Tricorn Black LRV 3: Planning a Deep Color

What 3 tells you about Tricorn Black

The published LRV of Sherwin-Williams Tricorn Black SW-6258 is 3. It describes light reflectance; it does not specify an undertone or predict the brightness of your room. Tricorn Black is an appropriate baseline for comparing blacks because the manufacturer explicitly describes it without undertones.

The choice beside white plaster and oak doors

Repeated black casings can divide a room into many outlines; the total number of painted edges is a design decision beyond color selection.

Draw the proposed dark area on a room photograph and compare it with a broad physical Tricorn Black sample in shadow. The LRV describes the starting depth, while the size and location of that area determine its role. Check whether adjacent dark furniture remains legible.

What the comparison can—and cannot—settle

Tricorn Black and Black Magic both have a published LRV of 3. That equality describes reflectance, not matching colorants or identical undertones. Tricorn Black is described by Sherwin-Williams as a true black without an undertone. The value measures reflectance, so it cannot by itself identify an undertone, a coating finish or the amount of illumination needed in the room. The daylight and evening-light checks covers that related choice.

Map every black edge in the room before painting; the number of outlines matters as much as the shade. Do not read LRV 3 as a percentage improvement in perceived room brightness. Make the decision with the board upright at the actual wall or cabinet position, including the least illuminated portion. The north-facing room assessment covers that related choice. Before ordering samples, compare room-planning features in the paint color visualizer roundup.