Where to Get Free Seamless Background Patterns for Websites

Seamless background patterns are created by repeating or tiling an image both vertically and horizontally. If the tessallated image is created by a professional or someone with web design experience, the resulting pattern will be seamless, that is, you won't see any lines that mark the borders of the original image.

The resources listed below offer free background image patterns that you can download or save to your computer. To set the image as your webpage's background, add the appropriate code to your CSS file.

• Pattern Cooler: The pattern editor lets you choose one of over 100 basic vector illustration patterns as well as the color of each element in the tile unit. You can also select the scaling factor, making the pattern as coarse or fine as you want. You can choose among stripes, square/rectangle tessellations, tilted square tiles, or hexagonal tiles as the basic structure.
• Stripe Mania: As the name suggests, this tool lets you create striped background tile images. You can choose a horizontal, vertical, diagonal SW-NE, or diagonal SE-NW orientation, as well as the colors. Each bar in the strip has a delicate gradient, giving the pattern a 3-D look.
• Stripe Generator 2.0: The Stripe Generator is similar to Stripe Mania except the finished product can be either flat or 3-D. It also offers more options for diagonal orientations.
• Silvia Hartmann's Website (Plants and Nature): Dr. Silvia Hartmann, a UK-based psychologist, has created several floral and nature-themed seamless background tile images that are free to use.
• Had2Know: Offers free-to-use gray scale and colored images you can use to create repeating background patterns. Each image file is the smallest repeating unit necessary to create a seamless tessellation, so you don't have to use a larger image than necessary.
• Squidfingers: Offers very fine and intricate patterns based on small tiles. Perfect for web designers who don't want a background pattern that is too bold or distracting.
• Ava7 Patterns: Choose from over 1500 larger, medium, and small patterns of every color and theme.
• Tartan Maker (Plaid): The Tartan Maker is an easy to use free online tool that lets you build your own plaid/tartan background patterns. You choose the colors, arrangment, and widths of the stripes and the tool outputs a beautiful png image.
• DinPattern: A nice selection of traditional geometric, textured, and funky cartoon patterns.
• Pattern8: Great resource for geometric and abstract patterns. The page lets you sort the options by color.
• Citrus Moon: Offers both geometric and nature-themed tile patterns. All the pattens are tagged with their colors and descriptions, making it easy to find the right design quickly without having to browse through the entire image library.
• Tile Machine: The Tile machine lets upload images to see what they would look like as a tilled pattern. You can view the gallery of other users' submissions to get ideas for your own patterns.