In your title, you implied that you want to use <div>s, which is what many web designers prefer over tables.
The trick is to use a smart editor like Bluefish and lay in the structures one at a time to see how they look.
To get started with the syntax and techniques, I strongly recommend this book:
http://www.amazon.com/Spring-Into-HT.../dp/0131855867
It will be at any good-sized bookstore, also.
Also, go look at my website---it is done with CSS, <div>s, etc. (see the source code (in Firefox) by right-clicking anywhere on the page.)