Popular Types of Grids in UI Design

Grids are the invisible backbone of UI design. They help designers structure content clearly and consistently, enhancing readability and visual harmony. Among many layout systems, a few grid types stand out for their effectiveness in digital interfaces. In this guide, we’ll break down the most popular types of grids in UI design and when to use them.

Column-based grids are one of the simplest and most popular types of grids in UI design.
They provide a framework to structure and organize content in a coherent and visually appealing way. These grids usually consist of multiple vertical columns, which define the alignment of the elements on a web page or within an application.

Typically, a column-based grid is made up of a certain number of columns, often 12, but it can vary, with each column being a consistent width. The entire grid is enclosed within margins on either side, framing the content area.

The primary purpose of using a column-based grid is to achieve alignment and consistency. Elements such as text, images, and buttons are aligned to the columns, creating a clean and organized appearance.

Designers can span elements across multiple columns to create visual hierarchy and emphasis. For instance, a headline might span across multiple columns, while a body text occupies fewer columns for better legibility. The ability to span columns also allows for more creative layouts, breaking away the rigid, blocky appearance.

A row-based grid is the next on this list of popular types of grids in UI design. It organizes content horizontally across the rows. Unlike column grids that align elements vertically, row-based grids focus on the horizontal flow of the content. This type of grid is especially useful in designs where horizontal scrolling or landscape orientation is a primary feature.

Modular grids combine columns and rows, creating a matrix of cells or modules. Each module serves as a container for content, making this grid type a bit more complex and detailed compared to simple column or row grids. They are useful for complex layouts, dashboards, newspapers, or digital interfaces with diverse content types, making them a part of popular types of grids in UI design.

Diagonal grids add a dynamic feel to the layout, with elements aligned along diagonal lines instead of traditional horizontal and vertical lines. This type of grid is less common but can create visually striking and unique designs.

A baseline grid is primarily used for aligning text. It consists of evenly spaced horizontal lines representing the baseline of text rows where the letters sit. Baseline grids help by creating rhythmic and harmonious layouts. The choice of line height should be made considering the baseline grid to ensure that the text aligns perfectly across columns. For example, if you have a baseline of 8, your line height should be divisible by 8, like 16, 24, 32, and so on.

A hierarchical grid is sometimes a more flexible and intuitive approach to arranging content, diverging from the strict uniformity of traditional grid systems like columns, rows, or even modular grids.

This type of grid organizes elements based on their importance on the hierarchy level of information rather than adhering to the rigid structure of equally sized and spaced modules. This means that elements’ size, placement, and spacing are determined by their relative importance and relationship to each other.

The primary goal is to first guide the user’s eye to the most important information, making it a go-to choice between popular types of grids in UI design. Hierarchy can, however, also be achieved with any of the previous grids since it relies on layout design, spacing, contrast, symmetry, and much more.

Block grids are less common for UI design than purely hierarchical grids. They are a type of layout structure characterized by uniform square or rectangular modules or blocks. Block grids are seen in screens where consistency and uniformity are key.

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There are many grid types, but not many are popular in UI design. The most popular types of grids in UI design are column-based grids, row-based grids, modular grids, diagonal grids, baseline grids, hierarchical grids, and block grids. A lot of the resources focus too much on graphic design and print-related grids, which are irrelevant in most digital spaces most of the time.

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Happy designing! 🤗