11 useful free sandbox WordPress themes
If you often build WordPress themes on a regular basis, you probably have your own solution to make the process faster and more efficient. Many designers and developers create their own solution for that, and some even share their work with the world. The following blank WordPress themes will help you to create WordPress themes faster, so take a good look at it.
1. Neutica
A recent sandbox WordPress theme based on the Helvetica Neue font, it features an option page where you can switch colors. Thumbnails are automatically pulled.
2. WP Framework
A WordPress theme to serve as a starting point to build your customized template. It is also well-documented.
3. Blueprint theme
Based on the very popular CSS framework, the Blueprint work is the perfect sandbox theme if you are used to work with that framework.
4. The Buffet framework
This framework uses the WordPress child theme concept. It has tons of features like being Microformats ready, translation ready, themes options and much more…
5. Plaintxt.org
Plain sandbox theme that makes a clever use of semantic classes to have an easy to change base for creating your WordPress theme.
6. Empty canvas
Valid cross-browser minimalist canvas template, it has a dynamic menu for page navigation.
7. Whiteboard
Minimal blank WordPress theme, removes all the unnecessary functions from your template.
8. Shape
A WordPress framework that’s optimized for SEO.
9. Thematic
The ultimate reason not to use Thesis, Thematic works pretty much the same way and has a good design out of the box. It supports child themes and includes a sample one. It is also grid based and supports 13 widget-ready areas.
10. The Starter Theme
Not exactly a WordPress theme, but more of a developement kit for WordPress themes.
11. Starkers
A blank theme that removes all unnecessary elements to get a completly naked version of WordPress.
Very good and useful list Mirko, but where is Hybrid by Justin Tadlock?
Themantic is my personal fav, I am using it on my blog now. It’s an highly extend-able and workable, Theme framework. Loved editing it
I’m familiar with the Starkers theme, but I just saw the Shape optimised theme, wonder what the advantage of that is, in terms of how optimised it actually is?
You need to add Hybrid to the list. True, it is similar to Thematic but far more robust, IMO.
awesome..very useful list of themes..
thanks for sharing.
Some good suggestions here but from experience if your wanting to integrate a design into word press then a completely striped down template has to be the option every time. Templates such as ‘starkers’ and ‘white as milk’ have been my choice of themes
Great list of themes, hope to try some of these out soon.
Thanks.