Black Tar
What Black Tar Actually Looks Like
Black Tar reads as a flat, near-black on the wall. Up close in direct daylight or under warm incandescent bulbs, you can see it is a very dark charcoal rather than a pure black, but that distinction disappears in most indoor lighting. It carries no obvious blue, green, or brown cast. What you get is a dense, serious dark that holds its character across finishes and exposures.
Black Tar Undertones
The undertone story here is essentially the absence of one. Black Tar is about as close to a true neutral dark as you will find. It does not pull cool or warm, does not shift green in afternoon sun, and does not go purple under cool LEDs the way many near-blacks do. That neutrality is its main asset. It means you can pair it with warm wood floors, bright white trim, or cool gray tile and it will not fight any of them.
Where Black Tar Works Best
Use Black Tar where you want a room or surface to feel deliberate and enveloping. It works hard on front doors, exterior trim, and window frames, where the flat neutral reads as sharp contrast against almost any siding color. On cabinetry in a kitchen with good overhead lighting it adds weight without feeling gloomy. On an accent wall in a well-lit living room it grounds the space. Avoid it as an all-over color in small rooms with limited natural light. In those conditions it will feel heavy and closed-in rather than cozy.
Where to put Black Tar
A front door is one of the best places to use Black Tar. Direct outdoor light shows off its depth without making the space feel oppressive, and the neutral undertone means it works against brick, painted siding, and wood shakes alike. Use a semi-gloss or gloss finish to get a clean, hard edge.
On lower cabinets paired with lighter uppers, Black Tar adds contrast without the risk of a hue clash. Good overhead task lighting is important here. In a kitchen with only a small window, the color can make the space feel heavier than you want.
In a living room or bedroom with at least one large window, a single Black Tar wall acts as an anchor. It pulls furniture forward visually and makes lighter pieces look more intentional. Keep the other three walls light to let the room breathe.
Black Tar on exterior trim is sharp and practical. The neutral base means it does not compete with the siding color, and it holds up visually against both warm and cool exterior palettes. A satin or semi-gloss finish holds up to weather and is easy to clean.
What to Pair With Black Tar
Because no coordinating colors are listed in our database for this color, the pairing guidance below comes from its core trait: a true neutral dark. It plays well with nearly any trim or floor tone precisely because it carries no competing hue.
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Colors that clash with Black Tar
Black Tar is neutral, but against strongly warm beige or golden walls it can read slightly cooler by contrast, creating a subtle tension that feels unresolved rather than intentional.
In a north-facing room or a basement with few windows, Black Tar used on all four walls will feel oppressive. The lack of natural light removes the depth that makes the color interesting.
The neutral undertone in Black Tar is an asset, but very cool bright whites can make the pairing feel stark in a way that reads as unfinished rather than crisp.
Common questions
The precise LRV is 5.65, which puts it firmly in near-black territory. Anything below about 10 absorbs most of the light that hits it, so expect this color to deepen a room rather than open it up. That is the point. Use it where absorption and contrast are the goal, not where you are trying to make a space feel larger or brighter.
Yes, noticeably. In matte or flat, the color looks dense and velvety and shows very little surface texture. In semi-gloss or gloss, it picks up light and reveals more of its true neutral character. For doors and trim, a harder sheen is practical and looks sharper. For walls, matte makes it feel more enveloping.
It is available in exterior formulas and performs well on doors, trim, and window frames. The neutral undertone means it does not clash with most siding colors. Just keep in mind that very dark exterior colors absorb heat in direct sun, which matters for door and trim surfaces on south or west-facing facades.
Very dark colors typically need two coats over a tinted primer. Ask your paint store to tint the primer dark gray. That cuts down on bleed-through and uneven coverage, especially if you are painting over a lighter color.