest paint store or home center specializes in Valspar. Some painters have strong preferences for one brand's formula based on coverage, dry time, or workability. And if you are touching up existing Valspar work, matching within the same brand gives you the best consistency for seamless results.
Match calculations use Delta E (CIE2000) computed from Lab color space conversion. Color data sourced from manufacturer specifications. Last reviewed: March 22, 2026.