diff --git a/lua/oil/config.lua b/lua/oil/config.lua
index 9102727d..9f7257e9 100644
--- a/lua/oil/config.lua
+++ b/lua/oil/config.lua
@@ -123,6 +123,8 @@ local default_config = {
   -- Configuration for the floating window in oil.open_float
   float = {
     -- Padding around the floating window
+    -- Accepts a number for padding to be the same on each side
+    -- OR a table with { horizontal = number, vertical = number }
     padding = 2,
     max_width = 0,
     max_height = 0,
@@ -364,8 +366,12 @@ local M = {}
 ---@class (exact) oil.SetupProgressWindowConfig : oil.SetupWindowConfig
 ---@field minimized_border? string|string[] The border for the minimized progress window
 
+---@class (exact) oil.FloatWindowPaddingConfig
+---@field horizontal integer
+---@field vertical integer
+
 ---@class (exact) oil.FloatWindowConfig
----@field padding integer
+---@field padding integer|oil.FloatWindowPaddingConfig
 ---@field max_width integer
 ---@field max_height integer
 ---@field border string|string[]
@@ -427,6 +433,14 @@ M.setup = function(opts)
     new_conf.watch_for_changes = true
   end
 
+  -- If a number was given it is changed so no error is produced
+  if type(new_conf.float.padding) ~= "table" then
+    new_conf.float.padding = {
+      horizontal = new_conf.float.padding,
+      vertical = new_conf.float.padding
+    }
+  end
+
   for k, v in pairs(new_conf) do
     M[k] = v
   end
diff --git a/lua/oil/layout.lua b/lua/oil/layout.lua
index 8ed7b4e6..460a8bcf 100644
--- a/lua/oil/layout.lua
+++ b/lua/oil/layout.lua
@@ -110,14 +110,14 @@ M.get_fullscreen_win_opts = function()
 
   local total_width = M.get_editor_width()
   local total_height = M.get_editor_height()
-  local width = total_width - 2 * config.float.padding
+  local width = total_width - 2 * config.float.padding.horizontal
   if config.float.border ~= "none" then
     width = width - 2 -- The border consumes 1 col on each side
   end
   if config.float.max_width > 0 then
     width = math.min(width, config.float.max_width)
   end
-  local height = total_height - 2 * config.float.padding
+  local height = total_height - 2 * config.float.padding.vertical
   if config.float.max_height > 0 then
     height = math.min(height, config.float.max_height)
   end