How to Install A Cabinet Lighting?

When you do a cabinet lighting project first time, what you need to prepare?  I wanted to share my experiences from the very beginning.  I absolutely love the finished results!  This project was surprisingly easy to tackle.   I completed the install in less than two hours, and the total cost was right around $100.

I highly recommend making this update to your kitchen!

Step 1: Assessing my needs

Because I knew I wanted to install the under cabinet fixtures on my own, I decided to look for a model that could be plugged in (rather than a hardwire-only model).  I am no electrician, and I felt more comfortable with a plug-in fixture.

The first thing I did was to figure out where I could plug them in.  Depending on how your kitchen is oriented, there are a couple of good places to check for hidden outlets to use for under cabinet lighting:

• In any cabinet space above the microwave
• Behind the refrigerator

Luckily, the kitchen I was installing in had outlets in both places!  I decided to use the one behind the refrigerator simply to avoid drilling holes through the cabinets.

Next, I measured the spaces underneath the cabinets to determine what sizes I needed to buy.  See this post on "how many under cabinet lights do i need? for details on how to measure your cabinet “cavity.”

In the end, I purchased two LED thin under cabinet task lights – one in a 22-inch length and one in a 14-inch (my cabinets were two different sizes).  I purchased a linking cable to connect the two fixtures and a 6-foot power cord to ensure I’d have enough wire to reach the outlet behind the refrigerator.

If you want additional information about the various types of under cabinet lighting and/or would like help determining which light fixture is right for you, check out this post on how to choose under cabinet lighting – it should make things clear