Back to Web Design: Why I Ditched Page Builders for WordPress’s Native Tools

byLynne2025

368 followers

5 months ago

That isn't the image I was looking for, but it's one of eight that is going to have to work! After a few years away from web design, I jumped back in and noticed things have changed. WordPress has evolved, and tools like the block editor (Gutenberg) and theme customizer are more powerful than I recall. I spent six years relying on page builders like Elementor and Beaver Builder. But I have to admit, I was struggling with Elementor on WA, so I asked Wealthy Affiliate’s support team and they suggested I try WordPress without a page builder. Spoiler: It’s better than ever.

Why Skip Page Builders?

Page builders add layers of code that can slow your site and complicate updates. With different themes behaving unpredictably, I was frustrated; until I embraced WordPress’s native tools. The block editor lets you drag, drop, and style without extra plugins, and the theme customizer makes CSS tweaks a breeze. This approach works across any theme, keeps your site lightweight, and is beginner friendly. I use both the 2024 and 2025 Wordpress themes and the 2025 is much improved over the 2024 with more options as well.

CSS Units: Simple and Effective

To customize your WordPress site, you only need a few CSS units. Here’s a quick guide when you are offered all those drop down options:

• px: Fixed sizes for borders or icons (border: 1px solid black;).
• %: Flexible widths based on the parent (width: 50%; for a half-width column).
• rem: Consistent text or spacing site-wide (font-size: 1.5rem; for headings).
• vh: Full screen sections (height: 100vh; for a hero banner).
• vw: Viewport Width (width: 100 vw; for example, buttons on top of & across hero image)

Add these in Appearance >> Editor > >Additional CSS or block settings. No page builder needed!

Bye - Bye Framebuilders Forever

After years of leaning on Elementor and Beaver Builder, I’m sold on WordPress’s built-in tools. They’re simpler, faster, and work with any theme. Thanks to Wealthy Affiliate’s advice, I’m designing better sites with less hassle. Try it—you don’t need a page builder to create a stunning WordPress site.