KITCHEN BACKSPLASH IDEAS HOME DEPOT
make your kitchen glow with easy-to-installunder cabinet lighting. it’s a nice accent to your counters and cabinets, and helps witheveryday kitchen tasks. first, pick your lights. plug ins are easyto install, all you need is a wall outlet. hardwired systems should be installed by professionals. types of plug in lights include pucks, strips,tape, and rope. puck lights give off scalloped pockets oflight. space them about 8 to 12 inches apart for more even lighting. strips emit floodedlight, just choose fixtures to match the length of your cabinets. rope and tape lights havea nice, even illumination—they’re great for large areas like the top of your cabinetsor at the bottom near the toe kick.
you can pick light colors too: warm colorswork well for ambient light and cool colors are best for task lighting. buy fixtures fromthe same product family to ensure color consistency. and make sure your cabinet faces will hidethe lights. a quick measurement is all you need to check. we’re installing puck lights but other typesof installations are similar. begin by setting the lights, wires, and powerhub in place on the countertop to check the layout. it’s best to position the lightsnear the front of the cabinet, and it’s important to make sure the cables will reachthe outlet. when it all looks good, twist off the light and lens, hold the mountingcap in place, and mark the holes with a pencil.
drill a shallow starter hole, then repositionthe cap, and secure with screws. if you’re going to recess the lights—likein the top of cabinets—drill the holes, run the wiring, and secure with screws. next attach the lights—twist and lock.secure the power control, and power hub with screws. route the wires to the power hub and plugthem in. you might need to drill through the cabinets to run the wires. use cord clipsto secure them. tuck extra wire in the space between cabinets. plug in the power and turn on.
if you like the look of led strips, they installthe same way—attach with screws and route the jumper cables to link the lights together.plug them in, and that’s it. rope lights are great for ambient lighting.simply fasten with the included clips, and plug in.tape lights work the same way, except all you need to do is remove the adhesive backingand press onto the cabinet. some even come with a remote. for small spaces, try battery-powered lights.just peel and stick, then press the switch. whether it’s for task or dã©cor, your kitchenwill shine with under cabinet lighting. want more great ideas and how-to’s? go tolowes.com/howto or just click to subscribe.
next, check out how to install a tile backsplash.