What are
RAL colours?
Updated:
The RAL colour system, the most important industrial colours and the finishes ZPAS supplies for electrical enclosures, outdoor enclosures and server racks — explained concisely.
What is the RAL colour system?
RAL stands for the former Reichs-Ausschuss for terms of delivery — a German standardisation body that introduced a uniform colour system for industrial coatings in 1927. Today RAL Classic comprises 215 standardised shades, each with a unique four-digit number.
The principle is simple: anyone who orders “RAL 7035” always gets the same shade worldwide — regardless of which manufacturer applies the paint. This makes RAL the universal standard for industry, architecture, vehicle construction and mechanical engineering.
In brief: the first digit of the RAL number indicates the colour family: 1xxx = yellows · 2xxx = oranges · 3xxx = reds · 4xxx = violets · 5xxx = blues · 6xxx = greens · 7xxx = greys · 8xxx = browns · 9xxx = whites and blacks
RAL colours for electrical enclosures & housings
For electrical enclosures, industrial enclosures and outdoor enclosures, a small number of shades dominate the market — above all RAL 7035 Light grey, which has become the industry standard. ZPAS supplies all common colours direct from the factory and, on request, any other shade from the RAL Classic and RAL Design palettes.
Note: the on-screen display of the colours is an approximation. Binding colour samples are available from ZPAS on request as a physical colour fan deck.
Paint finishes: matt, satin, textured
At ZPAS you can choose not only the colour but also the surface texture. The most common variants at a glance:
Smooth matt
Standard. Even, matt surface without reflections. Robust and easy to care for. Standard for all ZPAS electrical enclosures.
Satin
Slight sheen, pleasant feel. Often chosen for prestigious environments and for smart lockers with corporate identity requirements.
Textured finish
Fine texture that conceals surface irregularities. Hard-wearing and scratch-resistant — ideal for outdoor applications.
RAL Design System+ and special colours
Alongside RAL Classic with 215 shades, there is the RAL Design System+ with more than 1,825 colours — systematically ordered by hue, lightness and chroma. For custom solutions in line with corporate identity, smart lockers and outdoor enclosures in brand colours, ZPAS offers coatings to RAL Design System+ as well as to a sample (e.g. colour card, Pantone reference, NCS code).
Standard at ZPAS: RAL 7035 (light grey) is the standard colour for electrical enclosures and industrial enclosures — available at no extra charge. RAL 7035 is also standard for outdoor enclosures; other colours on request. For server racks and data centre solutions, RAL 7016 (anthracite) and RAL 9005 (black) are common.
Specifying the colour in the ZPAS configurator
In all three ZPAS online configurators (outdoor enclosure, server rack, electrical enclosure) you can specify the RAL colour you want directly — either by selecting one of the most common shades or by entering any RAL number in the free-text field. This information goes straight into your enquiry to ZPAS.
A custom colour for your enclosure — direct from the manufacturer
ZPAS paints in any RAL colour, in a textured, satin or high-gloss finish — applied and inspected at the factory. Request a quotation.
Request a quote More in the FAQ