--What Is Under Cabinet Lighting?

Under cabinet lightings are installed underneath the cabinets, shelves, or similar surfaces to provide sufficient illumination for tasking. LED strips, puck lights, and mini bar lights are the most popular variants of under-cabinet lighting. Unlike traditional fixtures, these lights have a minimalistic design that fits the little space under the cabinet and provides a hidden lighting effect. Apart from task lighting, under cabinet lights also work great for accent lighting. You can install these in different ways depending on the layout and thus enhance the look of your interior. 

Why Is The Right Placement Of Under Cabinet Lighting Important?

The correct placement of under-cabinet lighting significantly improves the functionality and aesthetics of your area, commercial or home. Let’s see the importance of placing the under-cabinet fixtures correctly-

Task Illumination: Under-cabinet lighting serves as task lighting. For instance, the undercabinet lighting of the kitchen aids in proper visuals while chopping vegetables, reading recipes, or preparing meals. Thus, with correct placement, you can ensure that the light is directed where needed to enhance visibility for these tasks. To learn more about kitchen lighting, check this- How To Choose the LED Strip Lights For Kitchen Cabinets?

Ambiance And Mood Enhancement: Well-placed under-cabinet lighting contributes to the overall ambiance of the space. For this, tunable white LED strip lights work best. You can use warm lighting when doing relaxing tasks in the kitchen, like refilling your grocery items. This will create a warm and cozy mood. Again, switch to cool light for proper visualization when doing tasks like chopping or cooking. This way, you can enjoy the perfect lighting while doing any task in your kitchen. However, there is more to know about how light can affect your mood; read this for details- How To Use LED Light Colors For Different Moods?

Highlighting Design Features: Properly placed lighting can accentuate the architectural and design features of your cabinets, countertops, and backsplash. With it, you can draw guests’ attention to these elements and increase the visual appeal of your space.

Minimizing Glare And Shadows: Placing under-cabinet lighting in the right place helps minimize glare and shadows. This is especially important in the kitchen as sharp knives are often used there. So, with adequate lighting, you can reduce the chances of accidents and get a clear view of the workspace.

Location To Place Under Cabinet Lighting

1. Front Of The Cabinet: Best For Task Lighting 

Putting lights in the front of your cabinet works best for task lighting. This way, you can ensure more light goes to the front of your counter and less to the wall behind it. Thus, it will provide sufficient illumination when you chop vegetables or do other food preparation tasks on the counter. LED strips and stick/bar lights are the best choice for front cabinet lighting. You can install them following the inner boundary of the under cabinet. However, any railings in front of the cabinet may hide the fixture, which can cause shadow issues. In this case, installing the fixture 2-3 inches backward would be enough. Nevertheless, if the railing is designed in such a way that you can easily insert the LED strips on its inner side, don’t miss to take advantage of it. Such an under-cabinet light installation will hide the fixture and bring elegant accent lighting. 

2. Back Of The Cabinet: Works Okay For Accent Lighting

If you install your lights at the back of the cabinet, the wall behind your kitchen counter will be well-lit. But the front of the counter won’t have as much light. Don’t put the lights at the back of the cabinet if you need good light for cooking and other kitchen activities. Instead, you can place them closer to the front. But when your kitchen has sufficient ambient lighting, and you want to focus more on accent lighting, the back of the cabinet is your go-to location. For accent lighting, you can choose warm-tone LED strips that bring a cozy vibe to your space. Besides, you can also experiment with colorful LED strips like- turquoise, orange, pink, blue, or something that goes with your interior. Check this to find the best light color for your kitchen cabinet. How do you choose the right color lighting for a kitchen?

3. Middle Of The Cabinet: Bring Lighting Balance 

Placing the lights in the middle of the cabinet will share the light evenly between the backsplash and the front of your counter. It also balances task and ambient lighting. If you’re unsure what to do, putting the lights in the middle can be an amicable middle-ground solution. When you put the lights under the cabinet in the middle, you’ll still have enough light on the front of your countertops. Thus, it aids in both accent and task lighting. However, consider the size and brightness of the fixture you install. Ensure the fixture you place in the middle of the undercabinet is bright enough to illuminate the entire underneath space evenly.

However, if your countertop is made of shiny material like marble or tiles, avoid using fixtures under the cabinet that are too bright. This will cause replication issues. In this case, if you are using puck lights, use small lights with wider beam angles; this will diffuse the light without causing major reflection issues. Again, I suggest you go for a medium-level lumen rating with a wider strip length for LED strip lights. Thus, you won’t face reflecting issues but will have sufficient lighting for tasking. In this case, the size of the LED chip is also a crucial factor in selecting the ideal LED strip. Bigger LED strips can give greater illumination

How Do You Install Under Cabinet Lighting To The Right Place?

LED strip lights are the most popular lighting option for under-cabinet lighting. by following, we will share about how you can install LED strips under cabinets.

Step 1: Select Location & Take Measurements 

First, you need to decide where you want to place the LED strips. If you are focused on task lighting, select the front of the cabinet to install lights. And for accent lighting, the back part of the cabinet works great. However, if you can’t decide where to place them, the middle section of the cabinet is a safe option to go. Once you have decided on the location, it’s time to take measurements. Using a measuring tape, note down the length of the cavity. This measurement will help you purchase the LED strips per the length requirements.

Step 2: Gather Necessary Tools

Now that you know how many LED strips you need, purchase them from a reliable source，Besides LED strips, there are some more elements that you will need for the installation; these are as follows- 

Measuring tape，Scissor，LED strip connectors，LED controller，LED driver

Step 3: Cut The LED Strips

Place the LED strip in the location you want to install. Now, cut the LED strips according to the cavity length under the cabinet. Cutting these fixtures is pretty simple. You will find scissor icons in the PCB of the strips that indicate cutting junctions. Following the marking, size your strips and move to the next step.

Step 4: Clean The Surface

Cabinets in kitchen areas often accumulate dirt and oils. Placing the LED strips directly into such a dirty surface is a wrong practice as the adhesives can’t stick well. So, your LED strips can get loose and fall off. To avoid this, cleaning the surface is essential. You can use alcohol or any wet cloth to clean the space. However, make sure the surface under the cabinet is completely dry before you install LED strips. In case the surface is kept wet, adhesives will not stick to it. 

Step 5: Mount The LED Strip Under The Cabinet 

LED strips come with an adhesive backing, which makes installation much easier. You can simply peel off the back and press it to the surface under the cabinet. For strengthening the installations, you can also use clips. Besides, there is also the option to create a built-in installation by using aluminum channels. This will give a professional look to your cabinets. However, installing LED strips with this method requires technical skills. And it can be quite expensive to implement such an installation. 

Step 6: Power Up The Light

Once your installation is done, it’s time to power them up. Connect the LED driver to the LED strip and then to the power source. Check the electric source’s positive(+) and negative(-) marks and connect them accordingly to your LED strips. Turn it on, and the light will illuminate.

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