how to inherit parent background to make the child columns appear equal in length

Issue

I would like a two column layout without worrying about the background when one column happens to be tallest than the other.

I have read about faux columns, liquid layout, but I would like to ask you if it may work this way: I have a "main" element with a semi-transparent image as background (16x17px). The main element contains the 2 floating columns, the left floats left and the right one floats right.

.main {
width: 1024px;
background-image: url();
padding:10px 0px 10px 0px;
margin: 0 auto;
}
.colleft {
float: left;
width: 618px;
padding:10px 5px 10px 10px;
}
.rightbar {
margin: 0 auto;
width: 50em;
float: right;
padding:10px 5px 10px 10px;
width: 376px;
}
.titolo {
text-align: center;
font-family: ClaireHandRegular, Helvetica, sans-serif;
font-size: 30px;
color: #35231e;
line-height: 100%;
padding:10px 0px 0px 0px;
}
.contenuto {
text-align: left;
font-family: ClaireHandRegular, Helvetica, sans-serif;
font-size: 25px;
color: #35231e;
line-height: 100%;
padding:20px 0px 0px 0px;
}

There is something wrong in my HTML and I cannot see where. Am I this far from the solution?

<div class="main">
    <div class="colleft">
        <div class="titolo">ARTICLES</div>
        <div class="contenuto">CONTENT</div>
    </div>
    <div class="rightbar">
        <div class="contenuto">RIGHT BAR CONTENT</div>
    </div>
</div>  

Solution

You may use JSFiddle or similar to test it. As well as Firebug or similar.

When you work with floats, you must contain your floats.

In order to do so, you have several techniques at your disposal. Among them, a simple one:

overflow:hidden; your float container. In your case, the element with class .main.

Try this:

.main {
 width: 1024px;
 background-image: url();
 padding:10px 0px 10px 0px;
 margin: 0 auto;
 background-color: red; //<-- added just to test.
 overflow:hidden; //<-- to contain the floats. 
}

Answered By - MEM