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Pantone™ PMS Cool Gray 5 U
Actual color may vary from on-screen representation. Please view a physical color swatch or material sample to confirm your color choice prior to purchase.
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PMS Cool Gray 5 U is part of the Pantone PMS neutral Cool Gray series and is commonly specified as a supporting brand color. It presents a calm, restrained gray character that reads professional, stable, and visually unobtrusive.
The color sits at a mid-light value with an LRV of 45.18. It exhibits a cool-leaning neutral tendency with extremely low chroma, appearing clean and near-neutral rather than tinted.
This color shows a subtle cool undertone that can read slightly bluish in bright or cool lighting.
PMS Cool Gray 5 U works well as a background, structural, or secondary color where brand elements need a neutral counterbalance. Because of its neutrality, lighting conditions and finish choice can shift perception slightly cooler or flatter, so evaluating samples in the final environment can help confirm appearance.
Compared to darker cool grays, it maintains openness and clarity without adding visual weight.
The following examples reflect commonly cited branding associations and are based on publicly referenced design usage; they are illustrative, not exhaustive or exclusive. The color is commonly referenced in corporate identity systems as a neutral support gray for typography and layouts.
This color is widely cited in branding literature for use in technology, healthcare, and institutional visual systems where restraint and clarity are emphasized.
Similar colors:
PMS Cool Gray 4 U: lighter and more open, with less visual depth.
PMS Cool Gray 6 U: darker and slightly heavier, with increased visual weight.
PMS Cool Gray 5 C: similar in value but appears slightly crisper and cooler in appearance.
Product Data
About Pantone and MyPerfectColor
MyPerfectColor is the official licensee of Pantone and authorized to reproduce the Pantone™ PMS Cool Gray 5 U color in spray paint and other paints.
MyPerfectColor helps marketing professionals turn graphic designs into physical reality. Whether you are a manufacturer, entrepreneur, industrial designer, prototyper/modeler, marketer, agency, printer, retailer, sign manufacturer, exhibit fabricator or architect, MyPerfectColor will help you nail the PMS Cool Gray 5 U color and produce outstanding results.
MyPerfectColor matches the Pantone PMS Cool Gray 5 U color based on Pantone color publications. The PMS Cool Gray 5 U color shown on this website are computer video simulations of the PANTONE PMS Cool Gray 5 U Color and may not match PANTONE®-identified Color standards. Refer to current PANTONE Publications to obtain accurate color.
The Pantone PMS Cool Gray 5 U color may vary from the PANTONE Color Standards based on lighting conditions, angle of view and/or due to differences in pigments, manufacturing process, substrate and/or limitations in the color capability of the paint. Refer to current PANTONE Publications to obtain accurate color.
PANTONE® and other Pantone trademarks are the property of Pantone LLC. Portions © Pantone LLC, 2019. Produced under License Agreement between MyPerfectColor.com and Pantone LLC.
Frequently Asked Questions About Pantone™ PMS Cool Gray 5 U
What does PMS Cool Gray 5 U represent in a brand experience context?
PMS Cool Gray 5 U is a Pantone Matching System color used as a visual reference for brand consistency. It defines an exact color target so that logos, displays, signage, and other brand-facing elements can be reproduced consistently across different vendors and materials. It is a communication standard for appearance, not a paint formula or finish specification.
When you order paint matched to PMS Cool Gray 5 U, the goal is visual alignment with the Pantone reference under typical viewing conditions used for marketing and display applications.
Why does licensed reproduction matter when ordering PMS Cool Gray 5 U paint?
Pantone PMS colors are licensed standards. Licensed reproduction means the color is produced using Pantone-authorized targets and processes rather than an unverified interpretation. This reduces the risk of visible color shift when PMS Cool Gray 5 U is used across multiple brand elements.
MyPerfectColor is authorized to reproduce Pantone PMS colors, which helps ensure that PMS Cool Gray 5 U is matched as a brand color reference intended by Pantone.
Is PMS Cool Gray 5 U appropriate if I need a touch-up grade color match?
No. Pantone PMS colors like PMS Cool Gray 5 U are intended for brand color reproduction, not for touch-up or part-specific repair matching. Even when a product is described using a Pantone code, the installed material may have aged, shifted, or been produced using a different process.
If your project requires a touch-up grade result where the new coating must visually disappear into an existing surface, the correct path is to send a physical part or sample for custom matching rather than relying on the Pantone reference.
How should I choose a sheen for PMS Cool Gray 5 U paint?
Sheen directly affects how PMS Cool Gray 5 U is perceived. Higher sheen levels reflect more light and can make the color appear brighter or slightly lighter, while lower sheen levels reduce reflection and can appear flatter or deeper.
Choose sheen based on viewing distance, lighting, and substrate. For brand-facing displays viewed from a distance, moderate sheen levels are often used. For close-view applications or textured substrates, a lower sheen may reduce glare and visual variation. Always evaluate sheen and color together if formal brand approval is required.
How quickly will I receive my paint matched to Pantone PMS Cool Gray 5 U?
All paint is custom-made to order. While most orders ship within 48 hours, the lead-time for paint made to match Pantone PMS Cool Gray 5 U depends on the type of paint needed. Interior and exterior house paints usually ship within 1 to 3 business days, while custom spray paint typically takes 3-5 business days to ship. The transit time depends on your location and the shipping method you choose. If your need is immediate, select Expedited Production during checkout. Most expedited production orders ship within 24 hours on business days. Please contact MyPerfectColor if you are concerned about a specific deadline. We do our best to make sure you get your paint on time. Learn more about paint lead times at MyPerfectColor.
Can I use the Pantone PMS Cool Gray 5 U for touch up?
Unfortunately, no.
Some manufacturers specify Pantone colors as touch up for their products, but Pantone does not work well as a proxy for a touch-up solution (for a litany of reasons such as it doesn't include sheen and Pantone color tolerances are not tight enough for touch up). When we match Pantone colors we are matching to a swatch in a Pantone book - not to your product.
The only way we can provide a touch-up solution for your product is for you send us a part. We would use the part to create a touch-up grade match. Unfortunately, there isn't an effective way to 'spec' the color well enough to produce a touch up without the part.
Read more about using Pantone for touch-up.
Learn more about our paint color matching service.
How do I buy paint in the Pantone PMS Cool Gray 5 U?
Many types of paint are available for Pantone PMS Cool Gray 5 U with no minimum order quantities. MyPerfectColor offers spray paint, paint pens, touch up bottles, water-based acrylics, epoxies, urethanes and a variety of other paints. Select the Paint Type button above to get started. Learn more about buying paint at MyPerfectColor.
How much area will one spray can cover? And what is Pantone PMS Cool Gray 5 U spray paint made of?
To make spray paint matched to Pantone PMS Cool Gray 5 U. MyPerfectColor uses an acrylic enamel which is a fast-drying durable coating suitable for interior or exterior use. MyPerfectColor custom spray paint enables you to conveniently achieve a professional spray-smooth finish in any color in any sheen. It sticks well to most surfaces including metal, plastics, powder-coatings, cabinets and primed or previously painted wood.
The 11oz spray will cover about 20 square feet per coat. Keep in mind that it is difficult to gauge how much spray you'll need as it is highly dependent on how it is applied. It is better to have too much than run short.
How do I get the SDS (Safety Data Sheet) for paint matched to Pantone PMS Cool Gray 5 U?
The Pantone PMS Cool Gray 5 U is the color and the SDS is based on the type of paint used to make the color. You can find Safety Data Sheets here for our most popular products.
Do I need a primer for Pantone PMS Cool Gray 5 U?
The need for primer for Pantone PMS Cool Gray 5 U depends on the type of paint, the substrate being painted and where it will be located. See our Primer Selection Table to see what primer you might need and learn more about when you might need a primer. Most people don't use a primer for a touch up paint application, but a primer may improve adhesion and is typically recommended for exterior applications.
How do I convert PMS Cool Gray 5 U to a different color from another paint company?
While MyPerfectColor can provide PMS Cool Gray 5 U in paint, we don't provide any crossover information. We've found that every paint company offers its own unique selection of colors and rarely does a color have an exact equivalent in another company's color collection, especially for a color collection like Pantone which is designed for bright colors and inks.
Color details
LRV: 42.08%
Color properties
Color Type:
Standard
Hide:
Standard
Match Source:
Brochure/swatch book
Match Type:
Physical match
Textured:
No
Source on hand:
Yes
Color Category:
Standard
