Title: Variable height left column
Last modified: August 24, 2016

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# Variable height left column

 *  [iangdesign](https://wordpress.org/support/users/iangdesign/)
 * (@iangdesign)
 * [11 years, 1 month ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/variable-height-left-column/)
 * Looking for a little bit of help. I have a left column at the following address(
   [http://sbbl.biz/expertise/health/](http://sbbl.biz/expertise/health/)) that 
   needs to have an expandable height when new thumbnails or text is added to the
   page. I have tried various css properties but the only thing that is working 
   is a fixed pixel height.
 * Tags such as:
 * height: 100%;
 * height: absolute;
 * are not working.
 * Can anyone help with a tag that will work?
 * Thanks!

Viewing 8 replies - 1 through 8 (of 8 total)

 *  [Rajesh Soni](https://wordpress.org/support/users/rajeshsoni/)
 * (@rajeshsoni)
 * [11 years, 1 month ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/variable-height-left-column/#post-5977931)
 * Can you post a screenshot of the problem?
 *  Thread Starter [iangdesign](https://wordpress.org/support/users/iangdesign/)
 * (@iangdesign)
 * [11 years, 1 month ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/variable-height-left-column/#post-5977939)
 * Thanks for the quick response…I would like the left column to run into the footer
   no matter how many images or how much text is added. As seen in the first image.
 * [https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8729/17025212542_742e6e1463.jpg](https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8729/17025212542_742e6e1463.jpg)
 * With a fixed height in the css I would run into the issue in the below image,
   where the left column stops.
 * [https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7642/16819247907_596e40c684_z.jpg](https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7642/16819247907_596e40c684_z.jpg)
 * Does that make sense?
 *  [Pioneer Web Design](https://wordpress.org/support/users/swansonphotos/)
 * (@swansonphotos)
 * [11 years, 1 month ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/variable-height-left-column/#post-5977944)
 * The issue is that the height of the sidebar is ‘not controllable’. If you have
   1 widget, 12 or 99 that will vary the height of the sidebar.
 * I would set the background of the containers of the areas needed to be your desired
   color regardless of ‘height’, set the content color as shown, and be done.
 * Good themes know how to do this.
 * To discover what CSS is output by your theme, use a web inspection tool such 
   as Firebug: [http://getfirebug.com/](http://getfirebug.com/) , Chrome Inspect
   Element: [https://developers.google.com/chrome-developer-tools/](https://developers.google.com/chrome-developer-tools/)
   or Internet Explorer 9+ F12 Dev. Tools: [http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd565627(v=vs.85)](http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd565627(v=vs.85)).
   aspx#csstool
 * There are others.
 * When editing CSS, use a Child Theme
    [http://codex.wordpress.org/Child_Themes](http://codex.wordpress.org/Child_Themes)
   Custom CSS Plugin, or Theme provided custom CSS option. Edits to parent themes
   are lost on theme update.
 * Learn CSS: [http://www.w3schools.com/css/](http://www.w3schools.com/css/)
 *  Thread Starter [iangdesign](https://wordpress.org/support/users/iangdesign/)
 * (@iangdesign)
 * [11 years, 1 month ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/variable-height-left-column/#post-5977956)
 * Pioneer Valley Web Design…thanks for the response!
 * I am attempting to apply band-aids on a hacked up theme my client doesn’t want
   to change. Trust me, if I had control of this project from the get go I would
   not have chosen the bad theme to start off with.
 * Can you explain your above info a little more?
 * **You wrote:** _I would set the background of the containers of the areas needed
   to be your desired color regardless of ‘height’, set the content color as shown,
   and be done._
 * I am a designer and not fully versed in developing with code. Can you point me
   to any good links along the lines you describe above? I am willing to learn!
 *  [WPyogi](https://wordpress.org/support/users/wpyogi/)
 * (@wpyogi)
 * [11 years, 1 month ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/variable-height-left-column/#post-5977960)
 * Try setting the background colors as:
 *     ```
       .container {
          background-color: #00b295;
       }
   
       #primary {
          background-color: white;
       }
       ```
   
 *  Thread Starter [iangdesign](https://wordpress.org/support/users/iangdesign/)
 * (@iangdesign)
 * [11 years, 1 month ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/variable-height-left-column/#post-5977964)
 * Can you screenshot that bit of code for me? I am having trouble locating it in
   the css? 🙁
 *  [WPyogi](https://wordpress.org/support/users/wpyogi/)
 * (@wpyogi)
 * [11 years, 1 month ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/variable-height-left-column/#post-5977965)
 * It’s not on your site – I’m suggesting that you ADD it to change the colors of
   the background areas. Not positive it will work totally but worth a try or start.
 *  Thread Starter [iangdesign](https://wordpress.org/support/users/iangdesign/)
 * (@iangdesign)
 * [11 years, 1 month ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/variable-height-left-column/#post-5977966)
 * ok…that makes sense. I’ll give it a go. I think that would require a little more
   research on my part to get that to work. I’ll give it a go and report back.
 * Thanks again for the help!

Viewing 8 replies - 1 through 8 (of 8 total)

The topic ‘Variable height left column’ is closed to new replies.

 * In: [Fixing WordPress](https://wordpress.org/support/forum/how-to-and-troubleshooting/)
 * 8 replies
 * 4 participants
 * Last reply from: [iangdesign](https://wordpress.org/support/users/iangdesign/)
 * Last activity: [11 years, 1 month ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/variable-height-left-column/#post-5977966)
 * Status: not resolved

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