Reference this question:
What is the best CSS Framework and are they worth the effort?
Do I go back to the "old" way of manually creating a template or downloading free ones again. For a little bit I thought a grid was the new thing and the best, now it appears I am wrong after all and not sure of best practice.
And, yes, I can write my own CSS but didn't want to create the infrastructure if I didn't have to.
Perosnally I use the YUI stylesheets and sometimes the YUI grid builder. I don't use their whole framework, but just some of their stylesheets. It keeps everything really lightweight and it's still all just standard CSS.
I don't see anything wrong with using a framework to rapid prototype your design, as long as when that design is approved by your client / boss you clean it up and remove the unnecessary parts.
You can make your own grid layout with the Variable Grid System (css grid framework). It works for fixed and fluid layouts.
