How to Install Lighting Underneath Kitchen Cabinets

I know in our house we like to experiment with different kinds of recipes. This is fine if done in the broad daylight, but if we get the urge to do so anytime after dusk, we have a problem: The most comfortable place to work is in a specific corner of our kitchen counter space where it is too dark to see the words in a cookbook easily. So, we came up with an easy solution; lighting underneath the cabinets. We absolutely love the lighting we put in. It makes reading easy, as well as food preparation and cleaning up, just to mention a few of the benefits. The work is not all that difficult, nor that expensive, so if under cabinet lighting would work well for you, it is something I would highly recommend. The finished look is custom and the soft and glowing light adds a real richness to the room.

Once you have determined that you would like this type of lighting, you must gather your supplies. You will need the following:

Halogen Puck Kits, making sure to get as many lights as you will need for the job (you can get a running strip or you can purchase kits that come with two in a package).

Low-Voltage Transformer

Carpenter's Pencil

Drill

Drill Bits

Awl

The first thing you want to do is determine where you want your new lighting to be placed. Once you have done this, take the template that is included in your halogen puck kit and mark the holes where you will need to drill. Then you want to use your awl to make an indentation under the cabinets where you marked on the template. Drill the pucks into place and then snap on the diffuser tops.

Now it is time to do your wiring. Connect all of the pieces where appropriate, including the connector at the puck end to the connector on the wiring, the wires to the receptacle, the on/off switch to the wiring, and the two-part plug from the kit, into the wire ends.

Take the wire clips included in the kit and use them to secure the loose wiring into place so you have nothing unsightly left to look at. Make sure to space them evenly and have them so that your wires are taunt but not too tight. Plug in the finished lights to a working receptacle and you now have brand new lighting to aid and further enhance the look in your kitchen.