diff --git a/example/axischart/main.cpp b/example/axischart/main.cpp
index 97ae989..409fb7f 100644
--- a/example/axischart/main.cpp
+++ b/example/axischart/main.cpp
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
     axis.setGridPen(Qt::DashLine);
 
     chartView->setDefaultAxisX(axis);
-    //axis.setShadesBrush(Qt::gray);
+    axis.setShadesBrush(Qt::gray);
     chartView->setDefaultAxisY(axis);
 
     window.setCentralWidget(chartView);
diff --git a/src/axisitem.cpp b/src/axisitem.cpp
index d20b7a0..1531ab9 100644
--- a/src/axisitem.cpp
+++ b/src/axisitem.cpp
@@ -13,11 +13,13 @@ m_ticks(4),
 m_type(type),
 m_labelsAngle(0),
 m_shadesEnabled(true),
-m_grid(this),
-m_shades(this),
-m_labels(this)
+m_grid(parent),
+m_shades(parent),
+m_labels(parent)
 {
     //initial initialization
+    m_shades.setZValue(0);
+    m_grid.setZValue(2);
     createItems();
 }
 
@@ -73,6 +75,8 @@ void AxisItem::updateDomain()
           {
               const qreal deltaX = m_rect.width() / m_ticks;
 
+              m_axis.setLine(m_rect.left(), m_rect.bottom(), m_rect.right(), m_rect.bottom());
+
               for (int i = 0; i <= m_ticks; ++i) {
 
                   int x = i * deltaX + m_rect.left();
@@ -100,6 +104,8 @@ void AxisItem::updateDomain()
           {
               const qreal deltaY = m_rect.height()/ m_ticks;
 
+              m_axis.setLine(m_rect.left() , m_rect.top(), m_rect.left(), m_rect.bottom());
+
               for (int i = 0; i <= m_ticks; ++i) {
 
                   int y = i * -deltaY + m_rect.bottom();
@@ -131,6 +137,13 @@ void AxisItem::updateDomain()
 
 void AxisItem::handleAxisChanged(const QChartAxis& axis)
 {
+    if(axis.isAxisVisible()) {
+           setAxisOpacity(100);
+       }
+       else {
+           setAxisOpacity(0);
+    }
+
     if(axis.isGridVisible()) {
         setGridOpacity(100);
     }
@@ -168,6 +181,7 @@ void AxisItem::handleAxisChanged(const QChartAxis& axis)
         break;
     }
 
+    setAxisPen(axis.axisPen());
     setLabelsPen(axis.labelsPen());
     setLabelsBrush(axis.labelsBrush());
     setLabelsFont(axis.labelFont());
@@ -191,6 +205,16 @@ void AxisItem::handleGeometryChanged(const QRectF& rect)
     update();
 }
 
+void AxisItem::setAxisOpacity(qreal opacity)
+{
+    m_axis.setOpacity(opacity);
+}
+
+qreal AxisItem::axisOpacity() const
+{
+    return m_axis.opacity();
+}
+
 void AxisItem::setGridOpacity(qreal opacity)
 {
     m_grid.setOpacity(opacity);
@@ -267,6 +291,11 @@ void AxisItem::setShadesPen(const QPen& pen)
     }
 }
 
+void AxisItem::setAxisPen(const QPen& pen)
+{
+    m_axis.setPen(pen);
+}
+
 void AxisItem::setGridPen(const QPen& pen)
 {
     foreach(QGraphicsItem* item , m_grid.childItems()) {
diff --git a/src/axisitem_p.h b/src/axisitem_p.h
index 4317de4..fc21bf1 100644
--- a/src/axisitem_p.h
+++ b/src/axisitem_p.h
@@ -24,6 +24,9 @@ public:
 
     AxisType axisType() const {return m_type;};
 
+    void setAxisOpacity(qreal opacity);
+    qreal axisOpacity() const;
+
     void setGridOpacity(qreal opacity);
     qreal gridOpacity() const;
 
@@ -42,6 +45,7 @@ public:
     void setShadesBrush(const QBrush& brush);
     void setShadesPen(const QPen& pen);
 
+    void setAxisPen(const QPen& pen);
     void setGridPen(const QPen& pen);
 
     void setLabelsPen(const QPen& pen);
@@ -67,6 +71,7 @@ private:
     QGraphicsItemGroup m_grid;
     QGraphicsItemGroup m_shades;
     QGraphicsItemGroup m_labels;
+    QGraphicsLineItem m_axis;
 
 };
 
diff --git a/src/charttheme.cpp b/src/charttheme.cpp
index 39fdd44..8c53977 100644
--- a/src/charttheme.cpp
+++ b/src/charttheme.cpp
@@ -239,6 +239,7 @@ void ChartTheme::decorate(QChartAxis& axis,AxisItem* item)
 
     axis.setLabelsBrush(Qt::black);
     axis.setLabelsPen(Qt::NoPen);
+    axis.setShadesPen(Qt::NoPen);
     item->handleAxisChanged(axis);
 }
 
diff --git a/src/qchartaxis.cpp b/src/qchartaxis.cpp
index b7ca0b7..2161e81 100644
--- a/src/qchartaxis.cpp
+++ b/src/qchartaxis.cpp
@@ -22,11 +22,6 @@ void QChartAxis::setAxisPen(const QPen& pen)
     m_axisPen=pen;
 }
 
-void QChartAxis::setAxisBrush(const QBrush& brush)
-{
-    m_axisBrush=brush;
-}
-
 void QChartAxis::setAxisVisible(bool visible)
 {
     m_axisVisible=visible;