Hex Grid
Print hex grid paper (hexagon grid paper) at the exact hex size you need. Type the size as the side length, the width across the flats (flat to flat) or the width across the corners (corner to corner), in inches or millimetres: for a regular hexagon the flat-to-flat width is √3 × the side and the corner-to-corner width is 2 × the side, so any one of them sets the other two. Choose flat-top or pointy-top hexes, hex lines or dots only, a line weight and colour, optional coordinates in every hex (column-row like 0101, or axial q,r), the margin and the paper. The grid is whole hexes centred on the page, or filled to the margins with the edge hexes cut. The footer prints all three measurements, the hex count and a check bar so you can confirm the print scale. Nothing is uploaded.
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The footer prints the side, the width across the flats and across the corners, the hex count and a check bar. Print at 100% (Actual size) and measure the check bar.
Hex size
Lines
Page
Runs in your browser with our own code: nothing is uploaded or saved. You may use what you make here, including commercially, with no credit needed.
How to print hex grid paper
- Pick a preset or type the hex size and say what it measures (side, flats or corners).
- Choose flat top or pointy top, lines or dots, and coordinates if you want them.
- Choose the paper, the page direction and the margin.
- Download the PDF and print at 100% (Actual size).
- Measure the check bar in the footer: 1 in (or 2 cm) means the hexes are at the stated size.
What you can use it for
- Tabletop game and campaign maps
- Hex tile and board game prototypes
- Organic chemistry ring sketches
- Quilt and tile layout planning
- Pixel-style hex art and patterns
- Classroom geometry: tessellations
The 12 preset sizes
| Preset | Side | Flat to flat | Corner to corner | Whole hexes, US Letter | Whole hexes, A4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1/4 in across the flats | 0.144 in (3.7 mm) | 1/4 in (6.4 mm) | 0.289 in (7.3 mm) | 34 × 37 = 1258 | 33 × 40 = 1320 |
| 1/2 in across the flats | 0.289 in (7.3 mm) | 1/2 in (12.7 mm) | 0.577 in (14.7 mm) | 16 × 18 = 288 | 16 × 19 = 304 |
| 1 in across the flats | 0.577 in (14.7 mm) | 1 in (25.4 mm) | 1.155 in (29.3 mm) | 8 × 8 = 64 | 8 × 9 = 72 |
| 1/2 in side | 1/2 in (12.7 mm) | 0.866 in (22 mm) | 1 in (25.4 mm) | 9 × 10 = 90 | 9 × 11 = 99 |
| 1/4 in side | 1/4 in (6.4 mm) | 0.433 in (11 mm) | 1/2 in (12.7 mm) | 19 × 21 = 399 | 19 × 22 = 418 |
| 5 mm side | 5 mm | 8.66 mm | 10 mm | 25 × 27 = 675 | 24 × 29 = 696 |
| 1 cm side | 10 mm | 17.32 mm | 20 mm | 12 × 13 = 156 | 11 × 14 = 154 |
| 2 cm corner to corner | 10 mm | 17.32 mm | 20 mm | 12 × 13 = 156 | 11 × 14 = 154 |
| Pointy top, 1/2 in across the flats | 0.289 in (7.3 mm) | 1/2 in (12.7 mm) | 0.577 in (14.7 mm) | 14 × 21 = 294 | 14 × 23 = 322 |
| Pointy top, 1 cm across the flats | 5.77 mm | 10 mm | 11.55 mm | 18 × 27 = 486 | 17 × 29 = 493 |
| 1/8 in side (fine) | 1/8 in (3.2 mm) | 0.217 in (5.5 mm) | 1/4 in (6.4 mm) | 39 × 43 = 1677 | 38 × 46 = 1748 |
| 2 in across the flats (big) | 1.155 in (29.3 mm) | 2 in (50.8 mm) | 2.309 in (58.7 mm) | 3 × 4 = 12 | 3 × 4 = 12 |
Counts are for portrait pages with 1/2 in (12.7 mm) margins and the footer. Any other size can be typed in.
Hex centre spacing (1/2 in across the flats)
| Orientation | Hexes stand in | Step along | Step across | Stagger |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flat top | columns | 11 mm (1.5 × side) | 12.7 mm (√3 × side) | every other column moves down 6.35 mm |
| Pointy top | rows | 11 mm (1.5 × side) | 12.7 mm (√3 × side) | every other row moves right 6.35 mm |
Every neighbour is the same distance away: √3 × side, the width across the flats. Our tests check each step to 1e-12.
Whole hexes per page
| Hex size | US Letter | A4 | Tabloid | A3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1/4 in across the flats | 1258 | 1320 | 2745 | 2891 |
| 1/2 in across the flats | 288 | 304 | 660 | 696 |
| 1 in across the flats | 64 | 72 | 154 | 168 |
| 10 mm across the flats | 483 | 500 | 1064 | 1147 |
Flat-top, portrait, 1/2 in margins. Tick Fill to the margins to run the grid to the margin edge with cut hexes.
Which tool to use
| You want | Use |
|---|---|
| Hex grid paper at an exact hex size, with coordinates | Hex Grid (this page) |
| Square, dot, isometric or simple hexagon graph paper | Graph Paper |
| A seamless hexagon pattern for a surface or screen | Honeycomb Pattern Generator |
| A map painted hex by hex with terrain | Hex Map Maker |
| Cut-out hexagons with seam allowance | Hexagon Template |
Also handy: Graph Paper, Isometric Graph Paper and the Hex Map Maker for maps on this grid.
More free tools
Grid paper, maps and game printables?
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Frequently asked questions
What is hex grid paper?
Paper printed with a grid of regular hexagons that share their edges, so every cell has six neighbours at the same distance. It is also called hexagon graph paper or hex paper.
Flat top or pointy top?
Flat-top hexes have a flat edge at the top and stand in columns; pointy-top hexes have a corner at the top and sit in rows. They are the same grid turned by 30°. Many hex maps number flat-top hexes by column, then row.
How is the hex size measured?
Three ways, all exact for a regular hexagon: the side length s; across the flats (from one flat edge to the opposite one) = √3 × s, about 1.732 × s; across the corners (from one corner to the opposite one) = 2 × s. Choose the one you know; the footer prints all three.
How far apart are the hexes?
Neighbouring hex centres are always √3 × side apart (the flat-to-flat width). On a flat-top grid the columns are 1.5 × side apart and every other column moves down by half a hex; on a pointy-top grid the rows are 1.5 × side apart and every other row moves right by half a hex.
How many hexes fit on a page?
It depends on the size and the paper; the table above lists the presets. With the default 1/2 in across the flats on US Letter and 1/2 in margins you get 16 columns × 18 rows = 288 whole hexes. The count is worked out from the same geometry that draws the page.
What do the coordinates mean?
Column-row numbers (0101, 0102…) count columns from the left and rows from the top, starting at 01. Axial coordinates (q,r) are the pair used for hex maths: the number of steps between two hexes is (|Δq| + |Δr| + |Δq + Δr|) / 2.
What is the dots-only style?
A dot at every hex corner and no lines, for a lighter grid you can draw over freely. Shared corners get one dot each.
Will the hexes print at the right size?
Yes, if you print at 100% (Actual size, no fit to page). Measure the check bar in the footer: if it is 1 in (or 2 cm), every hex is at the size printed beside it. Our harness reads the PDF back and checks the hex positions to 0.2 mm.
Is it free?
Yes. There is no sign-up, no watermark and no limit.
Is anything uploaded?
No. Everything is drawn by JavaScript in your browser and nothing is sent anywhere.