diff --git a/docs/common/fixed.ldoc b/docs/common/fixed.ldoc
index 4ac6b7143..ce9ea8468 100644
--- a/docs/common/fixed.ldoc
+++ b/docs/common/fixed.ldoc
@@ -29,11 +29,9 @@
 -- @name swap_widgets
 -- @class function
 
---- Get all children of this layout.
+--- Get all direct children of this layout.
 -- @param layout The layout you are modifying.
--- @return a list of all widgets
--- @name get_children
--- @class function
+-- @property children
 
 --- Reset a ratio layout. This removes all widgets from the layout.
 -- @param layout The layout you are modifying.
diff --git a/lib/wibox/layout/fixed.lua b/lib/wibox/layout/fixed.lua
index 57728b586..975c366fb 100644
--- a/lib/wibox/layout/fixed.lua
+++ b/lib/wibox/layout/fixed.lua
@@ -23,28 +23,28 @@ local fixed = {}
 -- @param height The available height.
 function fixed:layout(context, width, height)
     local result = {}
-    local pos,spacing = 0, self._spacing
+    local pos,spacing = 0, self._private.spacing
 
-    for k, v in pairs(self.widgets) do
+    for k, v in pairs(self._private.widgets) do
         local x, y, w, h, _
-        if self.dir == "y" then
+        if self._private.dir == "y" then
             x, y = 0, pos
             w, h = width, height - pos
-            if k ~= #self.widgets or not self._fill_space then
+            if k ~= #self._private.widgets or not self._private.fill_space then
                 _, h = base.fit_widget(self, context, v, w, h);
             end
             pos = pos + h + spacing
         else
             x, y = pos, 0
             w, h = width - pos, height
-            if k ~= #self.widgets or not self._fill_space then
+            if k ~= #self._private.widgets or not self._private.fill_space then
                 w, _ = base.fit_widget(self, context, v, w, h);
             end
             pos = pos + w + spacing
         end
 
-        if (self.dir == "y" and pos-spacing > height) or
-            (self.dir ~= "y" and pos-spacing > width) then
+        if (self._private.dir == "y" and pos-spacing > height) or
+            (self._private.dir ~= "y" and pos-spacing > width) then
             break
         end
         table.insert(result, base.place_widget_at(v, x, y, w, h))
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ function fixed:add(...)
     assert(args.n > 0, "need at least one widget to add")
     for i=1, args.n do
         base.check_widget(args[i])
-        table.insert(self.widgets, args[i])
+        table.insert(self._private.widgets, args[i])
     end
     self:emit_signal("widget::layout_changed")
 end
@@ -70,9 +70,9 @@ end
 -- @tparam number index The widget index to remove
 -- @treturn boolean index If the operation is successful
 function fixed:remove(index)
-    if not index or index < 1 or index > #self.widgets then return false end
+    if not index or index < 1 or index > #self._private.widgets then return false end
 
-    table.remove(self.widgets, index)
+    table.remove(self._private.widgets, index)
 
     self:emit_signal("widget::layout_changed")
 
@@ -106,14 +106,10 @@ function fixed:remove_widgets(...)
     return #args > (recursive and 1 or 0) and ret
 end
 
---- Get all children of this layout
--- @treturn table a list of all widgets
 function fixed:get_children()
-    return self.widgets
+    return self._private.widgets
 end
 
---- Replace the layout children
--- @tparam table children A table composed of valid widgets
 function fixed:set_children(children)
     self:reset()
     if #children > 0 then
@@ -138,12 +134,12 @@ function fixed:replace_widget(widget, widget2, recursive)
 end
 
 function fixed:swap(index1, index2)
-    if not index1 or not index2 or index1 > #self.widgets
-        or index2 > #self.widgets then
+    if not index1 or not index2 or index1 > #self._private.widgets
+        or index2 > #self._private.widgets then
         return false
     end
 
-    local widget1, widget2 = self.widgets[index1], self.widgets[index2]
+    local widget1, widget2 = self._private.widgets[index1], self._private.widgets[index2]
 
     self:set(index1, widget2)
     self:set(index2, widget1)
@@ -177,11 +173,11 @@ function fixed:swap_widgets(widget1, widget2, recursive)
 end
 
 function fixed:set(index, widget2)
-    if (not widget2) or (not self.widgets[index]) then return false end
+    if (not widget2) or (not self._private.widgets[index]) then return false end
 
     base.check_widget(widget2)
 
-    self.widgets[index] = widget2
+    self._private.widgets[index] = widget2
 
     self:emit_signal("widget::layout_changed")
 
@@ -193,10 +189,10 @@ end
 -- @param widget The widget
 -- @treturn boolean If the operation is successful
 function fixed:insert(index, widget)
-    if not index or index < 1 or index > #self.widgets + 1 then return false end
+    if not index or index < 1 or index > #self._private.widgets + 1 then return false end
 
     base.check_widget(widget)
-    table.insert(self.widgets, index, widget)
+    table.insert(self._private.widgets, index, widget)
     self:emit_signal("widget::layout_changed")
 
     return true
@@ -210,10 +206,10 @@ function fixed:fit(context, orig_width, orig_height)
     local width, height = orig_width, orig_height
     local used_in_dir, used_max = 0, 0
 
-    for _, v in pairs(self.widgets) do
+    for _, v in pairs(self._private.widgets) do
         local w, h = base.fit_widget(self, context, v, width, height)
         local in_dir, max
-        if self.dir == "y" then
+        if self._private.dir == "y" then
             max, in_dir = w, h
             height = height - in_dir
         else
@@ -226,7 +222,7 @@ function fixed:fit(context, orig_width, orig_height)
         used_in_dir = used_in_dir + in_dir
 
         if width <= 0 or height <= 0 then
-            if self.dir == "y" then
+            if self._private.dir == "y" then
                 used_in_dir = orig_height
             else
                 used_in_dir = orig_width
@@ -235,36 +231,38 @@ function fixed:fit(context, orig_width, orig_height)
         end
     end
 
-    local spacing = self._spacing * (#self.widgets-1)
+    local spacing = self._private.spacing * (#self._private.widgets-1)
 
-    if self.dir == "y" then
+    if self._private.dir == "y" then
         return used_max, used_in_dir + spacing
     end
     return used_in_dir + spacing, used_max
 end
 
 function fixed:reset()
-    self.widgets = {}
+    self._private.widgets = {}
     self:emit_signal("widget::layout_changed")
 end
 
 --- Set the layout's fill_space property. If this property is true, the last
 -- widget will get all the space that is left. If this is false, the last widget
 -- won't be handled specially and there can be space left unused.
+-- @property fill_space
+
 function fixed:fill_space(val)
-    if self._fill_space ~= val then
-        self._fill_space = not not val
+    if self._private.fill_space ~= val then
+        self._private.fill_space = not not val
         self:emit_signal("widget::layout_changed")
     end
 end
 
 local function get_layout(dir, widget1, ...)
-    local ret = base.make_widget()
+    local ret = base.make_widget(nil, nil, {enable_properties = true})
 
-    util.table.crush(ret, fixed)
+    util.table.crush(ret, fixed, true)
 
-    ret.dir = dir
-    ret.widgets = {}
+    ret._private.dir = dir
+    ret._private.widgets = {}
     ret:set_spacing(0)
     ret:fill_space(false)
 
@@ -294,14 +292,24 @@ function fixed.vertical(...)
 end
 
 --- Add spacing between each layout widgets
--- @param spacing Spacing between widgets.
+-- @property spacing
+-- @tparam number spacing Spacing between widgets.
+
 function fixed:set_spacing(spacing)
-    if self._spacing ~= spacing then
-        self._spacing = spacing
+    if self._private.spacing ~= spacing then
+        self._private.spacing = spacing
         self:emit_signal("widget::layout_changed")
     end
 end
 
+function fixed:get_spacing()
+    return self._private.spacing or 0
+end
+
+--@DOC_widget_COMMON@
+
+--@DOC_object_COMMON@
+
 return fixed
 
 -- vim: filetype=lua:expandtab:shiftwidth=4:tabstop=8:softtabstop=4:textwidth=80