Fixed Header Overlaying Scrollbar

Question

I have a fixed header implemented in my CSS but for some reason, it's overlaying the browser's scroll bar. I'm not sure why it's doing this but it seems like everything else I change doesn't help. Any idea?

• http://jsfiddle.net/HjBhW/

HTML:

<header class="clearfix">
  test
</header>

<div id="wrapper">
  <div id="content">
      Content
  </div><!-- end #content --> 
</div><!-- end #wrapper -->

<div id="footer">
          <center>footer</center>
</div>

CSS:

<style type="text/css">
* {
  margin:0;               
  padding:0;              
}
html, body {
  height:100%;            

  overflow:auto;      
  background:#2f3742;
  color: #B8C2CB;
}
#wrapper {
  min-height:100%;    
  width:600px;        
  margin: -30px auto;     
  background:#47535e;
  border: 1px solid #3D4857;
  border-bottom: 0;

}
* html #wrapper { 
  height:100%;        
}
#content {
  margin-top: 100px;
  padding: 5px;
}
header {
  height: 70px;
  padding: 22px 25px;
  background: #18232f;
  text-align: center; 
  position: absolute !important;
  width: 100%;
  z-index: 1;
  top:0;
  left:0; 
}
#footer {
  height:30px;
  width:600px; 
  margin: 25px auto 0;
  background:#2F3742;
  border: 1px solid #3D4857;
  border-top: 1px solid #2F3A4A;
}
</style>

Answer 1

Short Answer: the scrollbar is on your body, so add a margin-top to your body and your scrollbar (along with the rest of the top of your content will reappear).

body {
    margin-top:110px;
}

Fixed JSFiddle: http://jsfiddle.net/9CkNC/1/

Long Answer: Note that other problems arise after this fix is made. There are a bunch of little tweaks that might be useful to make in your CSS, and I've added a bunch of comments that should help a little in the JSFiddle. Also, making a static header bar is a very common technique in the web design world, so there are a lot of great blog posts about it. I would do some snooping to see how other people have done it.

This is a great one to start with: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3I2Uh-D-lzI

How I do it:

• If I want a fixed header and footer, I usually go with something like this: http://jsbin.com/malub/1/edit?html,css,output
• If I want only a fixed header, I do something like this: http://jsbin.com/qewak/1/edit?html,css,output
• If I want a fixed header and footer and I still want the scrollbar to be the height of the window, I'll do this: http://jsbin.com/zitiqa/1/edit?html,css,output

Answer 2

UPDATED FIDDLE

Three things i observe in your code:

You have giving padding in your header with 100% width

Giving body overflow:auto

Giving position:absolute instead of position:fixed for fixing the header

CSS WILL BE:

* {
    margin:0;               /* zero out margin */
    padding:0;              /* zero out padding */
}
html, body {
    height:100%;            /* gives layout 100% height */
    background:#2f3742;
    color: #B8C2CB;
    font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;
    font-size: 12px;
}
#wrapper {
    min-height:100%;        /* gives layout 100% height */
    width:600px;            /* centered div must be given a width */
    margin: -30px auto;             /* centers #wrapper */
    background:#47535e;
    border: 1px solid #3D4857;
    border-bottom: 0;
    
}
* html #wrapper { 
    height:100%;            /* IE6 treats height as min-height */
}
#content {
    margin-top: 100px;
    padding: 5px;
}
p {
    font-size:1.8em;
    text-align:center;
    padding:30px 0 30px;    /* bottom padding clears the #footer */
}
#header {
    height:70px;
    width:600px;            /* centered div must be given a width */
/*  margin: 0 auto -70px; */    /* -80px sucks it back in & auto centers it */
    background-color:#18232f;
    /* background-color:#2F3742; */
    position: absolute;
    top: 0;
    border-bottom: 1px solid #2F3A4A;
}

header {
  height: 70px;
  padding: 0px;
  background: #18232f;
  text-align: center; 
  position: absolute !important;
  width: 100%;
  z-index: 1;
  top:0;
  left:0;
}
.inner-header { padding:20px 25px; }

#footer {
    height:30px;
    width:600px;                /* centered div must be given a width */
    margin: 25px auto 0;            /* -80px sucks it back in & auto centers it */
    background:#2F3742;
    /* bottom: 0; */
    border: 1px solid #3D4857;
    border-top: 1px solid #2F3A4A;
}

HTML :

<header class="clearfix">
    <div class="inner-header">
  test
    </div>
</header>

<div id="wrapper">
  <div id="content">
      Content
  </div><!-- end #content --> 
</div><!-- end #wrapper -->

<div id="footer">
          <center>footer</center>
</div>