#DFDEDB
#979694
#565553
#171716
Background
Primary Accent
Secondary
Body Text

Corrugated Metal Color Palette

#DFDEDB · #979694 · #565553 · #171716

AAA
WCAG Grade
13.3:1
Contrast Ratio
625
Saves
2,043
AI Copies
AI Prompt

Use #DFDEDB as the background. Use #979694 as the primary accent. Use #565553 as secondary. Use #171716 as body text/supporting color. Palette mood: Corrugated Metal — mono, cool, earthy, vintage, moody.

Hex Codes, RGB & CMYK Color Values

Technical breakdown for the Corrugated Metal color scheme. Use these values for web design (HEX/RGB), print projects (CMYK), or specialized design software (HSL).

Swatch Design Role HEX RGB CMYK HSL
Background
Luminance: 73.0%
223, 222, 219 0%, 0%, 2%, 13% 45°, 6%, 87%
Primary Accent
Luminance: 30.5%
151, 150, 148 0%, 1%, 2%, 41% 40°, 1%, 59%
Secondary
Luminance: 9.1%
86, 85, 83 0%, 1%, 3%, 66% 40°, 2%, 33%
Body Text
Luminance: 0.9%
23, 23, 22 0%, 0%, 4%, 91% 60°, 2%, 9%

Corrugated Metal Tints & Shades

Hover states, borders and elevation need lighter and darker steps of your base colors. Here are computed tints and shades for every color in the Corrugated Metal palette — click any swatch to copy its hex.

#DFDEDB neutral gray
#979694 neutral gray
#565553 neutral gray
#171716 neutral gray

Corrugated Metal Palette Contrast Matrix (WCAG 2.1)

Every color tested as text on every other color as background. Body copy needs 4.5:1 (AA), large text and UI components 3:1. AAA requires 7:1.

Text on Background Preview Ratio Grade Safe For
#171716 on #DFDEDB
Aa Sample Text
13.33:1 AAA Body text, headings, UI
#DFDEDB on #171716
Aa Sample Text
13.33:1 AAA Body text, headings, UI
#171716 on #979694
Aa Sample Text
6.07:1 AA Body text, UI
#979694 on #171716
Aa Sample Text
6.07:1 AA Body text, UI
#565553 on #DFDEDB
Aa Sample Text
5.54:1 AA Body text, UI
#DFDEDB on #565553
Aa Sample Text
5.54:1 AA Body text, UI
#565553 on #979694
Aa Sample Text
2.52:1 Fail Decorative use only
#979694 on #565553
Aa Sample Text
2.52:1 Fail Decorative use only
#171716 on #565553
Aa Sample Text
2.41:1 Fail Decorative use only
#565553 on #171716
Aa Sample Text
2.41:1 Fail Decorative use only
#979694 on #DFDEDB
Aa Sample Text
2.20:1 Fail Decorative use only
#DFDEDB on #979694
Aa Sample Text
2.20:1 Fail Decorative use only

Corrugated Metal Color Psychology & Meaning

Corrugated metal gets its stiffness from the folds rather than the thickness of the sheet, which is why a shed can be made of something as thin as a business card, and this palette is rib pale with fold mid. It feels cheap and structural, the color of a barn that hums in the wind.

Color Harmony: Analogous Scheme

The Corrugated Metal palette is built using a analogous relationship between its hues. This ensures that even with high-contrast accents, the overall scheme feels balanced and intentional.

Hue Wheel

A analogous palette is often preferred by professional designers because it creates a calm, serene atmosphere by using neighboring colors.

History & Design Context

Corrugation increases the second moment of area, so a folded sheet resists bending far better than a flat one; the technique is used everywhere from roofing to cardboard boxes.

Best Design Use Cases

Use the rib pale for hero surfaces, sheet gray for interactive elements, fold mid for accents, and shadow dark for text.

Industries This Palette Suits

Architecture studios, engineering firms, industrial suppliers, B2B brands.

Colors That Pair Well With Corrugated Metal

Need a fifth color? These three companions are computed from the palette's own hue positions on the color wheel, so they extend the scheme without breaking its harmony.

blue

directly opposite #979694 on the wheel — the strongest accent for CTAs and highlights when you need maximum energy

yellow

30° beside #979694 — a calm secondary that extends the palette without adding tension

tinted neutral

a ink-black carrying the palette's own hue — perfect for surfaces and dividers

Using Corrugated Metal Without Breaking Accessibility

  • Avoid #979694 for small UI elements on #DFDEDB — at 2.2:1 it misses the 3:1 WCAG threshold; darken it with a shade from the ramp below.
  • Set body text in #171716 — 13.3:1 against #DFDEDB passes WCAG AA (AAA) for long-form reading.
  • Let #565553 carry sidebars, cards and footers — at a mid lightness it separates zones without stealing focus from #979694.

How to Implement the Corrugated Metal Color Scheme

To use this Corrugated Metal color palette in your web project, you can copy the following CSS variables or Tailwind CSS configuration. These roles ensure your UI maintains accessibility and visual hierarchy.

Option 1: CSS Variables

:root { 
  /* {name} Palette - ihatecolors.com */{'
'}  --color-bg: {colors[0]};{'
'}  --color-primary: {colors[1]};{'
'}  --color-secondary: {colors[2]};{'
'}  --color-text: {colors[3]};{'
'} {'}'}

Web Design Tip

Use #DFDEDB for the main background and #979694 for primary buttons. This creates a high-contrast focal point.

Accessibility Note

The contrast ratio between #171716 and #DFDEDB is 13.33:1 (AAA). Ensure your body text remains legible.

Corrugated Metal Palette — Frequently Asked Questions

What are the hex codes in the Corrugated Metal color palette?

The Corrugated Metal palette contains #DFDEDB, #979694, #565553, #171716. Click any swatch on this page to copy its value, or export all four at once as CSS variables, Tailwind config, SCSS or a Figma-ready list.

Is the Corrugated Metal color palette accessible (WCAG)?

Yes for its strongest pairings: #171716 on #DFDEDB reaches 13.3:1 (AAA). For body text always keep a 4.5:1 ratio and for large UI elements 3:1 — the full contrast matrix above shows the exact score for every color-on-color combination in this palette.

What colors go well with the Corrugated Metal palette?

Beyond its own four colors, #959697, #9DA18C, #151514 extend it naturally: the complementary hue for high-energy accents, an analogous neighbor for calm transitions, and a tinted neutral for surfaces. All three are computed from this palette's hues on the color wheel.

What mood does the Corrugated Metal palette create?

Corrugated Metal reads as mono, cool, earthy. Neutral gray drives the personality, grounded by neutral gray — a combination that works best when the very light base gets most of the canvas.

Can I use the Corrugated Metal color palette commercially?

Yes. Individual color values can't be copyrighted, so the Corrugated Metal palette is free for personal, client and commercial work — websites, branding, apps, print and social content, with no attribution required.

How do I add the Corrugated Metal palette to Tailwind or CSS?

Use the export panel on this page: CSS variables, a Tailwind config block, SCSS variables, or a Figma copy list are generated from Corrugated Metal's exact values, including the tint and shade ramps shown above.

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