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Brands · answered by Fini

Is there a cheaper alternative to Benjamin Moore Pale Oak?

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Quick answer

Yes — Dulux Dusted Moss 3 is the closest match at ΔE 1, which is imperceptible to the eye, and a fair bit cheaper than Benjamin Moore. Crown Snowfall (ΔE 1.2) is another strong, affordable option.

Pale Oak is one of Benjamin Moore's quiet greige heroes — a soft, warm off-white that holds its nerve in changing light. The good news, mate, is you don't have to pay Benjamin Moore money to get it.

The standout is Dulux Dusted Moss 3 (LRV 70.6) at ΔE 1 from the original. Anything under 1 is imperceptible, so we're talking a difference your eye genuinely cannot register on the wall. Dulux is widely stocked, easy to colour-match at any merchant, and noticeably kinder on the wallet. For a whole-house greige, that's the one I'd reach for.

Close behind is Crown Snowfall (LRV 69.7) at ΔE 1.2 — also very close, and Crown's trade emulsion is a cracking value-for-money workhorse with good opacity. If you've got a Crown stockist handy, no hesitation.

The third option, COAT Good Intentions (LRV 67), comes in at ΔE 1.8. Still very close, and COAT's eggshell-finish emulsion is genuinely lovely to roll — low odour, washable, and they deliver direct. It's a touch deeper than the other two, so in a north-facing room it'll read marginally warmer and cosier, which some folk actually prefer.

The "but what about" here: a ΔE match is measured on a flat swatch under controlled light. Sheen and base formulation still affect how a colour behaves on your wall. Benjamin Moore's Regal Select has a particular soft chalkiness, so a Dulux or Crown match in a different sheen won't look 100% identical at every angle — but the colour itself is bang on.

My advice: buy a tester of Dusted Moss 3 first, paint two coats on a bit of lining paper, and move it round the room across the day. If it reads right at 70.6 LRV — and it almost certainly will — you've saved yourself a tidy sum without compromising on the look. Sorted.

Colours from the answer

LRV 68.64
Benjamin Moore
Pale Oak
LRV 70.6
Dulux
Dusted Moss 3
LRV 69.7
Crown
Snowfall
LRV 67
COAT
Good Intentions

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