diff --git a/desktopenvs/hyprlua/hypr/layouts/columns.lua b/desktopenvs/hyprlua/hypr/layouts/columns.lua
index 21f50d3..8815797 100644
--- a/desktopenvs/hyprlua/hypr/layouts/columns.lua
+++ b/desktopenvs/hyprlua/hypr/layouts/columns.lua
@@ -1,34 +1,219 @@
--- Columns: the scrolling engine, presented as independent columns. Each column is a
--- stack of windows; windows move up/down within their column and columns move
--- left/right — every column independently (this is exactly what the scrolling
--- backend's per-column tape already does).
+-- Columns: a custom (Lua) tiling layout — a row of columns, each an INDEPENDENTLY
+-- panning vertical strip. Moving focus up/down inside a column pans only that column
+-- to keep the focused window in view; the other columns stay frozen. Like the wheels
+-- of a combination lock, every column scrolls on its own.
 --
--- The one menu control is orientation — which way the tape scrolls — chosen from a
--- dropdown of two friendly options (see dir_labels):
---   * "Left / Right" -> columns sit side by side, the tape scrolls horizontally
---                       (scrolling:direction = "right").
---   * "Up / Down"    -> columns are stacked as rows, the tape scrolls vertically
---                       (scrolling:direction = "down").
+-- This is a real custom layout (hl.layout.register), not the built-in scrolling
+-- engine — that one has a single shared tape offset and cannot pan columns apart.
 --
--- Shares the scrolling backend and all scrolling:* options with the "scrolling"
--- layout; direction is a global Hyprland option, so switching orientation here
--- affects every scrolling/columns workspace (same limitation as scrolling.lua).
+-- Controls (routed here from binds.lua via `hl.dsp.layout("<cmd>")` → layout_msg):
+--   focus l/r/u/d   — l/r step between columns, u/d step within the focused column
+--                     (which then pans to reveal the focus). Axes swap when vertical.
+--   move  l/r/u/d   — move the focused window between columns / reorder in its column.
+--   count h/j/k/l   — horizontal ws: h/l = −/＋ columns, k/j = −/＋ windows-per-view.
+--                     vertical ws:   k/j = −/＋ columns, h/l = −/＋ per-view.
+--   orient h/v      — orientation (set from the menu dropdown).
+--
+-- State is per workspace; a window's column assignment and each column's pan offset
+-- persist across relayouts.
+
+local state = {}   -- [wsid] = { ncols, rows, orient, assign={addr=col}, seq={addr=n}, nextseq, pan={col=px} }
+
+local function ws_state(wsid)
+    local s = state[wsid]
+    if not s then
+        s = { ncols = 2, rows = 2, orient = "h", assign = {}, seq = {}, nextseq = 1, pan = {} }
+        state[wsid] = s
+    end
+    return s
+end
+
+local function win_ws_id(win)
+    local ok, ws = pcall(function() return win.workspace end)
+    if ok and ws ~= nil then
+        local ok2, id = pcall(function() return ws.id end)
+        if ok2 and id then return id end
+        local id2 = tostring(ws):match("%((%-?%d+)")
+        if id2 then return tonumber(id2) end
+    end
+    return 0
+end
+
+local function focused_addr()
+    local aw = hl.get_active_window and hl.get_active_window()
+    if not aw then return nil end
+    local ok, a = pcall(function() return aw.address end)
+    return ok and a or nil
+end
+
+-- Build the per-column ordered address lists from the live targets, reconciling the
+-- persistent assignment (drop closed windows, assign new ones to the focused column).
+local function columnize(s, targets)
+    local present, tgt_of = {}, {}
+    for _, tg in ipairs(targets) do
+        local ok, addr = pcall(function() return tg.window.address end)
+        if ok and addr then present[addr] = true; tgt_of[addr] = tg end
+    end
+    for addr in pairs(s.assign) do
+        if not present[addr] then s.assign[addr] = nil; s.seq[addr] = nil end
+    end
+    local foc = focused_addr()
+    -- new windows fill the least-populated column so they spread out.
+    local counts = {}
+    for c = 1, s.ncols do counts[c] = 0 end
+    for addr, c in pairs(s.assign) do
+        if present[addr] and c >= 1 and c <= s.ncols then counts[c] = counts[c] + 1 end
+    end
+    for addr in pairs(present) do
+        if not s.assign[addr] then
+            local best, bestn = 1, math.huge
+            for c = 1, s.ncols do if counts[c] < bestn then best, bestn = c, counts[c] end end
+            s.assign[addr] = best; counts[best] = counts[best] + 1
+            s.seq[addr] = s.nextseq; s.nextseq = s.nextseq + 1
+        end
+    end
+    for addr, c in pairs(s.assign) do
+        if c > s.ncols then s.assign[addr] = s.ncols elseif c < 1 then s.assign[addr] = 1 end
+    end
+    local cols = {}
+    for c = 1, s.ncols do cols[c] = {} end
+    for addr in pairs(present) do table.insert(cols[s.assign[addr]], addr) end
+    for c = 1, s.ncols do
+        table.sort(cols[c], function(a, b) return (s.seq[a] or 0) < (s.seq[b] or 0) end)
+    end
+    return cols, tgt_of, foc
+end
+
+local function recalculate(ctx)
+    local t = ctx.targets
+    if type(t) ~= "table" or not t[1] then return end
+    local A = ctx.area
+    if type(A) ~= "table" then return end
+    local s = ws_state(win_ws_id(t[1].window))
+    local cols, tgt_of, foc = columnize(s, t)
+    local horizontal = (s.orient ~= "v")
+    local rows = math.max(1, s.rows)
+
+    for c = 1, s.ncols do
+        local list = cols[c]
+        local m = #list
+        if m > 0 then
+            -- primary axis is split into ncols; the secondary axis stacks the windows,
+            -- each sized to 1/rows of the viewport, and pans.
+            local colSpan, colStart, winSec, secStart, secTotal
+            if horizontal then
+                colSpan, colStart = A.w / s.ncols, A.x + (c - 1) * (A.w / s.ncols)
+                winSec, secStart, secTotal = A.h / rows, A.y, A.h
+            else
+                colSpan, colStart = A.h / s.ncols, A.y + (c - 1) * (A.h / s.ncols)
+                winSec, secStart, secTotal = A.w / rows, A.x, A.w
+            end
+            -- pan so the focused window (if in this column) stays in view; else clamp.
+            local fidx
+            for i, addr in ipairs(list) do if addr == foc then fidx = i end end
+            local pan = s.pan[c] or 0
+            if fidx then
+                local top = (fidx - 1) * winSec
+                if top - pan < 0 then pan = top end
+                if top + winSec - pan > secTotal then pan = top + winSec - secTotal end
+            end
+            pan = math.max(0, math.min(pan, math.max(0, m * winSec - secTotal)))
+            s.pan[c] = pan
+            for i, addr in ipairs(list) do
+                local off = (i - 1) * winSec - pan
+                local box = horizontal
+                    and { x = colStart, y = secStart + off, w = colSpan, h = winSec }
+                    or  { x = secStart + off, y = colStart, w = winSec, h = colSpan }
+                local tg = tgt_of[addr]
+                if tg then pcall(function() tg:place(box) end) end
+            end
+        end
+    end
+end
+
+local function layout_msg(ctx, cmd)
+    local t = ctx.targets
+    if type(t) ~= "table" or not t[1] then return end
+    local s = ws_state(win_ws_id(t[1].window))
+    local verb, arg = tostring(cmd or ""):match("^(%S+)%s*(%S*)$")
+    if not verb then return end
+    local cols, _, foc = columnize(s, t)
+    local horizontal = (s.orient ~= "v")
+
+    local fc = (foc and s.assign[foc]) or 1
+    local fi = 1
+    if foc then for i, a in ipairs(cols[fc] or {}) do if a == foc then fi = i end end end
+
+    -- l/r or u/d perpendicular to the column axis means "between columns"
+    local function between(a) return horizontal and (a == "l" or a == "r") or (not horizontal and (a == "u" or a == "d")) end
+    local function decrease(a) return a == "l" or a == "u" end
+
+    if verb == "focus" then
+        if between(arg) then
+            local nc = fc + (decrease(arg) and -1 or 1)
+            if nc >= 1 and nc <= s.ncols and cols[nc] and #cols[nc] > 0 then
+                local ni = math.min(fi, #cols[nc])
+                hl.dispatch(hl.dsp.focus({ window = "address:" .. cols[nc][ni] }))
+            end
+        else
+            local ni = fi + (decrease(arg) and -1 or 1)
+            if cols[fc] and ni >= 1 and ni <= #cols[fc] then
+                hl.dispatch(hl.dsp.focus({ window = "address:" .. cols[fc][ni] }))
+            end
+        end
+    elseif verb == "move" then
+        if not foc then return end
+        if between(arg) then
+            s.assign[foc] = math.max(1, math.min(s.ncols, fc + (decrease(arg) and -1 or 1)))
+        else
+            local list = cols[fc]
+            local ni = fi + (decrease(arg) and -1 or 1)
+            if list and ni >= 1 and ni <= #list then
+                local other = list[ni]
+                s.seq[foc], s.seq[other] = s.seq[other], s.seq[foc]
+            end
+        end
+    elseif verb == "count" then
+        -- horizontal ws: h/l change column count, k/j change windows-per-view.
+        -- vertical ws:   k/j change column count, h/l change windows-per-view.
+        local more_cols  = horizontal and "l" or "j"
+        local less_cols  = horizontal and "h" or "k"
+        local more_rows  = horizontal and "j" or "l"
+        local less_rows  = horizontal and "k" or "h"
+        local changed_cols = false
+        if arg == more_cols then s.ncols = s.ncols + 1; changed_cols = true
+        elseif arg == less_cols then s.ncols = math.max(1, s.ncols - 1); changed_cols = true
+        elseif arg == more_rows then s.rows = s.rows + 1
+        elseif arg == less_rows then s.rows = math.max(1, s.rows - 1) end
+        if changed_cols then
+            -- reflow all windows evenly across the new column count (by insertion order)
+            local addrs = {}
+            for _, tg in ipairs(t) do
+                local ok, addr = pcall(function() return tg.window.address end)
+                if ok and addr then addrs[#addrs + 1] = addr end
+            end
+            table.sort(addrs, function(a, b) return (s.seq[a] or 0) < (s.seq[b] or 0) end)
+            for i, addr in ipairs(addrs) do s.assign[addr] = ((i - 1) % s.ncols) + 1 end
+        end
+    elseif verb == "orient" then
+        s.orient = (arg == "v") and "v" or "h"
+    end
+end
+
+-- Register the layout (guard against the double-register that a live reload can cause).
+pcall(function()
+    hl.layout.register("columns", { recalculate = recalculate, layout_msg = layout_msg })
+end)
+
+-- Spec consumed by the layout registry (init.lua) + the astal-menu dropdown.
 return {
     name        = "columns",
     label       = "Columns",
-    backend     = "scrolling",   -- hyprland general.layout value
-    directional = true,
-    dirs        = { "right", "down" },
-    dir_labels  = { "Left / Right", "Up / Down" },
-    default_dir = "right",
-    fit_method  = true,          -- exposes the "Centered follow" toggle in the menu
-    config      = {
-        scrolling = {
-            direction                = "right",
-            column_width             = 0.5,
-            focus_fit_method         = 1,
-            follow_focus             = true,
-            fullscreen_on_one_column = true,
-        },
-    },
+    backend     = "lua:columns",   -- custom Lua layout, addressed with the lua: prefix
+    lua         = true,            -- init.lua sends orientation via layout_msg, not scrolling:direction
+    directional = true,           -- reuse the menu's direction dropdown for orientation
+    dirs        = { "h", "v" },
+    dir_labels  = { "Horizontal", "Vertical" },
+    default_dir = "h",
+    fit_method  = false,
 }
diff --git a/desktopenvs/hyprlua/hypr/layouts/init.lua b/desktopenvs/hyprlua/hypr/layouts/init.lua
index 267c524..198ee00 100644
--- a/desktopenvs/hyprlua/hypr/layouts/init.lua
+++ b/desktopenvs/hyprlua/hypr/layouts/init.lua
@@ -87,7 +87,11 @@ function M.set(ws, name, dir)
     local s = M.registry[name]; if not s then return end
     ws = tostring(ws)
     hl.workspace_rule({ workspace = ws, layout = s.backend })
-    if s.directional and dir and dir ~= "" then
+    if s.lua then
+        -- custom Lua layout: orientation/options are per-layout state, set via a message
+        -- to the active workspace's layout (not the global scrolling:direction option).
+        if dir and dir ~= "" then hl.dispatch(hl.dsp.layout("orient " .. dir)) end
+    elseif s.directional and dir and dir ~= "" then
         hl.config({ scrolling = { direction = dir } })
     end
     M.current[ws] = name          -- remember so the menu can show the real per-ws layout
diff --git a/desktopenvs/hyprlua/hypr/usr/binds.lua b/desktopenvs/hyprlua/hypr/usr/binds.lua
index ff61a8d..503afb1 100644
--- a/desktopenvs/hyprlua/hypr/usr/binds.lua
+++ b/desktopenvs/hyprlua/hypr/usr/binds.lua
@@ -128,6 +128,14 @@ hl.bind(mainMod .. " + SHIFT + l",       hl.dsp.exec_cmd(nav .. " move r"))
 hl.bind(mainMod .. " + SHIFT + k",       hl.dsp.exec_cmd(nav .. " move u"))
 hl.bind(mainMod .. " + SHIFT + j",       hl.dsp.exec_cmd(nav .. " move d"))
 
+-- Columns layout: manage how many columns / windows-per-view (no-op in other layouts).
+-- Horizontal ws: H/L = fewer/more columns, K/J = fewer/more windows-per-view.
+-- Vertical ws:   K/J = fewer/more columns, H/L = fewer/more windows-per-view.
+hl.bind(mainMod .. " + CTRL + ALT + h", hl.dsp.exec_cmd(nav .. " count h"))
+hl.bind(mainMod .. " + CTRL + ALT + l", hl.dsp.exec_cmd(nav .. " count l"))
+hl.bind(mainMod .. " + CTRL + ALT + k", hl.dsp.exec_cmd(nav .. " count k"))
+hl.bind(mainMod .. " + CTRL + ALT + j", hl.dsp.exec_cmd(nav .. " count j"))
+
 -- cross-monitor: focus / move the active window to the previous/next monitor.
 -- Works in every layout (including scrolling, where the directional keys deliberately
 -- do NOT jump monitors — see hypr-nav). +1/-1 cycle through the monitors.
diff --git a/desktopenvs/hyprlua/scripts/hypr-nav b/desktopenvs/hyprlua/scripts/hypr-nav
index dfd634c..74e30a2 100755
--- a/desktopenvs/hyprlua/scripts/hypr-nav
+++ b/desktopenvs/hyprlua/scripts/hypr-nav
@@ -15,11 +15,14 @@ mapped to its literal on-screen direction:
     (Crossing to another monitor has its own explicit binds — Super+,/. and
     Super+Shift+,/. — so it isn't overloaded onto the arrows here.)
 
-For any non-scrolling layout (dwindle/master/monocle) it is a straight pass-through, so
-nothing else changes.
+For the custom "columns" layout every command is forwarded to that layout's own
+handler (focus/move drive its columns, count changes how many columns / windows-per-
+view). For any other layout (dwindle/master/monocle) focus/move is a straight
+pass-through, so nothing else changes.
 
 Usage:  hypr-nav focus  l|r|u|d
         hypr-nav move   l|r|u|d
+        hypr-nav count  h|j|k|l      (columns layout only)
 """
 
 from __future__ import annotations
@@ -31,7 +34,8 @@ import sys
 
 DIRS = {"l": ("x", -1, "left"), "r": ("x", 1, "right"),
         "u": ("y", -1, "up"),   "d": ("y", 1, "down")}
-SCROLLING_LAYOUTS = {"scrolling", "columns"}
+SCROLLING_LAYOUTS = {"scrolling"}          # built-in scrolling tape
+COLUMNS_LAYOUT = "columns"                 # our custom independent-pan Lua layout
 STATE = os.path.expanduser("~/.cache/astal-menu/layouts-state.json")
 
 
@@ -92,15 +96,29 @@ def _overlap(a, b):
 
 
 def main() -> int:
-    if len(sys.argv) != 3 or sys.argv[1] not in ("focus", "move") \
-            or sys.argv[2] not in DIRS:
+    # focus/move take a screen key l|r|u|d; count takes a vim key h|j|k|l.
+    if len(sys.argv) != 3 or sys.argv[1] not in ("focus", "move", "count"):
         print(__doc__)
         return 2
     kind, key = sys.argv[1], sys.argv[2]
-    axis, sign, dir_word = DIRS[key]
+    valid = set("hjkl") if kind == "count" else set(DIRS)
+    if key not in valid:
+        print(__doc__)
+        return 2
 
     ws = hypr_json("activeworkspace") or {}
-    if active_layout_name(ws.get("id")) not in SCROLLING_LAYOUTS:
+    layout = active_layout_name(ws.get("id"))
+
+    # Custom "columns" layout owns all of these — forward the command to its layout_msg.
+    if layout == COLUMNS_LAYOUT:
+        dispatch(f'hl.dsp.layout("{kind} {key}")')
+        return 0
+
+    if kind == "count":
+        return 0                       # column/row count only means something in columns
+
+    axis, sign, dir_word = DIRS[key]
+    if layout not in SCROLLING_LAYOUTS:
         plain(kind, dir_word)          # dwindle/master/monocle: unchanged
         return 0