Mastering Kadence Blocks: A How-To for Gutenberg Users
If you’re using WordPress and the Gutenberg editor, you’re already working with a powerful system — even if it doesn’t always feel that way. When Gutenberg blocks were first introduced, I thought, “I know WordPress can do more than this!” I experimented with a range of builders including Divi, Visual Composer, Elementor – and then I discovered Kadence Blocks.
What are Kadence Blocks?
Kadence blocks is a WordPress plugin that adds a highly customizable suite of blocks to the Gutenberg editor. You can use these blocks to create a professional looking website without having to learn code.
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What Gutenberg Can Do (and Where It Starts to Feel Limiting)
Gutenberg is WordPress’s default block editor. Instead of writing everything in one big text box, you build pages using individual blocks — paragraphs, headings, images, lists, and more.
For basic content, Gutenberg works well. But once you try to:
- Create multi-column layouts
- Add styled sections
- Control spacing and alignment
- Design pages that look intentional
…it can start to feel restrictive.
That’s where Kadence Blocks comes in.
What Kadence Blocks Adds to Gutenberg
Kadence Blocks is a free plugin that extends Gutenberg with layout, design, and functional blocks — without turning WordPress into a complicated page builder.
With Kadence Blocks, you can:
- Create rows and columns visually
- Control spacing without CSS
- Style blocks consistently across your site
- Build pages that look custom, not cookie-cutter
Kadence Blocks works with most themes, but it’s designed to pair especially well with the Kadence Theme.
How Kadence Blocks Fits into a Beginner Workflow
Think of Gutenberg as the foundation and Kadence Blocks as the toolkit that helps everything click into place.
Instead of asking, “How do I make WordPress do this?” you start asking:
- Which block should I use?
- What section does this belong in?
- How do I want this to look on mobile?
That shift alone removes a lot of frustration.
Designing with Confidence (Not Guesswork)
Kadence Blocks makes design decisions visible. Instead of guessing why something looks off, you can see:
- Padding vs margin
- Column widths
- Mobile vs desktop settings
This doesn’t mean you need to become a designer. It just means WordPress stops feeling random.
The One Block That Changes Everything: Row Layout
If you learn one Kadence block first, make it the Row Layout Block.
Row Layout acts as a container. You place other blocks inside it.
Why this matters:
Backgrounds stay attached to content
Spacing becomes predictable
Columns stack properly on mobile
You don’t need to master every option. Just understanding that rows create structure will instantly make your pages easier to build.
What to Learn Next
Once you’re comfortable with the idea of rows, sections, and block-based layouts, the next step is learning how individual Kadence blocks work and when to use them.
👉 Next up: How to Use the Different Kadence Blocks.
Hey there!
I'm Diane Houghton and I've been working with WordPress for 20 years. I can code a website using HTML, CSS and PHP, but I'd rather drag and drop designs from my own custom Kadence Library.
I have built websites for dozens of small businesses, and now my focus is on teaching. I have taught 1000+ WordPress beginners to build, design and optimize their blogs.
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