Special Edition Using Microsoft® Word 2000

Adding Table Borders and Shading

Earlier, in "AutoFormatting a Table," you saw how Word's Table AutoFormat feature uses borders and shading to make tables easier to read and more attractive. You can format tables with borders and shading any way you want, calling attention to specific cells or headings.

Communicating with Word: Less Is More with Table Borders

Don't overdo borders and shading. For instance, if you have a table where all the cells contain approximately the same amount of text, try simply placing one horizontal line under the headings, and another at the end of the table. The white spaces formed by the cell padding can create the illusion of vertical lines separating the columns. This works best on tables when the cell contents ...