Is Behr Dark Navy a good dupe for Benjamin Moore Van Deusen Blue?

Yes! Behr Dark Navy has a 84.8% scientific visual match to Benjamin Moore Van Deusen Blue with a CIEDE2000 color difference (ΔE) of only 3.64. On walls, the difference is virtually imperceptible under standard residential lighting.

How much do you save using Dark Navy instead of Van Deusen Blue?

Benjamin Moore Van Deusen Blue retails at ~$94/gal, whereas Behr Dark Navy costs ~$48/gal. You save $46 per gallon (49% discount), or approximately $368 on an average whole-house painting project.

Head-to-Head Dupe Analysis84.8% Match SimilaritySave $46 / Gallon

Benjamin Moore Van Deusen Blue
vs Behr Dark Navy

Looking for a cheap equivalent to Van Deusen Blue (HC-156)? Here is the scientific comparison, spectrophotometric ΔE score, and exact formula to get this mixed at Home Depot.

⚖️ Side-by-Side Visual Comparison

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

ΔE: 3.64

Original (premium)$94/gal

Van Deusen Blue

Benjamin Moore (HC-156)

HEX: #405260 • LRV: 12

Budget Dupe (budget)$48/gal

Dark Navy

Behr (S530-7)

HEX: #3B4853 • LRV: 9.5

🎯 Editorial Verdict:"Very Close Match (Slightly warmer or cooler undertone)"

Light Reflectance difference is only 2.5%. Once painted across an entire room, natural light bounce creates identical atmosphere.

Cost Difference

Save $46/gal (49%)

Technical Specification Comparison

Objective measurements recorded under standard CIE D65 illuminant.

Metric	Benjamin Moore Van Deusen Blue	Behr Dark Navy	Difference / Notes
Hexadecimal Code	#405260	#3B4853	ΔE 3.64
sRGB Coordinates	64, 82, 96	59, 72, 83	Near-parallel chromaticity
LRV (Light Reflectance)	12%	9.5%	Only 2.5% variance
Dominant Undertones	Historic Navy, Steel Blue, Indigo Charcoal	Deep Navy, Midnight Ocean, Indigo	Complementary tones
Price Per Gallon (MSRP)	$94	$48	Save $46/gal
Whole House Cost (10 gal)	$940	$480	Save $460 Total!

🛒 How to Order this Dupe at Home Depot

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

"Hi, I would like 1 gallon of Behr Marquee/Premium tinted to Dark Navy (S530-7). This is a verified match for Benjamin Moore Van Deusen Blue (HC-156)."