1 Column Layouts (5 Demos With Example HTML & CSS)

One column layouts are pretty simple, but they come in many different forms.

In this article, we'll explore the various types of one-column layouts and show how to easily create them with the Responsive Columns layout system. You can download all of these demos with the handy link above.

Let's get started.

Basic 1 Column Layout

This one-column layout is about as simple as they come, it includes padding and a background color.

The HTML

<r-c join>
    <c1-1>
        Column content
    </c1-1>
</r-c>

Fixed-Width 1 Column Layout

This one-column layout has a maximum width so lines of text don't get too long to read. The column is centered on the page when it's not 100% wide.

The HTML

<r-c class="fixed-width">
    <c1-1>
        <!-- Content here -->
    </c1-1>
</r-c>

The CSS

.fixed-width > * {
    max-width:30em;
    margin:0 auto;
}

Set your max-width in ems if you want the width to be relative to your text size. You can also use pixels or percentage widths if you prefer.

Full-Screen Centered 1 Column Layout

In this one-column layout, the column is forced to the full height of the screen and the content is centered horizontally and vertically.

The HTML

<r-c join class="full-height-centered">
    <c1-1 r-c middle>
        <c1-1>
            <!-- Content here -->
        </c1-1>
    </c1-1>
</r-c>

The CSS

.full-height-centered {
    min-height:100vh;
    text-align:center;
    background:#f97171;
}

Full-Screen Photo, 1 Column Layout

This one-column layout is the height of your browser window and filled with a full screen photo for maximum effect.

The HTML

<r-c join class="full-height">
    <c1-1 class="cover-photo">
        <br>
    </c1-1>
</r-c>

The CSS

.full-height {
    min-height:100vh; /* vh = viewport height */
}

.cover-photo {
    background-image:url(https://placeimg.com/640/480/arch);
    background-size:cover;
    background-position:50% 50%;
}

Note: I'm using PlaceIMG for a random architecture photo as the column background. You can use whatever image you like.

1 Column Layout With Semantic HTML5 Tags

This one-column layout uses semantic HTML5 tags.

The HTML

<article data-r-c data-join>
    <section data-c1-1 class="red">
        <!-- column content -->
    </section>
</article>

The Responsive Columns system is compatible with semantic tags. Full details here: How to use semantic HTML tags with responsive columns.

The CSS

.red {
    background:#f97171;
}

Full Page Layouts With 1 Column

See my 1 column layout with responsive header and footer.

Full Browser Support

Responsive Columns works in all modern browsers, plus all old browsers that support Flexbox:

• Google Chrome 29+
• Mozilla Firefox 28+
• Microsoft Edge 12+
• Apple Safari 9+
• Opera 17+
• Android Browser 4.4+
• Opera Mobile 12.1+
• Chrome for Android
• Firefox for Android
• Opera Mini

The Responsive Columns Layout System Is Simple And Powerful

You can easily change the widths of your columns and change how they respond to different screen sizes.

Refer to the Responsive Columns Documentation to see how easy it is to create responsive layouts to your exact requirements.