Building Your Grid Structure

 In the last post, we picked your frame size, the outer container that sets the stage for your layout. Now it’s time to build the structure inside that frame.

There are four main grid alignments to choose from:

  • Centered

  • Stretch

  • Left-Aligned

  • Right-Aligned

Let’s break them down:


Centered Grid

What it is:
The entire grid is centered in the frame, with equal margins on both sides.

Why it works:
It feels clean, balanced, and is easy to scan, making it a reliable choice for most websites.

Where it shines:
Marketing sites, blogs, and landing pages.

Example:
A blog layout where content stays centered on wide screens, leaving soft, readable margins on either side.


Left-Aligned Grid

What it is:
The grid hugs the left edge of the frame, leaving empty space on the right.

Why it works:
It creates a strong reading direction and structured feel, perfect for editorial content.

Where it shines:
Portfolios, news sites, and documentation pages.

Example:
A design portfolio where images and text align left, while white space balances the layout on the right.


Right-Aligned Grid

What it is:
The grid aligns with the right margin, with space on the left.

Why it works:
It creates visual tension, draws attention, and feels modern, especially in bold or experimental designs.

Where it shines:
Creative editorial layouts, unique portfolios, and edgy landing pages.

Example:
An article layout where text blocks align to the right, allowing large visuals to bleed in from the left.


Stretched Grid

What it is:
The grid spans from edge to edge within the frame, with minimal margin.

Why it works:
It feels immersive and maximizes space, great for visual-heavy interfaces.

Where it shines:
Dashboards, media galleries, and image-heavy landing pages.

Example:
A video gallery where thumbnails span the full width of the screen for a bold, immersive look.


Once you know how your grid sits inside the frame, you're ready to dive into columns, the vertical slices that structure your content and determine how it responds across screen sizes.

Let's explore how columns shape your layout and influence your design decisions.

Choosing Your Columns

Columns determine how your content aligns, adapts, and scales. They’re the invisible scaffolding behind every effective layout.

From minimal 1-column layouts on mobile to expansive 16-column grids on desktop, each column count creates a different structure, rhythm, and experience for users. In the sections that follow, we’ll walk through how various column counts behave across mobile, tablet, and desktop, and when to use them.

1-Column Grid

Purpose:
Simple and focused. Ideal for linear reading experiences or mobile-first design.

Device Behavior:

  • Mobile: Most common layout. Full-width single column.

  • Tablet: Often used for focused content like reading, forms, or onboarding flows.

  • Desktop: Less common; can feel sparse, but useful for minimal or distraction-free pages.

Examples:

  • Mobile: Article pages, sign-in forms, product pages

  • Tablet: Full-screen forms, blog posts

  • Desktop: Distraction-free writing tools, simple landing pages


2-Column Grid

Purpose:
Creates a clear split between two related content types. Useful for comparison, dual messaging, or layouts where visual hierarchy is needed.

Device Behavior:

  • Mobile: Columns stack vertically, usually image or media on top, followed by text.

  • Tablet: Appears as two side-by-side panels, typically equal width or with minor variation.

  • Desktop: Can support equal or asymmetrical splits (e.g., 70/30) for visual emphasis.

Examples:

  • Mobile: Speaker photo above bio on an event page

  • Tablet: Pricing comparison—Basic on the left, Premium on the right

  • Desktop: Product feature image on the left, in-depth explanation or CTA on the right


3-Column Grid

Purpose:
Provides a balanced layout with clear divisions, ideal for showcasing multiple features, categories, or content types side by side.

Device Behavior:

  • Mobile: Columns stack vertically for easier scrolling and readability.

  • Tablet: Usually displayed as 3 equal-width columns if space allows; otherwise may stack to 2+1.

  • Desktop: Commonly displayed in thirds across the layout. Offers a balanced, modular structure.

Examples:

  • Mobile: Three stacked testimonials, one after the other

  • Tablet: Three product categories side by side in a shopping app

  • Desktop: Feature highlights under a homepage hero, e.g., “Fast,” “Secure,” “Scalable”


4-Column Grid

Purpose:
Offers a balanced structure for displaying small, related content elements. Common in icon sets, feature lists, or galleries where uniformity and rhythm are key.

Device Behavior:

  • Mobile: Can display as 4 narrow vertical columns when content is minimal (e.g., icons, numbers), but often stacks into 2 or 1 column for readability with text-heavy elements.

  • Tablet: Usually shown as 2 or 4 columns, depending on spacing and content density.

  • Desktop: Clearly laid out in 4 equal-width columns for a clean, structured appearance.

Examples:

  • Mobile: Four small stat cards or icons across in a 4-column row

  • Tablet: Feature blocks arranged in a row or 2x2 layout

  • Desktop: Services overview, each in its own column under a hero or section header


5-Column Grid

Purpose:
Provides slight asymmetry and is useful for mid-density layouts, like product or image galleries, when you want to show a bit more without overwhelming the space.

Device Behavior:

  • Mobile: N/A – 5 columns are not supported at mobile screen sizes.

  • Tablet: Can support 5 columns depending on spacing and padding, but use with care.

  • Desktop: Clean 5-column layout supports modular and even distribution of small elements.

Examples:

  • Tablet: Image gallery, icon set, or dashboard metrics

  • Desktop: Navigation tiles, feature blocks, or service grids


6-Column Grid

Purpose:
Highly flexible for content-heavy interfaces. Ideal for dashboards, feature lists, or preview cards that require structure without the complexity of larger grids.

Device Behavior:

  • Mobile: N/A – Not usable on mobile devices.

  • Tablet: Often the upper limit; use when space allows and elements remain touch-friendly.

  • Desktop: Commonly used for structured, modular layouts, especially in admin tools or data-rich environments.

Examples:

  • Tablet: Product filter options or data cards

  • Desktop: Feature comparison grids, ecommerce displays, admin dashboard widgets


7-Column Grid

Purpose:
Offers nuanced control and layout flexibility for dense interfaces, typically used in data-heavy or highly modular designs. Rarely used in marketing or editorial content.

Device Behavior:

  • Mobile: N/A – Too narrow for practical use.

  • Tablet: N/A – Exceeds comfortable layout capacity for tablet screen widths and touch interactions.

  • Desktop: Useful for dashboards, analytics, or highly customized interfaces that need fine-grain spacing and alignment.

Examples:

  • Desktop: Advanced data tables, control panels, financial dashboards


8-Column Grid

Purpose:
Provides a high level of modularity, making it well-suited for complex desktop layouts where precision and structure are key. Often used in UI design systems, developer tools, and web apps.

Device Behavior:

  • Mobile: N/A – Not supported due to limited screen width.

  • Tablet: N/A – Exceeds practical layout limits for readability and interaction.

  • Desktop: Offers excellent flexibility for combining symmetrical and asymmetrical layouts, ideal for applications with diverse content types.

Examples:

  • Desktop: Content management systems, editorial dashboards, multi-panel tools


9-Column Grid

Purpose:
Useful for dense, structured layouts that require a high level of control, often used in design systems, developer portals, or data visualization platforms.

Device Behavior:

  • Mobile: N/A – Too narrow for functional implementation.

  • Tablet: N/A – Exceeds usability standards for spacing and touch interaction.

  • Desktop: Supports complex visual hierarchies and layout flexibility, particularly for modular content or component-based design.

Examples:

  • Desktop: Developer documentation layouts, configurable dashboards, data display panels


10-Column Grid

Purpose:
Ideal for highly detailed layouts that demand fine-tuned spacing and a modular feel. Often used in enterprise-level interfaces or design systems where precision matters.

Device Behavior:

  • Mobile: N/A – Screen size limits make 10 columns impractical.

  • Tablet: N/A – Not suitable due to touch target and spacing constraints.

  • Desktop: Offers granular control for balancing symmetry with flexibility. Allows for varied content blocks, nested sections, or intricate alignment.

Examples:

  • Desktop: Enterprise dashboards, customizable layout tools, multi-section admin panels


11-Column Grid

Purpose:
Rare and specialized. Typically used when a design calls for a deliberate asymmetry or when aligning to specific branding or content patterns that don't divide evenly into standard grid sizes.

Device Behavior:

  • Mobile: N/A – Not usable at narrow screen widths.

  • Tablet: N/A – Exceeds layout standards for readability and usability.

  • Desktop: Enables unique combinations of column spans and whitespace. Best used when design requirements justify the irregular column count.

Examples:

  • Desktop: Custom editorial layouts, brand-specific web designs, asymmetrical storytelling sections


12-Column Grid

Purpose:
The industry standard for responsive layouts. Its divisibility by 2, 3, 4, and 6 makes it incredibly flexible for a wide range of designs, from simple to complex.

Device Behavior:

  • Mobile: N/A – Typically collapses to 1 or 2 columns for usability.

  • Tablet: N/A – Often used as 4 or 6 columns but rarely the full 12.

  • Desktop: Highly versatile, allowing combinations of columns and offsets for modular, balanced, and dynamic layouts.

Examples:

  • Desktop: Bootstrap grids, complex magazine layouts, multi-section landing pages, dashboard designs


13-Column Grid

Purpose:
A niche grid choice, used when a design requires unique column division that doesn’t fit standard 12-column grids, often for artistic or highly customized layouts.

Device Behavior:

  • Mobile: N/A – Not practical on small screens.

  • Tablet: N/A – Exceeds typical tablet layout limits.

  • Desktop: Allows for intricate, asymmetrical designs where content spans can vary widely.

Examples:

  • Desktop: Custom editorial spreads, experimental web layouts, art direction-heavy pages


14-Column Grid

Purpose:
Used for highly detailed and complex layouts requiring fine-grained control, especially in interfaces demanding precise alignment and spacing.

Device Behavior:

  • Mobile: N/A – Too many columns for small screens.

  • Tablet: N/A – Exceeds practical limits for tablet layouts.

  • Desktop: Supports detailed grid structures and nuanced content placement, ideal for design systems or data-heavy applications.

Examples:

  • Desktop: Advanced dashboards, technical portals, modular content interfaces


15-Column Grid

Purpose:
A highly specialized layout option used for intricate, custom designs that require uneven division of space or very fine detail.

Device Behavior:

  • Mobile: N/A – Not feasible on narrow mobile screens.

  • Tablet: N/A – Too many columns for tablet usability.

  • Desktop: Allows for complex asymmetrical layouts and detailed content organization.

Examples:

  • Desktop: Experimental website layouts, advanced data dashboards, custom editorial designs


16-Column Grid

Purpose:
Offers the finest control for highly modular and grid-intensive designs. Perfect for sophisticated desktop applications, complex dashboards, and detailed interfaces.

Device Behavior:

  • Mobile: N/A – Too dense for mobile devices.

  • Tablet: N/A – Exceeds practical column counts for tablets.

  • Desktop: Enables precision alignment, nested grids, and complex layout compositions.

Examples:

  • Desktop: Professional design tools, detailed data visualizations, multi-panel dashboards


Wrapping Up: Thinking Critically About Column Counts

Choosing the right number of columns isn’t about memorizing fixed rules, it’s about understanding how layout structure affects the user experience and content presentation. Each column count creates a different visual rhythm and hierarchy that guides users through information effectively.

When selecting columns, consider:

  • Content type: Is the content dense or minimal? Text-heavy or visual?

  • Device: What screen size and interaction methods are typical?

  • User needs: How can layout choices reduce cognitive load and improve clarity?

  • Brand goals: Does the layout support the storytelling or functionality your brand wants?

By thinking through these factors, you’ll be able to explain your grid choices clearly to stakeholders and senior designers, showing that your decisions are rooted in user experience, not just aesthetic preference.


Next up: We’ll explore margins and gutters, the subtle spacing that helps your grids breathe and improves readability. This step is what truly brings your layout together; without it, everything can look cramped, chaotic, or disconnected. Understanding margins and gutters will further strengthen your ability to create clear, elegant, and user-friendly designs.

Helping UX Designers bridge gaps and grow

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