what is lrv in paint

LRV stands for Light Reflectance Value, which is a measuring system of a paint color that indicates how light or dark a paint color is and how much light it reflects. The LRV number is on a scale between 0 (which is black) and 100 (which is white). A paint colors LRV number tells you how light or dark it is compared to pure black (LRV – 0) and pure white (LRV – 100). In other words, a paint color’s LRV states its depth (i.e., off-white/light/medium/dark). Knowing a color’s LRV is helpful when coordinating colors or creating a mood, and it also helps businesses, schools, and homes stay energy-efficient – choosing a color with a larger LRV probably won’t require as much lighting or air conditioning as a color that soaks up light and warms easily. Paint manufacturers create paint chip cards to help customers view each color, and the LRV number can be found on the back of the paint chip card or online.