Illuminate Your Kitchen: The Beauty and Function of Under-Cabinet LED Strips
Why use LED strip lights as under-cabinet lighting for your kitchen?
Under-cabinet lighting provides improved task lighting by illuminating your countertops. This reduces shadows and enhances the aesthetics of your kitchen, giving it a modern and clean look.
Using LED strip lights as under-cabinet lighting promotes energy efficiency by using less electricity while providing bright illumination. They also last longer than traditional lighting options, making them a more cost-effective choice for illuminating your kitchen countertops. The LED strip lights also provide more flexible customisation due to their cutability and bendability.
If you’re excited to install LED strip lights under cabinets, read below to understand everything you need to know – plus a complete step-by-step guide.
The Advantages of LED Strips for Kitchen Under-Cabinet Lighting
LED strip lights are an excellent choice for under-cabinet lighting. They can enhance your kitchen’s visual appeal by giving your countertops and backsplashes a sleek and modern look. However, more than aesthetics, LED strip lights can also provide excellent task lighting while keeping energy costs low compared to traditional under-cabinet lights. It’s a cost-effective way of making food preparations easier and safer.
One of the biggest appeals of LED strip lights is their ease of installation. Many LED strip light kits come with a plug-and-play setup where you only need to stick the strips and call it a day. They are also easy to cut, bend, and twist, allowing for seamless installation on any cabinet size.
Your DIY Toolkit: What You’ll Need to Get Started
LED Strip Lights
Of course, the first thing you’ll need is your strip lights. Since you’re installing LED strip lights under kitchen cabinets, opting for a higher IP rating (at least IP65) would be ideal, especially on parts near the sink and the stove, where moisture and liquids can get into the strip lights. Also consider the colour you’ll get for single-colour strips, whether warm white, cool white, or natural white.
Power Supply (Driver)
The length of your LED strip light will determine its total wattage, which will then determine the wattage of the LED driver that you’ll need for the installation. To account for any sudden power surges, it is recommended that your LED strip run only 80% of your power supply’s rated wattage. This should help you avoid overheating and irreparable damage due to electrical issues.
LED Controller and Dimmer (Optional)
Will you need dimmable under-cabinet lights? Consider that, too, but do not compromise the task lighting illuminance for aesthetic appeal. If you need dimming capabilities, get a compatible controller/dimmer for your strips. Otherwise, you’ll eventually run into issues with your light, like flickering, damage or burnout.
Connecting Cables/Wires
Especially if you’re doing a DIY for your LED strips, ensure you get the correct type of wire with the same 12v or 24v rating, similar to the rating of the LED strips you’re getting. You’ll use the wires to connect the strips to the power supply and/or controller.
Solderless Connectors or Soldering Supplies
If you’re a beginner or just love the ease of connecting LEDs using connectors, go for solderless connectors. For advanced DIYers who love soldering, ensure your soldering kit is complete.
Mounting Clips or Strong Double-Sided Adhesive Tape
Decide on how you want to install your LED strips. Strong double-sided adhesives are best for smooth and clean surfaces. Mounting clips are for uneven surfaces or surfaces where adhesives won’t stick.
Wire Clips or Cable Management
You don’t want messy cables, especially if you’re aiming for a modern, sleek look for your kitchen countertops. Get some wire clips or ties handy for cable management.
Cleaning Supplies (Isopropyl Alcohol)
If you use double-sided adhesives to mount your LED strip lights, have some isopropyl alcohol ready. Isopropyl alcohol is a good agent for cleaning most surfaces. A clean surface will have better adhesion.
DIY Made Easy: Installing Your Under-Cabinet LED Strip Lights (a Step-by-Step Installation Guide)
Step 1: Plan Your Layout
Decide where and how to position your LED strip lights under your kitchen cabinets. Avoid direct visibility and consider achieving even light distribution on countertops to avoid shadows and dark spots.
Step 2: Measure and Cut the LED Strips
Get an accurate measurement of the LED strips you need for the project, and carefully cut them at the designated cutting marks. Use sharp scissors or a utility knife to avoid damaging the strips.
Step 3: Clean the Mounting Surfaces
Especially if you’re using adhesives for mounting your LED strips, thoroughly cleaning the underside surface of your kitchen cabinets with isopropyl alcohol is a must. After cleaning, allow the surface to dry completely.
Step 4: Attach the LED Strips
Peel off the adhesive backing and carefully stick the LED strips to the cleaned surfaces. Consider mounting clips or strong double-sided tape for a more secure hold, especially on uneven areas.
Step 5: Connect the LED Strips (if using multiple sections)
When using solderless connectors or soldering the strips together, ensure correct polarity.
Step 6: Connect to the Power Supply (and Controller, if applicable)
Again, ensure correct polarity when doing this. Connect the LED strip lights to the power supply (and controller) using the appropriate low-voltage wires and connectors. If you are unsure about any wiring, consult a qualified electrician.
Step 7: Mount the Power Supply:
Mount the power supply in a suitable and accessible location, ensuring it is not exposed to moisture or excessive heat. Pro tip: When installing, make sure that the power supply end of your LED run is close to a socket.
Step 8: Manage the Wires
To conceal and secure the wiring under your kitchen cabinets, use wire clips, ties, or other cable management solutions. Proper cable management ensures clean aesthetics and electrical safety.
Step 9: Test the Lights
Plug in the power supply and turn on the lights to ensure they work correctly. If installed, test the dimmer and controller functions. For smart LED strip lights, test the Wi-Fi or Bluetooth connectivity, mobile app, and voice control features to see if they’re working correctly.
DIY Electrical Tips: Powering Your Under-Cabinet Lights Safely
- Never overload your circuits.
- Make sure you’re using the right power supply or driver.
- Cover any exposed wires with insulated tape or tube.
- If not competent, or if simply unsure how, get a qualified electrician to connect the power supply to the mains circuit.
Kitchen Style: Achieving the Perfect Under-Cabinet Lighting Look
Conceal the LED strips to avoid glare and provide softer, indirect lighting that is easy on the eyes. Choosing the right colour temperature is also essential to achieve different kitchen styles and moods. Here are some styles you can try:
- Modern/Contemporary: 4000K–5000K (Cool White)
- Traditional: 2700K–3000K (Warm White)
- Transitional: 3000K–3500K (Natural White)
- Industrial: 4000K–5000K (Cool White)
- Scandinavian: 3500K–4000K (Natural to Cool White)
Use dimmers for flexible ambience control to create a warm, relaxed atmosphere while still enabling bright task lighting for cooking and food preparations.
DIY Help: Common Problems and How to Solve Them
Flickering Lights: These can be caused by electrical or lighting fixture issues. Typical causes are loose bulbs, incompatible dimmers, voltage fluctuations, overloaded circuits, and faulty drivers. Check all strips for problems and get a qualified electrician to help you fix them.
Buzzing Noises: Possible causes are loose components or incompatible dimmers. Check your strips, dimmers, and controllers for compatibility. For any problems related to wiring and power, check with a qualified electrician.
Lights Not Turning On: Causes can be a power outage, a tripped circuit breaker, a burnt-out node, driver failure, or a wiring issue. Check for a power outage in the area and your circuit breaker. Inspect the LED nodes for damage, and replace them if necessary.
Brighten Your Kitchen Today! Browse Our LED Under-Cabinet Lighting Solutions
Simple Lighting offers over 10,000 in-house LED lighting products, many of which are LED strip lights and their necessary components (drivers and controllers). We’re one of the UK’s leading online LED light suppliers, focusing on providing high-quality lighting solutions without the steep price tag.
