diff --git a/cmd/wm/area.c b/cmd/wm/area.c
index f668c133..5a3ff412 100644
--- a/cmd/wm/area.c
+++ b/cmd/wm/area.c
@@ -143,8 +143,9 @@ attach_toarea(Area *a, Client *c)
 	a->frame = (Frame **)cext_array_attach(
 			(void **)a->frame, f, sizeof(Frame *), &a->framesz);
 	a->nframe++;
+	a->sel = a->nframe - 1;
 	if(area2index(a)) /* column */
-		arrange_area(a);
+		arrange_column(a);
 	else /* floating */
 		resize_client(c, &f->rect,  False);
 }
@@ -174,7 +175,7 @@ detach_fromarea(Area *a, Client *c)
 
 	i = area2index(a);
 	if(i && a->nframe)
-		arrange_area(a);
+		arrange_column(a);
 	else {
 		if(i) {
 		    if(v->narea > 2)
@@ -205,6 +206,7 @@ mode2str(int mode)
 	switch(mode) {
 	case Colequal: return "equal"; break;
 	case Colstack: return "stack"; break;
+	case Colexcl: return "excl"; break;
 	case Colmax: return "max"; break;
 	default: break;
 	}
@@ -218,6 +220,8 @@ str2mode(char *arg)
 		return Colequal;
 	if(!strncmp("stack", arg, 6))
 		return Colstack;
+	if(!strncmp("excl", arg, 5))
+		return Colexcl;
 	if(!strncmp("max", arg, 4))
 		return Colmax;
 	return -1;
@@ -263,7 +267,7 @@ relax_area(Area *a)
 	h = 0;
 	for(i = 0; i < a->nframe; i++) {
 		Frame *f = a->frame[i];
-		if(a->mode == Colmax) {
+		if(a->mode == Colmax || a->mode == Colexcl) {
 			if(h < f->rect.height)
 				h = f->rect.height;
 		}
@@ -288,14 +292,14 @@ relax_area(Area *a)
 		Frame *f = a->frame[i];
 		f->rect.x = a->rect.x + (a->rect.width - f->rect.width) / 2;
 		f->rect.y = yoff;
-		if(a->mode != Colmax)
+		if((a->mode != Colmax) && (a->mode != Colexcl))
 			yoff = f->rect.y + f->rect.height + hdiff;
 		resize_client(f->client, &f->rect, False);
 	}
 }
 
 void
-arrange_area(Area *a)
+arrange_column(Area *a)
 {
 	unsigned int i, yoff, h;
 
@@ -337,6 +341,31 @@ arrange_area(Area *a)
 			resize_client(f->client, &f->rect, True);
 		}
 		break;
+	case Colexcl:
+		if(a->nframe > 1) {
+			Client *c = a->frame[a->sel]->client;
+			Area *to = nil;
+			for(i = area2index(a) + 1; i < a->view->narea; i++)
+				if(a->view->area[i]->mode != Colexcl) {
+					to = a->view->area[i];
+					break;
+				}
+			if(!to) {
+				to = alloc_area(a->view);
+				a->view->sel = area2index(a);
+				arrange_view(a->view, True);
+			}
+			while(a->nframe > 1) {
+				for(i = 0; i < a->nframe; i++) {
+					Client *cl = a->frame[i]->client;
+					if(cl != c) {
+						detach_fromarea(a, cl);
+						attach_toarea(to, cl);
+						break;
+					}
+				}
+			}
+		}
 Fallthrough:
 	case Colmax:
 		for(i = 0; i < a->nframe; i++) {
@@ -415,7 +444,7 @@ drop_resize(Frame *f, XRectangle *new)
 	if(horiz_resize)
 		match_horiz(a, &a->rect);
 
-	if(a->mode == Colstack || a->mode == Colmax)
+	if(a->mode != Colequal)
 		goto AfterVertical;
 	/* vertical resize */
 	if(north && (new->y != f->rect.y)) {
@@ -472,7 +501,7 @@ drop_moving(Frame *f, XRectangle *new, XPoint * pt)
 				Frame *tmp = src->frame[j];
 				src->frame[j] = src->frame[i];
 				src->frame[i] = tmp;
-				arrange_area(src);
+				arrange_column(src);
 				focus_client(f->client);
 			}
 		}
diff --git a/cmd/wm/bar.c b/cmd/wm/bar.c
index 40ab04d8..58bc3fcb 100644
--- a/cmd/wm/bar.c
+++ b/cmd/wm/bar.c
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ update_bar_geometry()
 		for(j = 1; j < view[i]->narea; j++) {
 			Area *a = view[i]->area[j];
 			a->rect.height = rect.height - brect.height;
-			arrange_area(a);
+			arrange_column(a);
 		}
 		for(j = 0; j < view[i]->area[0]->nframe; j++) {
 			Frame *f = view[i]->area[0]->frame[j];
diff --git a/cmd/wm/client.c b/cmd/wm/client.c
index 14f6612d..a378e523 100644
--- a/cmd/wm/client.c
+++ b/cmd/wm/client.c
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ focus_client(Client *c)
 	draw_client(c);
 	XSync(dpy, False);
 	if(i > 0 && f->area->mode == Colstack)
-		arrange_area(f->area);
+		arrange_column(f->area);
 }
 
 void
@@ -532,7 +532,7 @@ restack_client(Client *c, char *arg)
 
 	a->frame[j] = a->frame[i];
 	a->frame[i] = f;
-	arrange_area(a);
+	arrange_column(a);
 	focus_client(c);
 }
 
diff --git a/cmd/wm/fs.c b/cmd/wm/fs.c
index 18ff461c..0eeb8fa7 100644
--- a/cmd/wm/fs.c
+++ b/cmd/wm/fs.c
@@ -1333,7 +1333,7 @@ xwrite(IXPConn *c, Fcall *fcall)
 		if((i = str2mode(buf)) == -1)
 			return Ebadvalue;
 		view[i1]->area[i2]->mode = i;
-		arrange_area(view[i1]->area[i2]);
+		arrange_column(view[i1]->area[i2]);
 		break;
 	case FsFevent:
 		if(fcall->count > sizeof(buf))
diff --git a/cmd/wm/view.c b/cmd/wm/view.c
index 6a3c793b..63408a39 100644
--- a/cmd/wm/view.c
+++ b/cmd/wm/view.c
@@ -315,6 +315,6 @@ arrange_view(View *v, Bool updategeometry)
 			a->rect.x = (i - 1) * width;
 			a->rect.width = width;
 		}
-		arrange_area(a);
+		arrange_column(a);
 	}
 }
diff --git a/cmd/wm/wm.h b/cmd/wm/wm.h
index 08422ec4..b60eb5e6 100644
--- a/cmd/wm/wm.h
+++ b/cmd/wm/wm.h
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ enum {
 enum {
 	Colequal,
 	Colstack,
+	Colexcl,
 	Colmax
 };
 
@@ -206,7 +207,7 @@ void select_area(Area *a, char *arg);
 void send2area(Area *to, Area *from, Client *c);
 void attach_toarea(Area *a, Client *c);
 void detach_fromarea(Area *a, Client *c);
-void arrange_area(Area *a);
+void arrange_column(Area *a);
 void resize_area(Client *c, XRectangle *r, XPoint *pt);
 int str2mode(char *arg);
 char *mode2str(int mode);
diff --git a/rc/wmiirc b/rc/wmiirc
index 6f64ce1d..d9ac2165 100644
--- a/rc/wmiirc
+++ b/rc/wmiirc
@@ -63,6 +63,7 @@ $MODKEY-n
 $MODKEY-m
 $MODKEY-s
 $MODKEY-e
+$MODKEY-x
 $MODKEY-0
 $MODKEY-1
 $MODKEY-2
@@ -120,6 +121,8 @@ do
 			xwrite /view/sel/mode stack;;
 		$MODKEY-e)
 			xwrite /view/sel/mode equal;;
+		$MODKEY-x)
+			xwrite /view/sel/mode excl;;
 		$MODKEY-n)
 			xwrite /view/sel/sel/ctl sendto new;;
 		$MODKEY-Shift-h)