The Border Brawl
When you insert a new table into a Google Doc (Insert > Table), the application automatically applies a default format: a standard grid with thin, black, 1pt borders around every single cell. While this is perfect for creating a structured spreadsheet-like grid, it is terrible if you are using the table simply as an invisible layout tool (for example, to perfectly align two columns of text side-by-side, or to place an image precisely next to a paragraph). The automatic black borders ruin the visual design, forcing you to manually hunt down the border settings every time you create a layout table.
Zeroing the Borders
To use tables purely for layout and stop Google Docs from automatically formatting tables with visible black borders, you must manually select the entire table structure and alter the border width property.
Unfortunately, Google Docs does not allow you to change the “default” table insertion style globally; you must fix it immediately after creation. Insert your table as usual. Click anywhere inside the table. Now, carefully click and drag your mouse across all the cells in the table so the entire grid is highlighted in pale blue. Navigate to the top toolbar. Look for a tiny icon that looks like a pencil with a line under it (Border color) or a drop-down showing line thickness (Border width). Click the Border width icon (it usually says ‘1pt’). Change this setting to 0pt. The rigid black grid will instantly vanish, leaving light grey dashed lines that guide your layout while editing, but will not appear when you print or export the document.