Brown

RAL 8017

Chocolate Brown

RAL 8017 Chocolate Brown is one of the most widely used dark browns in European residential architecture, serving as a traditional choice for window frames, entrance doors, and architectural metalwork. This deep, warm brown provides a natural, wood-like appearance that complements brick, stone, and rendered facades across diverse architectural styles. Chocolate Brown has been a staple of the European fenestration industry for decades and remains one of the top-selling colors for residential exterior applications.

Time9:36 AM
Light
Technical Reference

Color Reference

Hex#44322D
RGBrgb(68, 50, 45)
HSLhsl(13°, 20%, 22%)
CMYKcmyk(0%, 26%, 34%, 73%)
Color Analysis
RGB Composition
R
68
G
50
B
45
Temperature
WarmCool
Contrast Accessibility
White text
12.1:1Pass
Black text
1.7:1Fail

WCAG 2.1 AA requires 4.5:1 contrast for normal text. Results show this color as a background.

Spectrum & Perceptual Position

Hue Spectrum
60°120°180°240°300°360°
CIELAB a*b* Chromaticity
-4004080-4004080a* (Green ← → Red)b* (Blue ← → Yellow)
L* (Lightness)23
a* (Green-Red)7
b* (Blue-Yellow)6
L* (LCh)23
C* (Chroma)10
h° (Hue)41°

CIELAB is a perceptually uniform color space. Euclidean distance between two colors in this diagram closely matches human visual difference. The dot size shows your selected color; slightly larger dots are the nearest perceptual neighbors.

Color Harmonies

Build a Palette Around Chocolate Brown

Palette Generator

Select a harmony type, then press Space to reroll unlocked colors.

1 locked / 4 free

Reference + opposite hue with tonal variations

Reference
#2
Complementary
#3
Complementary
#4
Complementary
#5
Split Comp +
Pairwise Contrast Ratios
1.2:1
·
1.8:1
·
3:1
·
2.2:1

Contrast ratios follow WCAG 2.1 guidelines. Green (≥4.5:1) passes AA for normal text. Amber (≥3:1) passes for large text only. Grey indicates low contrast.

Ready to Coat in Chocolate Brown?

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Recommended Powders

Recommended for RAL 8017

Exact (2)

RAL 8017 SatinExact Match
SKU: RNS3-00011Sherwin-WilliamsPowduraAAMA 260325-35 glosssmooth
RAL 8017 High GlossExact Match
SKU: RNS8-00011Sherwin-WilliamsPowduraAAMA 260386-99 glosssmooth

Close (8)

Lava RockClose Match
SKU: PCNT23141PPPG IndustriesCoraflon PlatinumAAMA 260545-55 glosssmooth
Northern Walnut TextureClose Match
SKU: PCNT23134PPPG IndustriesCoraflon PlatinumAAMA 26053-7 glosstexture
BrownClose Match
SKU: PCF20192PPG IndustriesEnvirocron40-50 glosssmooth
Brown TextureClose Match
SKU: PCT29101PPG IndustriesEnvirocron10-20 glosstexture
Vintage Brown BLClose Match
SKU: PCT23104PPG IndustriesEnvirocron2-10 glosssmooth
Cafe NoirClose Match
SKU: PCU24100PPG IndustriesEnvirocron2-15 glosssmooth
Espresso MetallicClose Match
SKU: HNZ2-C0000Sherwin-WilliamsPowdura16-30 glossmetallic
Royal BrownClose Match
SKU: PNS4-C0001Sherwin-WilliamsPowdura31-60 glosssmooth

About These Recommendations

These are powder formulations that correspond to this RAL color based on manufacturer data sheets. Exact powders are coded to this specific RAL code. Close powders are visually similar alternatives we have used before. We do not sell powder directly — we use these formulations to coat your parts. Call us to discuss your project and we will confirm the best option for your timeline.

Call to Discuss Your ProjectWe will confirm the best powder and finish for your parts and timeline.