What are the types of layout grids?

Designers always emphasize implementing strategic layouts for their designs. Having layout grids to design helps the elements in the interface appear connected and related. To create an organized and consistent design, we need to apply a grid system.

What is a layout grid?

A layout can be defined as an invisible internal structure that governs the elements placed within the interface. It ensures that no matter how many screens you're designing, they all have the same internal structure and appear consistent. So, how can you use layouts in your designs to make them look polished? Before we understand how to use layouts, we need to understand what makes up a layout.

A layout is a structure formed by grids. Grids are rows and columns spanned across the entire screen canvas, which divides it into many equal parts. These parts are called modules, and what flows through the space between these individual modules is called a gutter. One of the primary uses of the layout is to make sure your design stays responsive across different screen sizes, densities, and platforms. High-density screens have more pixels per inch than low-density. As a result, UI elements of the same pixel dimensions appear larger on low-density screens and smaller on high-density screens. While deciding our layout, we need to understand this factor and design our grid system to responsibly accommodate the elements of the screen irrespective of the screen density and size.

Types of layout grids

There are four different types of grid layouts in the layout grid system.

Manuscript Grid
It's the simplest and the single column grid, which comprises a rectangular area. The area can be filled with content like images, blocks of texts, and it constitutes large margins and blocks. Manuscript Grids are best suited for Informational websites, where there is a continuous text flow in the content.

Multicolumn Grid
This form of grid system deals with placing the content (illustrations and text both) into separate columns. The size and number of columns depend on the layout you want to provide, and the number can vary from two to six. The value of the gutter should be consistent across the grid. It is easier to figure out which column to place the text in and which columns should be allocated for the images or illustrations. Newspapers are a good example.

Modular Grid
The modular grid has both rows and columns, and together they create a matrix structure of cells with an appropriate gutter. It is mainly used to handle complex website or app layouts, and the way our apps are placed on our phones is the work of using a modular grid.

Custom Grid
You can use different-sized modules to establish a visual hierarchy based on their importance in a similar context. Also, ensure to keep the gutter length optimum in your layouts.

An essential element of any layout is the vertical end margins. The width of these vertical margins varies according to the screen size, and make sure to only expand this width up to appropriate sizes. Make sure to place your grid elements with enough vertical margins properly.

Importance of layouts in design

• Layout plays a significant role in graphic design. Proper layout enhances the look of the particular object and the objects as a whole piece of design to create a stable composition.
• The success of a graphic design depends upon the way a user perceives the content placed on an interface. If it is readable and attracts the right parts, a proper layout can help you achieve that.

You may have realized by now the structure, various types, and usage of layouts in design. All the layouts explained above can be used on websites based on the site's choice and nature.

ProCreator is an award-winning UI/UX Design agency in Mumbai, focusing on establishing an end-to-end product solution, from product design to development.

Originally Published at ProCreator Blog, Written by — Rajat Bagree.