Installing Under Cabinet Lights

Under-cabinet lighting adds style as well as function.

Under-cabinet lighting adds both beauty and functionality to your kitchen. There are many ways to approach this home improvement project, which you can accomplish regardless of your tool skills or electrical knowledge. The best lighting type for your kitchen will depend on your cabinet design as well as the area you need to cover and your preferred installation and operation method.

Electrical Types

You may have under-cabinet lighting either hardwired into your home's electrical system, plugged into an outlet or even battery-operated. If you have little experience with electricity, choose one of the latter two types for your under-cabinet lighting.

Plug-in units are easy to install and you don't have to worry about battery burnout but you may not like the look of a cord hanging down, especially if you do not have an available outlet nearby. Plug-in and hardwired light systems may operate off 120 or 12 volts but 12-volt systems require a transformer to step down your household voltage. Battery systems are inherently low-voltage, so you do not need a transformer.

Installation Methods

Under-cabinet lighting may screw or bolt into the underside of your cabinets but some lightweight models attach with adhesive strips. Adhesive strips are the simplest installation method but the adhesive may lose strength over time, causing the lights to fall. Adhesive also requires a clean surface to stick properly, so clean the cabinet undersides well before you use this method.

Screw-in or bolt-on lights are more secure but they require following installation procedures carefully. You will likely need to drill holes through your cabinet from the underside and then fasten the bolts or screws downward from inside the cabinet. Bolt or screw heads will be visible inside the cabinet and may cause uneven surfaces for your stored dishes, so consider adding a shelf liner on top of the heads if you use these installation methods.

Appearance

Under-cabinet lighting should be invisible from most places in your kitchen from normal standing height. This means that if your cabinet facing does not hang below the cabinet bases, you may need to add trim to the facing to hide your lights. Molding strips work well for this purpose.

Choose a lighting style that coordinates with your fixtures in case parts of the lights are seen. For example, use brushed nickel under-cabinet fixtures to match a brushed nickel faucet nearby. Cords for wired lights also can detract from the appearance, so fasten them tightly just behind the front facing overhang and run them along the cabinet edge to the wall. You can also run the wiring along the inside back of your cabinets by drilling a few holes to allow access.

Purpose

If the lights are primarily functional, to allow you greater visibility on work surfaces, select your placement carefully to avoid having your own hand cast shadows as you work. For example, install one light to either side of your primary work area so their beams overlap, giving you multiple angles of light, rather than having one light directly over the area. If you want under-cabinet lighting mainly for appearance, choose dimmable lights and install a dimmer switch so you can vary the lighting settings according to the mood you want to create.

References

• Lighting Research Center: A Homeowner's Guide to Residential Under-Cabinet Lighting; 2007