Yes, under-cabinet lighting can be a weekend DIY with plug-in kits; hire a licensed electrician for any hardwiring.
Plan The Result You Want
Good task light makes chopping safer and cleanup easier. Decide first: bright task light, soft accent, or both. That choice drives the parts list, power method, and dimming.
Adding Lights Under Kitchen Cabinets — Step-By-Step
Choose Your Lighting Type
Tape Light (LED strips): Flexible reels that stick under cabinet faces.
Light Bars: Rigid aluminum bars with built-in diffusers.
Puck Lights: Small round fixtures that create spots of light.
Pick A Power Approach
Plug-In: Fast and friendly for DIY. A cord runs to a nearby outlet, often inside a cabinet.
Hardwired Low Voltage: A licensed pro connects a driver to house power, then runs low-voltage leads to the lights.
Battery Packs: Handy for rentals, but brightness and runtime lag behind wired options.
Under-Cabinet Options At A Glance
| Option | Best For | Pros/Trade-Offs |
|---|---|---|
| Tape Light | Even task light on long runs | Thin profile; continuous glow; needs a driver; cut points every few inches |
| Light Bars | Short runs and crisp edges | Clean look; simple spacing; fewer cut choices; fixtures define spacing |
| Puck Lights | Accent or glass-front cabinets | Easy to aim; dramatic pools; uneven spread on counters |
Measure And Map Your Runs
Grab a tape measure and sketch the layout. Mark cabinet widths, any gaps, the location of the range, and where outlets live. Note the lip under each box; you want the LEDs tucked out of sight. Avoid placing light right behind a crown molding where glare might peek out.
Decide Brightness And Color
For prep zones, aim for bright, even light on the worktop. Many kitchens feel pleasant in the 3000 K range, while dining nooks lean warmer. A color rendering index near 90 helps food and finishes look natural. Dim-to-warm gear can shift from 3000 K down to a candlelike tone for evenings.
Choose Voltage And Driver Size
Most tape kits come in 12 V or 24 V. Longer runs favor 24 V because voltage drop shows up later. Drivers are rated in watts; add the watts of all connected lights and pad the total by about 20–30% so the driver runs cool. Keep drivers accessible for service and label which run each driver feeds.
Plan Controls Up Front
Decide where dimmers live. Plug-in kits often include small remotes or inline dimmers. Low-voltage setups can tie to a wall dimmer rated for the driver type.
Prep Tools And Materials
Grab a tape measure, pencil, level, drill/driver, wire clips, rubbing alcohol, and painter’s tape. For tape, add a few corner connectors and mounting clips. For bars, confirm screw length so you don’t pierce the cabinet floor.
Safety And Code Notes
Work de-energized. Unplug cords and flip breakers before touching any conductors. Use listed components and follow the instructions that ship with the product. A licensed electrician should handle any connection to house wiring or new receptacles.
Placement Rules That Always Pay Off
Set lights toward the cabinet face, not tight to the wall. That pushes light forward, hides dots, and reduces shadows. Keep the same setback across all cabinets so the glow lines up.
Dry Fit Before You Commit
Tape fixtures in place and test at night. Adjust setback to remove scallops or glare. Confirm drill paths miss hinges and drawer glides.
How To Install Plug-In Tape Light
- Clean the underside with alcohol. Let it dry.
- Snap the tape into its channel or lay it directly if the kit allows.
- Peel and stick in one pass while keeping a straight line along the front rail.
- Use solderless connectors only at marked cut points.
- Secure leads with cable clips; leave a service loop near the driver.
- Mount the driver in a ventilated space inside a cabinet.
- Route the cord to a GFCI-protected outlet if within reach of the sink.
- Add the dimmer inline if your kit uses one.
- Power up and check for any dim sections that suggest a bad connector.
How To Install Rigid Light Bars
- Mark mounting holes and pre-drill shallow pilot holes.
- Fasten brackets; snap bars into place.
- Daisy-chain bars where allowed; mind the max run length.
- Hide extra cable in channels or behind stiles.
- Aim diffusers toward the front lip for a smooth wash.
- Connect to the driver or wall adapter and test dimming from low to high.
Dealing With Corners And Gaps
Inside corners look best with a small gap or a 45° mitre in an aluminum channel. For tape, corner connectors simplify turns but add tiny losses; use them sparingly. Over a sink where no cabinet sits, carry light with a slim bar hidden under a small valance, or stop neatly at the neighboring boxes and rely on the sink fixture.
Avoiding Shadows And Hotspots
Shadows happen when LEDs sit too far from the front edge or when runs break around gaps. Push fixtures forward and choose diffusers with higher density. If dots still show on a glossy backsplash, install tape inside a shallow aluminum channel with a frosted lens. That spreads the beam and calms reflections.
Color And Brightness Choices Backed By Research
Light color affects how wood tones, veined stone, and produce appear. Federal guidance explains how Correlated Color Temperature and Color Rendering Index shape visual comfort and fidelity — see the DOE LED color factsheet. Standards bodies publish illuminance targets by room type so task zones land in a comfortable range; the IES Illuminance Selector is a handy reference. Link your dimmer to day and night patterns so counters run bright for prep and mellow for late snacks.
Smart Controls And Scenes
Many drivers accept radio modules. A remote or phone app can set scenes like Prep, Dinner, and Nightlight. Keep reset steps handy.
Cable Management That Looks Professional
Run cables through side panels near the face frame. Drill small holes and add bushings. Stick-on raceways keep leads tidy. Label each run at both ends.
Troubleshooting Common Issues
- One section looks dim: suspect a weak connector or voltage drop; move the driver closer or feed from the middle.
- A segment flickers: look for a loose plug, an overloaded driver, or a dimmer that doesn’t match the driver.
- Color mismatch between runs: confirm you bought from the same reel batch or set all bars to the same CCT.
- Dots reflect in glossy tile: add a diffuser channel or shift the setback forward.
When To Hire A Pro
Call an electrician when adding a new circuit, fishing wires through finished walls, or tying into a switched leg. A pro will calculate load, select the right box type, and maintain enclosure fill limits. You’ll get a clean wall control and fewer holes to patch.
Care And Maintenance
Wipe lenses with a soft cloth. Add screws if adhesive channels sag. Match voltage and CCT when replacing parts.
Color, Brightness, And Driver Quick Picks
- Use 2700–3000 K for warm kitchens, 3500 K for neutral, 4000 K for crisp modern palettes.
- Aim near 90 CRI for better color on food and finishes.
- For task runs, 250–450 lumens per foot feels strong; accent shelves do fine at 100–250.
- Pick 24 V for counters longer than eight feet per run to limit drop.
- Size the driver to at least 1.25× the total load in watts.
Quick Picks Cheat Sheet
| Setting | Recommended Spec | Why It Helps |
|---|---|---|
| Warm wood and brass | 2700–3000 K, 90 CRI | Brings out warm tones and keeps glare low |
| Mixed palettes | 3500 K, 90 CRI | Neutral white plays nice with warm and cool surfaces |
| Sleek white kitchens | 4000 K, 90 CRI | Crisp look with strong contrast on counters |
| Long straight runs | 24 V tape or bars | Less voltage drop and brighter ends |
| Small accent shelves | 12 V tape | Easy to power with small drivers |
Simple Math For Driver Sizing
Add the watts per foot times the length of each run. Total them all. Multiply by 1.25 to 1.3. Pick the next driver size up. A quick case: 4 W/ft tape over 18 ft across the room equals 72 W. A 96 W driver runs cool and leaves room for later.
Where To Place The Outlet Or Driver
Skip any switched outlet above the uppers. Place a new outlet inside a base or wall cabinet. Keep drivers accessible and away from steam. Leave slack for service.
What To Do With Backsplash Tile
Plan wire paths before tiling. Add low-voltage pass-throughs hidden by the range hood or by the microwave cabinet. Where tile already exists, run flat cable in a channel under the cabinet and paint the channel to match.
Testing Before Final Cleanup
Run the lights at full output for an hour. Check for warmth at connectors and drivers. Verify dimming range is smooth from low to high. Confirm cords clear of hinges. Label drivers with wattage on each clearly.
Energy And Quality Resources
For deeper reading on color quality and spectrum, see the Department of Energy guide linked above. For target illuminance by room type, the IES tool linked above summarizes ranges in plain terms. Those pages explain how color fidelity and brightness targets translate to comfortable spaces.
Printable End Checklist
- Lights sit near the cabinet face and look even on the counter.
- Setback lines up across all runs.
- Cables are hidden and labeled.
- Driver wattage leaves headroom.
- Dimming works with no flicker.
- Color temperature matches the palette.
- The sink area looks bright enough for prep.
- Night scene leaves a soft path glow.