Regular hexagon tiling

Hexagonal
grid paper

A tiling of regular hexagons — the grid of choice for board game design, cartography, crystallography, and any problem where six-way symmetry beats four-way.

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Hexagonal Grid PDF Generator

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About hexagonal grid paper

Why hexagons tile so efficiently

The regular hexagon is one of only three regular polygons that can tile a flat plane without gaps. Among the three, hexagons have the largest area-to-perimeter ratio, meaning a hexagonal tiling encloses the most area with the least edge length — which is why honeycombs use hexagons.

In game design, hexagonal grids are preferred over square grids because every adjacent cell is equidistant from the centre — movement and range calculations are consistent in all six directions.

The two orientations — flat-top and pointy-top — are mathematically identical. Flat-top hexagons align in columns; pointy-top hexagons align in rows.

Tabletop & hex wargames

Hex grids are the standard for strategy board games. Print hex paper for prototyping game maps and movement overlays.

Board gamesWargamesMap design

Geography & cartography

Hexagonal grids approximate equal-area cells more consistently than square grids, making them popular for area estimation and spatial data visualization.

GISSpatial analysisMaps

Chemistry & crystallography

Benzene rings, graphene lattices, and hexagonal crystal systems all share hexagonal geometry. Hex paper is used to sketch aromatic structures and crystal lattice diagrams.

Organic chemistryGrapheneCrystal lattice

FAQ

Hexagonal grid paper questions

What is hexagonal graph paper?+
Hexagonal graph paper (also called hex paper) has a tiling of regular hexagons instead of squares. It is used for game design, cartography, chemistry, and any subject where a hexagonal grid is more natural than a square one.
Flat-top or pointy-top hexagons — which should I use?+
Flat-top hexagons (one flat edge at the top) align in columns and are common in board game maps. Pointy-top hexagons (a vertex at the top) align in rows and are common in GIS and cartography. Both are geometrically identical.
What hex size should I choose?+
8 mm radius is a good general-purpose size. Use 5 mm for dense reference grids or 15 mm for game prototypes where you need to write inside each cell.
Is hexagonal paper the same as honeycomb paper?+
Yes — "hex paper", "hexagonal grid paper", "honeycomb paper", and "hexagon paper" all describe the same format.

Related types

Isometric paper

60° triangular grid — close cousin of hex for 3D sketching, game maps, and geometric art.

Dot grid paper

Minimal dot grid — popular for game design planning and freehand hex map sketching.

Cartesian paper

Standard square grid for region labelling, coordinate overlay, and terrain mapping.

Free graph paper — every type, any size

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