The Most Popular RAL Colours for Windows and Doors

Anthracite grey is close to a default across the industry, and for good reason. It is dark enough to look considered and current, but lacks the total absence of warmth that pure black can have on some elevations. It reads well against almost any stone colour, from grey Lakeland slate-stone to warmer sandstone, and it hides weathering, water marks and minor scuffing better than paler colours.

Its ubiquity is occasionally raised as a downside by homeowners wanting something distinctive, in which case RAL 7021 black grey or RAL 7039 quartz grey are worth sampling as close but less common alternatives.

RAL 9005 jet black gives the strongest possible contrast against pale render, whitewash and light stone, and is the colour most associated with the confident, high-contrast look of contemporary new builds. RAL 9005-M is a matt variant that reduces glare and softens the visual weight slightly, worth considering on larger elevations of glazing where a high-gloss black could feel heavy.

For a full comparison between anthracite and black, including which suits which property type, see our dedicated guide.

RAL 9010 pure white has a very slight warmth compared with RAL 9016 traffic white, which is cooler and brighter. Both remain the standard choice for period cottages, coastal properties and any scheme where a dark frame would fight with existing white-painted stonework. White is also, by a wide margin, the most common internal colour choice even where the exterior is a darker RAL code.

RAL 6009 fir green is the colour most frequently requested for listed buildings and conservation areas, echoing traditional painted timber sashes. RAL 8017 chocolate brown serves a similar purpose on properties where dark brown joinery is part of the historic character. Both are available across aluminium and Residence systems and carry no unusual lead time penalty despite being outside the top three or four colours by volume.