How to make borders collapse (on a div)? - css

Question

Suppose I have markup like: http://jsfiddle.net/R8eCr/1/
<div class="container">
<div class="column">
<div class="cell"></div>
<div class="cell"></div>
<div class="cell"></div>
</div>
<div class="column">
<div class="cell"></div>
<div class="cell"></div>
<div class="cell"></div>
</div>
<div class="column">
<div class="cell"></div>
<div class="cell"></div>
<div class="cell"></div>
</div>
...
</div>
Then CSS
.container {
display: table;
border-collapse: collapse;
}
.column {
float: left;
overflow: hidden;
width: 120px;
}
.cell {
display: table-cell;
border: 1px solid red;
width: 120px;
height: 20px;
-webkit-box-sizing: border-box;
-moz-box-sizing: border-box;
box-sizing: border-box;
}
I have the outer div with display: table; border-collapse: collapse; and cells with display: table-cell why do they still not collapse? What am I missing here?
By the way there maybe variable number of cells in a column so I can't only have borders on one side.

Answer 1

Use a simple negative margin rather than using display: table.
Updated in fiddle
JS Fiddle
.container {
border-style: solid;
border-color: red;
border-width: 1px 0 0 1px;
display: inline-block;
}
.column {
float: left;
overflow: hidden;
}
.cell {
border: 1px solid red;
width: 120px;
height: 20px;
margin: -1px 0 0 -1px;
}
.clearfix {
clear:both;
}

Answer 2

Instead using border use box-shadow:
box-shadow:
2px 0 0 0 #888,
0 2px 0 0 #888,
2px 2px 0 0 #888, /* Just to fix the corner */
2px 0 0 0 #888 inset,
0 2px 0 0 #888 inset;
Demo: http://codepen.io/Hawkun/pen/rsIEp

Answer 3

here is a demo
first you need to correct your syntax error its
display: table-cell;
not diaplay: table-cell;
.container {
display: table;
border-collapse:collapse
}
.column {
display:table-row;
}
.cell {
display: table-cell;
border: 1px solid red;
width: 120px;
height: 20px;
-webkit-box-sizing: border-box;
-moz-box-sizing: border-box;
box-sizing: border-box;
}

Answer 4

Why not use outline? It is what you want:
outline: 1px solid red;

Answer 5

You could also use negative margins:
.column {
float: left;
overflow: hidden;
width: 120px;
}
.cell {
border: 1px solid red;
width: 120px;
height: 20px;
box-sizing: border-box;
}
.cell:not(:first-child) {
margin-top: -1px;
}
.column:not(:first-child) > .cell {
margin-left: -1px;
}
<div class="container">
<div class="column">
<div class="cell"></div>
<div class="cell"></div>
<div class="cell"></div>
</div>
<div class="column">
<div class="cell"></div>
<div class="cell"></div>
<div class="cell"></div>
</div>
<div class="column">
<div class="cell"></div>
<div class="cell"></div>
<div class="cell"></div>
</div>
<div class="column">
<div class="cell"></div>
<div class="cell"></div>
<div class="cell"></div>
</div>
<div class="column">
<div class="cell"></div>
<div class="cell"></div>
<div class="cell"></div>
</div>
</div>

Answer 6

You need to use display: table-row instead of float: left; to your column and obviously as #Hushme correct your diaplay: table-cell to display: table-cell;
.container {
display: table;
border-collapse: collapse;
}
.column {
display: table-row;
overflow: hidden;
width: 120px;
}
.cell {
display: table-cell;
border: 1px solid red;
width: 120px;
height: 20px;
-webkit-box-sizing: border-box;
-moz-box-sizing: border-box;
box-sizing: border-box;
}
demo

Answer 7

Example of using border-collapse: separate; as container displayed as table:
ol[type="I"]>li{
display: table;
border-collapse: separate;
border-spacing: 1rem;
}

Answer 8

You can use borders in pseudo-elements with margins & paddings.
It works with flex-wrap in multiple rows / cols.
.parent {
display: flex; /* your container */
flex-flow: column;
position: relative;
::before{
content:'';
position: absolute;
top: 0; right: 0; bottom: 0; left: 0;
pointer-events: none;
border: 1px solid #424041; /* your border */
}
padding: 1px 0 0 1px; /* <border-width> 0 0 <border-width> */
}
.child{
position: relative;
::before{
content:'';
position: absolute;
top: 0; right: 0; bottom: 0; left: 0;
pointer-events: none;
border: 1px solid #424041; /* your border */
}
margin: -1px 0 0 -1px; /* -<border-width> 0 0 -<border-width> */
}
.parentAndChild{
display: flex; /* your container */
flex-flow: row wrap;
position: relative;
::before{
content:'';
position: absolute;
top: 0; right: 0; bottom: 0; left: 0;
pointer-events: none;
border: 1px solid #424041; /* your border */
}
margin: -1px 0 0 -1px; /* -<border-width> 0 0 -<border-width> */
padding: 1px 0 0 1px; /* <border-width> 0 0 <border-width> */
}