Iron Ore → Benjamin Moore
The closest Benjamin Moore matches for Sherwin Williams Iron Ore (SW 7069), ranked by perceptual color distance.
Finding a Benjamin Moore Equivalent for Iron Ore
If you love Sherwin Williams Iron Ore but need a Benjamin Moore 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 Benjamin Moore, your local store does not carry Sherwin Williams, or you simply want to compare prices across brands before committing.
Iron Ore (SW 7069) is a dark black with warm brown-black undertones. A warm, rich near-black with brown-charcoal undertones. The most popular dark paint color in America for good reason. To find a good Benjamin Moore match, we need a color that captures not just the right depth (LRV 6) but also that specific undertone character. That is where Delta E color science comes in.
We calculated the perceptual color distance between Iron Ore and every Benjamin Moore 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 Benjamin Moore option is Wrought Iron (2124-10) with a Delta E of 3.6, which is a "good match" level match. Wrought Iron is the closest BM match. Both are warm near-blacks. Wrought Iron leans slightly greener. You will want to test a sample before committing, as the difference may be noticeable in certain lighting.
Benjamin Moore Matches for Iron Ore
Wrought Iron is the closest BM match. Both are warm near-blacks. Wrought Iron leans slightly greener.
| Iron Ore | Wrought Iron | |
|---|---|---|
| LRV | 6 | 6.16 |
| Hex | #524C47 | #484844 |
| Undertone | Warm Brown-Black | Warm Charcoal-Green |
| Family | Black | Black |
Undertone Comparison
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.
Wrought Iron has warm charcoal-green undertones. A dark, complex near-black with warm charcoal undertones. Softer than a true black, with depth that changes with light.
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. Iron Ore's warm brown-black quality may read differently than Wrought Iron's warm charcoal-green 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
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.
Wrought Iron in Your Room
In direct light, you can see its warm green-gray character. In dim rooms, it reads as a sophisticated soft black. More interesting than a flat black.
LRV and Brightness
Iron Ore has an LRV of 6, while Wrought Iron has an LRV of 6.16. 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 Iron Ore
Sherwin Williams recommends Iron Ore for: front door, accent wall, exterior trim, cabinets, shutters. With an LRV of 6, 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.
Wrought Iron is recommended for: front door, accent wall, cabinets, exterior trim, shutters. Both colors are recommended for similar applications, which confirms that this is a practical cross-brand match. You can use Wrought Iron in the same rooms you planned for Iron Ore.
Iron Ore in Other Brands
Looking for Iron Ore equivalents in other brands besides Benjamin Moore? We have matches across all major paint brands.
Frequently Asked Questions
The closest Benjamin Moore match for Iron Ore (SW 7069) is Wrought Iron (2124-10) with a Delta E of 3.6, which rates as a "good match" match. Wrought Iron is the closest BM match. Both are warm near-blacks. Wrought Iron leans slightly greener. 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. Iron Ore is a Sherwin Williams color with warm brown-black undertones and an LRV of 6. Wrought Iron is a Benjamin Moore color with warm charcoal-green undertones and an LRV of 6.16. With a Delta E of 3.6, 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 3.6, 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 Benjamin Moore equivalent. Price differences between brands can be significant on large projects. Availability matters if your nearest paint store or home center specializes in Benjamin Moore. Some painters have strong preferences for one brand's formula based on coverage, dry time, or workability. And if you are touching up existing Benjamin Moore 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.