Is Valspar Bleached Denim a good dupe for Sherwin-Williams Upward?

Yes! Valspar Bleached Denim has a 97.7% scientific visual match to Sherwin-Williams Upward with a CIEDE2000 color difference (ΔE) of only 0.89. On walls, the difference is virtually imperceptible under standard residential lighting.

How much do you save using Bleached Denim instead of Upward?

Sherwin-Williams Upward retails at ~$82/gal, whereas Valspar Bleached Denim costs ~$44/gal. You save $38 per gallon (46% discount), or approximately $304 on an average whole-house painting project.

Head-to-Head Dupe Analysis97.7% Match SimilaritySave $38 / Gallon

Sherwin-Williams Upward
vs Valspar Bleached Denim

Looking for a cheap equivalent to Upward (SW 6239)? Here is the scientific comparison, spectrophotometric ΔE score, and exact formula to get this mixed at Lowe's.

⚖️ Side-by-Side Visual Comparison

Notice how the human eye perceives both shades under identical D65 daylight.

ΔE: 0.89

Original (premium)$82/gal

Upward

Sherwin-Williams (SW 6239)

HEX: #BFCAD0 • LRV: 57

Budget Dupe (budget)$44/gal

Bleached Denim

Valspar (4008-7B)

HEX: #C2CBD0 • LRV: 59

🎯 Editorial Verdict:"Virtually Indistinguishable (Only visible side-by-side in direct sunlight)"

Light Reflectance difference is only 2%. Once painted across an entire room, natural light bounce creates identical atmosphere.

Cost Difference

Save $38/gal (46%)

Technical Specification Comparison

Objective measurements recorded under standard CIE D65 illuminant.

Metric	Sherwin-Williams Upward	Valspar Bleached Denim	Difference / Notes
Hexadecimal Code	#BFCAD0	#C2CBD0	ΔE 0.89
sRGB Coordinates	191, 202, 208	194, 203, 208	Near-parallel chromaticity
LRV (Light Reflectance)	57%	59%	Only 2% variance
Dominant Undertones	Breezy Blue, Silver Denim, Soft Periwinkle	Chambray Blue, Soft Silver, Breezy Sky	Complementary tones
Price Per Gallon (MSRP)	$82	$44	Save $38/gal
Whole House Cost (10 gal)	$820	$440	Save $380 Total!

🛒 How to Order this Dupe at Lowe's

Copy and present this exact prompt to the paint counter technician.

"Hi, I would like 1 gallon of Valspar Marquee/Premium tinted to Bleached Denim (4008-7B). This is a verified match for Sherwin-Williams Upward (SW 6239)."