SystemObject
  System.Web.UIControl
    System.Web.UI.WebControlsWebControl
      System.Web.UI.WebControlsPanel
        Kettic.AspNet.ControlsSingleTemplateContainer

public class SingleTemplateContainer : Panel, 
	INamingContainer

Public Class SingleTemplateContainer
	Inherits Panel
	Implements INamingContainer

public ref class SingleTemplateContainer : public Panel, 
	INamingContainer

type SingleTemplateContainer =  
    class
        inherit Panel
        interface INamingContainer
    end

1) Into an existing WebControl add a readonly property and a member for the template container private SingleTemplateContainer _contentContainer; [Browsable(false)] public SingleTemplateContainer ContentContainer { get { EnsureChildControls(); return _contentContainer; } } 2) Override CreateChildControls() and instantiate the SingleTemplateContainer. The parameter is a reference to the instantiating control (used when throwing exceptions). protected override void CreateChildControls() { base.CreateChildControls(); _contentContainer = new SingleTemplateContainer(this); _contentContainer.ID = "Content"; Controls.Add(_contentContainer); } 3) Add read/write property for the template. You will need the TemplateContainer attribute in case if you override SingleTemplateContainer in order to add properties, accessible during the databinding. //[TemplateContainer(typeof(SingleTemplateContainer))] [PersistenceMode(PersistenceMode.InnerProperty)] [TemplateInstance(TemplateInstance.Single)] [Browsable(false)] public ITemplate ContentTemplate { get { EnsureChildControls(); return ContentContainer.Template; } set { EnsureChildControls(); ContentContainer.Template = value; } }