You’ve come to the correct site if you’re wondering how to install under-cabinet lights.

Perhaps you want to put LED lights under your cabinets as part of a kitchen redesign, or perhaps your kitchen is just too gloomy and you need a quick solution to add extra lighting. Continue reading to learn more about the equipment you’ll need and a step-by-step tutorial for installing hardwired under-cabinet lighting.

Before You Begin

Most under cabinet lighting fixtures may be hardwired or plugged into an outlet.

Plugging in is a simple choice if you are not electrically adept and have an available outlet in your kitchen. Hardwiring the light fixture is the logical solution for house renovations and overcrowded kitchens.

Not only does it save you one outlet, but it also makes the power lines simpler to conceal. This article will walk you through the process of hardwiring your under-cabinet lights.

There are several under-cabinet lighting options available, whether you prefer to plug in or hardwire. Under-cabinet strip lights are a popular option since they are affordable and simple to install. They also come in a number of colors for people who want to use their under-cabinet lights to create distinct moods. Strip lights are an excellent alternative for individuals looking for a low-cost, practical, and entertaining lighting solution.

There are also more pricey, professional-looking lights that may be appropriate for contemporary houses and kitchen remodels. These come in a variety of shapes and illumination settings, but most seem more professional than strip lights. Though available colors and brightness settings may be limited, these lights are usually more specific to the kitchen and produce more desirable mood lighting.

Before selecting a light fixture, attempt to determine the ideal sort of under-counter lighting for your kitchen. Compare pricing and specs by doing some research. Know what sizes you’ll need and, if you’re adding lights to many cabinets, how many fixtures you’ll need.

You’re ready to install the light fixture after you’ve settled on it.

Tools You’ll Need

• Receptacle tester
• Screwdriver
• Mallet
• 1/2-inch spade bit
• Cordless drill
• Stiff wire
• Flashlight
• Needle-nose pliers
• 12/2 non-metallic (NM) electrical cable
• Electrical tape
• Nylon NM cable lock connector
• NM cable and wire strippers
• 1/2-inch two-screw NM cable clamp
• Orange wire connectors
• NM cable staples

Although this is a lengthy list, the most of the tools are pretty common.

Step-by-Step Guide for Installing LED Lights Under The Cabinet

Here’s how to put LED lights under your cabinets:

Step 1

Turn off the circuit breaker that powers your kitchen’s outlets. Connect your receptacle tester to check you switched the correct breaker and that the electricity is turned off.

Step 2

Remove the outlet from which you want to hardwire the under-cabinet lighting. Gently remove the outlet from its junction box, noting the particular wire locations (which screw each wire was attached to).

You should notice a knockout or a round indentation on the top side that you may utilize to make a knockout. To create a knockout in a junction box with an indentation, use a mallet and screwdriver to bust open the indentation.

Step 3

Drill a hole in the bottom lip of the cabinet above the box. Thread a firm wire through the top of your junction box, keeping an eye out for it via the hole you bore. This wire will be used to run your nonmetallic cable through the wall and out the junction box.

Grab the wire with pliers and pull it out through the hole. Tape the wire to the cable, then drag the wire back through the box with the cable.

Step 4

Slide the cable lock connection up the cable several inches and snap it into the cutout at the top of the junction box. Strip six inches of the cable sheath using wire strippers, revealing the wires within. Remove half an inch of wire covering from each freshly exposed wire.

Make hooks on the exposed wire ends using pliers. Connect the black wire to the copper screw on the outlet, the white wire to the silver screw, and the copper wire to the green screw. Tighten all screws after reconnecting the original wires to the corresponding outlet screws. Replace the outlet cover and reconnect the outlet to its junction box.

Step 5

Remove the cover off the light fixture you’re intending to install, either by unscrewing or sliding it off, depending on the style of the fixture. To reveal the connecting wires, open the chamber housing them.

Look for a cutout or depression comparable to the one on your junction box. If necessary, remove the metal disc. Unscrew the cable clamp’s locknut, insert your clamp threads into the knockout, and tighten the locknut.

Step 6

Position the light fixture where desired on the bottom of the cabinet and fasten it with the provided mounting screws. Strip the opposite ends of the cable to expose the wires, as you did earlier.

Connect the cable wires to the wires within the fixture in the following order: black to black, white to white, and copper to green. Connect the wires, then insert them into the wire compartment within the light fixture and replace the cover.

Step 7

If you’re wondering how to conceal under-cabinet lighting wiring, just staple the cable cord to the bottom of the cabinet, behind the light fixture.

Conclusion

Though it may seem to be a hard operation, understanding how to install LED lights beneath the cabinet is really fairly straightforward. You should have no issue hardwiring your under-cabinet lights if you have experience with simple electrical work. Even if you’re completely new, just follow the instructions in this article and you’ll be fine. Visit Under Cabinet Range Hood Installation Guide for more detail.