How to Install Under Cabinet Lighting
Make your kitchen glow with easy-to-install under cabinet lighting. It’s a nice accent to your counters and cabinets and helps with everyday kitchen tasks. Learn how to install under cabinet lighting in this Lowe’s video:
Pick Your Lights
A picture of your kitchen is helpful when choosing lights. Plug-ins are easy to install; all you need is a wall outlet. Hardwired systems should be installed by professionals. Types of plug-in lights include pucks, strips, tape and rope.
- Puck lights give off scalloped pockets of light. Space them about 8-12 inches apart for more even lighting.
- Strips emit flooded light. Just pick fixtures that match the length of your cabinets.
- Rope and tape lights have a nice even illumination. They’re great for large areas like the top of your cabinets or at the bottom near the toekick.
You can pick light colors too. Warm colors work well for ambient light, and cool colors are best for task lighting. Buy fixtures from the same product family to ensure color consistency.
Make sure your cabinet bases will hide the lights. A quick measurement is all you need to check.
Installation
For puck lights, begin by setting the lights, wires, and power hub in place on the countertop to check the layout. It’s best to position the lights near the front of the cabinet, and it’s important to make sure the cables will reach the outlet. When it all looks good, twist off the light and lens. Hold the mounting cap in place and mark the holes with a pencil. Drill a shallow starter hole, then re-position the cap and fasten with screws. If you’re going to recess the lights, like in the top of cabinets, drill the holes, run the wiring and secure with screws.
Next, attach the lights. Twist and lock. Secure the power control and power hub with screws. Route the wires to the power hub and plug them in. You might need to drill through the cabinets to run the wires. Use cord clips to secure them. Tuck extra wire in the space between the cabinets. Plug in the power, and turn on.
If you like the look of LED strips, they install the same way. Attach with screws and route the jumper cables to link the lights together. Plug them in, and that’s it.
Rope lights are great for ambient lighting. Simply fasten with the included clips and plug in.
Tape lights work the same way, except all you need to do is remove the adhesive backing adn press onto the cabinet. Some even come with a remote. For small spaces, try battery powered lights. Just peel and stick, then press the switch.
