diff --git a/tests/examples/wibox/layout/fixed/spacing.lua b/tests/examples/wibox/layout/fixed/spacing.lua
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a5e4abc11
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/examples/wibox/layout/fixed/spacing.lua
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+local generic_widget = ... --DOC_HIDE
+local wibox = require("wibox") --DOC_HIDE
+
+local first, second, third = generic_widget("first"), --DOC_HIDE
+    generic_widget("second"), generic_widget("third") --DOC_HIDE
+
+local ret = wibox.layout.fixed.vertical() --DOC_HIDE
+
+for i=1, 5 do
+    ret:add(wibox.widget { --DOC_HIDE
+        markup = "<b>Iteration " .. i ..":</b>", --DOC_HIDE
+        widget = wibox.widget.textbox --DOC_HIDE
+    }) --DOC_HIDE
+
+    local w = wibox.widget {
+        first,
+        second,
+        third,
+        spacing = i*3,
+        layout  = wibox.layout.fixed.horizontal
+    }
+
+    ret:add(w) --DOC_HIDE
+end
+
+return ret, 200, 200 --DOC_HIDE
+
+--DOC_HIDE vim: filetype=lua:expandtab:shiftwidth=4:tabstop=8:softtabstop=4:textwidth=80
diff --git a/tests/examples/wibox/layout/fixed/spacing_widget.lua b/tests/examples/wibox/layout/fixed/spacing_widget.lua
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..d1531e0f7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/examples/wibox/layout/fixed/spacing_widget.lua
@@ -0,0 +1,70 @@
+local generic_widget = ... --DOC_HIDE
+local wibox     = require("wibox") --DOC_HIDE
+local gears     = {shape = require("gears.shape")}--DOC_HIDE
+
+local l = wibox.layout.flex.vertical() --DOC_HIDE
+
+-- Use the separator widget directly
+local w1 = wibox.widget {
+    generic_widget( "first"   , nil, 0), --DOC_HIDE
+    generic_widget( "second"  , nil, 0), --DOC_HIDE
+    generic_widget( "third"   , nil, 0), --DOC_HIDE
+    spacing        = 10,
+    spacing_widget = wibox.widget.separator,
+    layout         = wibox.layout.fixed.horizontal
+}
+
+l:add(w1) --DOC_HIDE
+
+-- Use a standard declarative widget construct
+local w2 = wibox.widget {
+    generic_widget( "first"  ), --DOC_HIDE
+    generic_widget( "second" ), --DOC_HIDE
+    generic_widget( "third"  ), --DOC_HIDE
+    spacing = 10,
+    spacing_widget = {
+        color  = "#00ff00",
+        shape  = gears.shape.circle,
+        widget = wibox.widget.separator,
+    },
+    layout = wibox.layout.fixed.horizontal
+}
+
+l:add(w2) --DOC_HIDE
+
+-- Use composed widgets
+local w3 = wibox.widget {
+    generic_widget( "first"  ), --DOC_HIDE
+    generic_widget( "second" ), --DOC_HIDE
+    generic_widget( "third"  ), --DOC_HIDE
+    spacing = 10,
+    spacing_widget = {
+        {
+            text   = "F",
+            widget = wibox.widget.textbox,
+        },
+        bg     = "#ff0000",
+        widget = wibox.container.background,
+    },
+    layout = wibox.layout.fixed.horizontal
+}
+
+l:add(w3) --DOC_HIDE
+
+-- Use negative spacing to create a powerline effect
+local w4 = wibox.widget {
+    generic_widget( "    first     "   , nil, 0), --DOC_HIDE
+    generic_widget( "     second     " , nil, 0), --DOC_HIDE
+    generic_widget( "    third     "   , nil, 0), --DOC_HIDE
+    spacing = -12,
+    spacing_widget = {
+        color  = "#ff0000",
+        shape  = gears.shape.powerline,
+        widget = wibox.widget.separator,
+    },
+    layout = wibox.layout.fixed.horizontal
+}
+
+l:add(w4) --DOC_HIDE
+
+return l, 250, 4*30 --DOC_HIDE
diff --git a/tests/examples/wibox/layout/flex/spacing.lua b/tests/examples/wibox/layout/flex/spacing.lua
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f771d9144
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/examples/wibox/layout/flex/spacing.lua
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+local generic_widget = ... --DOC_HIDE
+local wibox = require("wibox") --DOC_HIDE
+
+local first, second, third = generic_widget("first"), --DOC_HIDE
+    generic_widget("second"), generic_widget("third") --DOC_HIDE
+
+local ret = wibox.layout.fixed.vertical() --DOC_HIDE
+
+for i=1, 5 do
+    ret:add(wibox.widget { --DOC_HIDE
+        markup = "<b>Iteration " .. i ..":</b>", --DOC_HIDE
+        widget = wibox.widget.textbox --DOC_HIDE
+    }) --DOC_HIDE
+
+    local w = wibox.widget {
+        first,
+        second,
+        third,
+        spacing = i*5,
+        layout  = wibox.layout.flex.horizontal
+    }
+
+    ret:add(w) --DOC_HIDE
+end
+
+return ret, 200, 200 --DOC_HIDE
+
+--DOC_HIDE vim: filetype=lua:expandtab:shiftwidth=4:tabstop=8:softtabstop=4:textwidth=80
diff --git a/tests/examples/wibox/layout/flex/spacing_widget.lua b/tests/examples/wibox/layout/flex/spacing_widget.lua
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e9586e021
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/examples/wibox/layout/flex/spacing_widget.lua
@@ -0,0 +1,70 @@
+local generic_widget = ... --DOC_HIDE
+local wibox     = require("wibox") --DOC_HIDE
+local gears     = {shape = require("gears.shape")}--DOC_HIDE
+
+local l = wibox.layout.flex.vertical() --DOC_HIDE
+
+-- Use the separator widget directly
+local w1 = wibox.widget {
+    generic_widget( "first"   , nil, 0), --DOC_HIDE
+    generic_widget( "second"  , nil, 0), --DOC_HIDE
+    generic_widget( "third"   , nil, 0), --DOC_HIDE
+    spacing        = 10,
+    spacing_widget = wibox.widget.separator,
+    layout         = wibox.layout.flex.horizontal
+}
+
+l:add(w1) --DOC_HIDE
+
+-- Use a standard declarative widget construct
+local w2 = wibox.widget {
+    generic_widget( "first"  ), --DOC_HIDE
+    generic_widget( "second" ), --DOC_HIDE
+    generic_widget( "third"  ), --DOC_HIDE
+    spacing = 10,
+    spacing_widget = {
+        color  = "#00ff00",
+        shape  = gears.shape.circle,
+        widget = wibox.widget.separator,
+    },
+    layout = wibox.layout.flex.horizontal
+}
+
+l:add(w2) --DOC_HIDE
+
+-- Use composed widgets
+local w3 = wibox.widget {
+    generic_widget( "first"  ), --DOC_HIDE
+    generic_widget( "second" ), --DOC_HIDE
+    generic_widget( "third"  ), --DOC_HIDE
+    spacing = 10,
+    spacing_widget = {
+        {
+            text = "F",
+            widget = wibox.widget.textbox,
+        },
+        bg     = "#ff0000",
+        widget = wibox.container.background,
+    },
+    layout = wibox.layout.flex.horizontal
+}
+
+l:add(w3) --DOC_HIDE
+
+-- Use negative spacing to create a powerline effect
+local w4 = wibox.widget {
+    generic_widget( "    first     "   , nil, 0), --DOC_HIDE
+    generic_widget( "     second     " , nil, 0), --DOC_HIDE
+    generic_widget( "    third     "   , nil, 0), --DOC_HIDE
+    spacing = -12,
+    spacing_widget = {
+        color  = "#ff0000",
+        shape  = gears.shape.powerline,
+        widget = wibox.widget.separator,
+    },
+    layout = wibox.layout.flex.horizontal
+}
+
+l:add(w4) --DOC_HIDE
+
+return l, 250, 4*30 --DOC_HIDE
diff --git a/tests/examples/wibox/layout/ratio/spacing.lua b/tests/examples/wibox/layout/ratio/spacing.lua
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..6c1304d84
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/examples/wibox/layout/ratio/spacing.lua
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+local generic_widget = ... --DOC_HIDE
+local wibox = require("wibox") --DOC_HIDE
+
+local first, second, third = generic_widget("first"), --DOC_HIDE
+    generic_widget("second"), generic_widget("third") --DOC_HIDE
+
+local ret = wibox.layout.fixed.vertical() --DOC_HIDE
+
+for i=1, 5 do
+    ret:add(wibox.widget { --DOC_HIDE
+        markup = "<b>Iteration " .. i ..":</b>", --DOC_HIDE
+        widget = wibox.widget.textbox --DOC_HIDE
+    }) --DOC_HIDE
+
+    local w = wibox.widget {
+        first,
+        second,
+        third,
+        spacing = i*3,
+        force_width = 200, --DOC_HIDE
+        layout  = wibox.layout.ratio.horizontal
+    }
+
+    ret:add(w) --DOC_HIDE
+end
+
+return ret, 200, 200 --DOC_HIDE
+
+--DOC_HIDE vim: filetype=lua:expandtab:shiftwidth=4:tabstop=8:softtabstop=4:textwidth=80
diff --git a/tests/examples/wibox/layout/ratio/spacing_widget.lua b/tests/examples/wibox/layout/ratio/spacing_widget.lua
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..1fea3bd97
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/examples/wibox/layout/ratio/spacing_widget.lua
@@ -0,0 +1,70 @@
+local generic_widget = ... --DOC_HIDE
+local wibox     = require("wibox") --DOC_HIDE
+local gears     = {shape = require("gears.shape")}--DOC_HIDE
+
+local l = wibox.layout.flex.vertical() --DOC_HIDE
+
+-- Use the separator widget directly
+local w1 = wibox.widget {
+    generic_widget( "first"   , nil, 0), --DOC_HIDE
+    generic_widget( "second"  , nil, 0), --DOC_HIDE
+    generic_widget( "third"   , nil, 0), --DOC_HIDE
+    spacing        = 10,
+    spacing_widget = wibox.widget.separator,
+    layout         = wibox.layout.ratio.horizontal
+}
+
+l:add(w1) --DOC_HIDE
+
+-- Use a standard declarative widget construct
+local w2 = wibox.widget {
+    generic_widget( "first"  ), --DOC_HIDE
+    generic_widget( "second" ), --DOC_HIDE
+    generic_widget( "third"  ), --DOC_HIDE
+    spacing = 10,
+    spacing_widget = {
+        color  = "#00ff00",
+        shape  = gears.shape.circle,
+        widget = wibox.widget.separator,
+    },
+    layout = wibox.layout.ratio.horizontal
+}
+
+l:add(w2) --DOC_HIDE
+
+-- Use composed widgets
+local w3 = wibox.widget {
+    generic_widget( "first"  ), --DOC_HIDE
+    generic_widget( "second" ), --DOC_HIDE
+    generic_widget( "third"  ), --DOC_HIDE
+    spacing = 10,
+    spacing_widget = {
+        {
+            text   = "F",
+            widget = wibox.widget.textbox,
+        },
+        bg     = "#ff0000",
+        widget = wibox.container.background,
+    },
+    layout = wibox.layout.ratio.horizontal
+}
+
+l:add(w3) --DOC_HIDE
+
+-- Use negative spacing to create a powerline effect
+local w4 = wibox.widget {
+    generic_widget( "    first     "   , nil, 0), --DOC_HIDE
+    generic_widget( "     second     " , nil, 0), --DOC_HIDE
+    generic_widget( "    third     "   , nil, 0), --DOC_HIDE
+    spacing = -12,
+    spacing_widget = {
+        color  = "#ff0000",
+        shape  = gears.shape.powerline,
+        widget = wibox.widget.separator,
+    },
+    layout = wibox.layout.ratio.horizontal
+}
+
+l:add(w4) --DOC_HIDE
+
+return l, 250, 4*30 --DOC_HIDE