Borders and Shading

A bordered paragraph has at least one side with a line that separates that paragraph from a neighboring paragraph. The lines of a border may be formatted (adjust thickness, colored or not, solid lines or dashes, etc.) A bordered paragraph may also be shaded.

A shaded paragraph is filled with a background color and/or pattern. A shaded paragraph may also be bordered.

Creating Bordered or Shaded Paragraphs

There a two ways to add borders to a paragraph:

Use the Border button on the toolbar
Choose Format Borders and Shading … to open the Borders and Shading dialog box, click on [Borders] tab
or choose Format Borders and Shading … to open the Borders and Shading dialog box, click on [Page Borders] tab

There is only one way to add shading to a paragraph:

Choose Format Borders and Shading … to open the Borders and Shading dialog box, click on [Shading] tab

You may also use the Borders Toolbar to apply borders and shading. The options of this toolbar are essentially the same as those described below. To view this toolbar, choose View Toolbars and then check the Borders box.

The Border Toolbar button

Adding borders to a paragraph is simple when using this button. Follow these steps:

position the cursor anywhere in a paragraph, or to border more than one paragraph select the paragraphs to be bordered
click the Borderbutton
- the currently selected border style is shown on the button; in this case, a border will be added along the bottom of the paragraph
- to open the border palette to select a different style, click on the triangle on the button


The Border Palette Word XP	The Border Palette Word X

The border styles available are

Button

Action

Adds a box border around the selected paragraph. If more than one paragraph is selected, then a box is added around all of the selected paragraphs.

Adds a single border along the top of the selected paragraph. If more than one paragraph is selected, then a single border is added to the top of the first paragraph only.

Adds a single border along the bottom of the selected paragraph. If more than one paragraph is selected, then a single border is added to the bottom of the last paragraph only.

Adds a single border along the left edge of the selected paragraph. If more than one paragraph is selected, then a single border is added to the left edge of all of the selected paragraphs.

Adds a single border along the right edge of the selected paragraph. If more than one paragraph is selected, then a single border is added to the right edge of all of the selected paragraphs.

If a single paragraph is selected, then a box border will be added (a top, bottom, right and left border in one shot!) If more than one paragraph is selected, then each paragraph will be bordered with a box.

If a single paragraph is selected, nothing will happen. If more than one paragraph is selected, then horizontal, inside borders will be added to each paragraph. In other words, there will be a bottom border after the first paragraph, a top border and bottom border on the second, etc. The last paragraph will have a top border only.

If you have created a table with two or more columns, then an inside border will be added to the selected paragraph(s). Has no effect on regular text or text in a table with only one column.

If a single paragraph is selected, nothing will happen. If more than one paragraph is selected, then horizontal, inside borders will be added to each paragraph. In other words, there will be a bottom border after the first paragraph, a top border and bottom border on the second, etc. The last paragraph will have a top border only. If a table with two or more columns is selected then a vertical border separating the columns is also added to the selected paragraph(s).

Removes all borders from the selected paragraph(s)

Button	Action
	Adds a box border around the selected paragraph. If more than one paragraph is selected, then a box is added around all of the selected paragraphs.
	Adds a single border along the top of the selected paragraph. If more than one paragraph is selected, then a single border is added to the top of the first paragraph only.
	Adds a single border along the bottom of the selected paragraph. If more than one paragraph is selected, then a single border is added to the bottom of the last paragraph only.
	Adds a single border along the left edge of the selected paragraph. If more than one paragraph is selected, then a single border is added to the left edge of all of the selected paragraphs.
	Adds a single border along the right edge of the selected paragraph. If more than one paragraph is selected, then a single border is added to the right edge of all of the selected paragraphs.
	If a single paragraph is selected, then a box border will be added (a top, bottom, right and left border in one shot!) If more than one paragraph is selected, then each paragraph will be bordered with a box.
	If a single paragraph is selected, nothing will happen. If more than one paragraph is selected, then horizontal, inside borders will be added to each paragraph. In other words, there will be a bottom border after the first paragraph, a top border and bottom border on the second, etc. The last paragraph will have a top border only.
	If you have created a table with two or more columns, then an inside border will be added to the selected paragraph(s). Has no effect on regular text or text in a table with only one column.
	If a single paragraph is selected, nothing will happen. If more than one paragraph is selected, then horizontal, inside borders will be added to each paragraph. In other words, there will be a bottom border after the first paragraph, a top border and bottom border on the second, etc. The last paragraph will have a top border only. If a table with two or more columns is selected then a vertical border separating the columns is also added to the selected paragraph(s).
	Removes all borders from the selected paragraph(s)

The Borders and Shading Dialog Box — Borders

To add a border by using this dialog box

position the insertion point in a paragraph, or select the paragraphs you wish to border

Remember this: If you select more than paragraph and then create an enclosed border (i.e. a “box”), then the box encloses the paragraphs as a group with no borders between the paragraphs. The only exception to this rule is if the selected paragraphs have different indents.

Choose Format Borders and Shading … to open the dialog box and select the [Borders] tab.

The Borders and Shading Dialog Box with the Borders tab selected in Word XP. The dialog box for Word X is identical.

You may now do any of the following:

using the Preview Box

you may add a border(s) to the selected paragraph(s) by using the [Preview] area of the dialog box by

clicking on one or more of the edges of the preview diagram

and/or clicking on one or more of the buttons next to the preview diagram
(if more than one paragraph is selected, the horizontal line between paragraphs buttonwill appear; if only one paragraph is selected, this button will not appear)

the results of your actions will appear in the preview diagram and the border button applied will now be outlined

to remove a border, to change your mind, click on a border line in the preview diagram or click on one of the outlined buttons

using the Setting Area

click on one of the buttons to set a “predefined” border

note that Preview Box will display your selection(s)

using the Style Scroll Box

select the style of border from the scrollable list

may be used with either the Preview Box or Setting Area
the selected style is applied to the next border line added, not to already existing borders, when the borders are created using the Preview Box

using the Color and Width dropdown Lists

select the color of the border(s) and/or the thickness of the border(s) from these lists

using the Apply To dropdown List

allows you to determine the extent of the border(s) you have created

the choices vary depending upon what is selected (text, paragraph, table)

your choices will be [Apply to Paragraph] or [Apply to Text] or [Apply to Cell] or [Apply to Table]

using the Options Button

allows you to set the amount of spacing between the border and text

only available if a table is not involved

The Borders and Shading Dialog Box — Page Borders

To apply a border to one or more pages

Choose Format Borders and Shading … to open the dialog box and select the [Page Borders] tab
the choices are the same as described above with the following two exceptions:

using the Apply To dropdown list

your choices are now [Apply to Whole Document] or [Apply to This Section] or [Apply to This Section First Page Only] or [Apply to This Section All Except First Page ]

using the Options Button

you now have the additional option of setting the amount of spacing between the border and text or setting the amount of space between the border and the edge of the paper

using the Art dropdown list

you can now apply a picture border; select from the dropdown list

The Borders and Shading Dialog Box with the Page Border tab selected in Word X. The dialog box for Word XP is identical.

The Borders and Shading Dialog Box — Shading

To add shading to a paragraph(s) by using this dialog box

position the insertion point in a paragraph, or select the paragraphs you wish to shade
Choose Format Borders and Shading … to open the dialog box and select the [Shading] tab

Important points to remember

you will need to experiment with different combinations of shading to determine the most readable combination. As a general rule
the smaller the font size, the lighter the shading
bolding the text in a shaded paragraph may also improve readability
you must also consider the font color and how it appears against a background that is shaded
as always changes appear in the Preview Box

The Borders and Shading Dialog Box with the Page Border tab selected in Word XP. The dialog box for Word X is identical.

The shading options summarized:

Option

Action

Apply to

Works the same as described for borders above, that is, depending upon what is selected (text, one or more paragraphs, table, etc.), you will be able to apply the shading selections to just the selected text, the paragraph(s), etc.

Fill palette

Select the desired background color that you wish to use. The number of colors available will be based upon your computer. None, of course, means no background color shading in the selected text.

Color

Select the desired foreground color that you wish to use. Auto selects the best color, based upon the color set in the Fill palette, and is usually white. The number of colors available will be based upon your computer.

Style

Select the desired custom darkness or pattern, that is, the degrees of shading or various patterns. Clear applies the selected background color while Solid (100%) applies the selected foreground color.