Railings → Sherwin Williams
The closest Sherwin Williams matches for Farrow & Ball Railings (No.31), ranked by perceptual color distance.
Finding a Sherwin Williams Equivalent for Railings
If you love Farrow & Ball Railings 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 Farrow & Ball, or you simply want to compare prices across brands before committing.
Railings (No.31) is a dark black with blue-black undertones. A deep, complex blue-black. Softer than a pure black with a subtle blue undertone that gives it depth and sophistication. To find a good Sherwin Williams match, we need a color that captures not just the right depth (LRV 5.05) but also that specific undertone character. That is where Delta E color science comes in.
We calculated the perceptual color distance between Railings 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 Tricorn Black (SW 6258) with a Delta E of 5.5, which is a "good match" level match. Tricorn Black is more neutral. Railings has that distinctive blue lean. Different personalities. You will want to test a sample before committing, as the difference may be noticeable in certain lighting.
Sherwin Williams Matches for Railings
Tricorn Black is more neutral. Railings has that distinctive blue lean. Different personalities.
| Railings | Tricorn Black | |
|---|---|---|
| LRV | 5.05 | 3 |
| Hex | #313638 | #2F2F2F |
| Undertone | Blue-Black | True Neutral Black |
| Family | Black | Black |
Undertone Comparison
Railings has blue-black undertones. A deep, complex blue-black. Softer than a pure black with a subtle blue undertone that gives it depth and sophistication.
Tricorn Black has true neutral black undertones. About as close to a true, pure black as Sherwin Williams offers. No visible blue, brown, or green undertone. Just black.
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. Railings's blue-black quality may read differently than Tricorn Black's true neutral 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
Railings in Your Room
In bright light, the blue undertone is visible and beautiful. In dim rooms, it reads as a soft, sophisticated black. Stunning on woodwork and front doors.
Tricorn Black in Your Room
Reads as a true black in all conditions. In very bright direct light, you might detect the faintest warm lean, but functionally this is a neutral black.
LRV and Brightness
Railings has an LRV of 5.05, while Tricorn Black has an LRV of 3. 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 Railings
Farrow & Ball recommends Railings for: front door, railings, trim, cabinets, accent wall. With an LRV of 5.05, 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.
Tricorn Black is recommended for: front door, accent wall, exterior trim, shutters, statement furniture. Both colors are recommended for similar applications, which confirms that this is a practical cross-brand match. You can use Tricorn Black in the same rooms you planned for Railings.
Railings in Other Brands
Looking for Railings equivalents in other brands besides Sherwin Williams? We have matches across all major paint brands.
Frequently Asked Questions
The closest Sherwin Williams match for Railings (No.31) is Tricorn Black (SW 6258) with a Delta E of 5.5, which rates as a "good match" match. Tricorn Black is more neutral. Railings has that distinctive blue lean. Different personalities. 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. Railings is a Farrow & Ball color with blue-black undertones and an LRV of 5.05. Tricorn Black is a Sherwin Williams color with true neutral black undertones and an LRV of 3. With a Delta E of 5.5, 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 5.5, 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.
Match calculations use Delta E (CIE2000) computed from Lab color space conversion. Color data sourced from manufacturer specifications. Last reviewed: March 22, 2026.