Table of Contents
How do I choose an under cabinet light?
To minimize reflection, choose light fixtures with a lens to soften light output. Light-colored counters reflect more light than darker counterparts, making your under cabinet lights appear brighter. If you have dark counters, consider a lamp with higher lumens to achieve the desired level of light under your cabinets.
How many lumens is best for under cabinet lighting?
For best results, use undercabinet LEDs that put out a minimum 400 lumens per foot; 500 lumens is even better, but harder to find.
Should under cabinet lighting be warm or cool?
A cooler temperature is often the best choice for task lighting because it is brighter, making it easier to see what you’re doing. For kitchens, think 4200K and higher. If you are adding under cabinet lighting to the cabinets in your lavatory or bathroom, you will want a warmer and more flattering light.
What kind of lights do you put under kitchen cabinets?
There are three basic types of bulbs used for under cabinet lighting: fluorescent, quartz-halogen, and xenon. Fluorescents burn cooler, use less electricity, and are more affordable; but they can hum, flicker, and produce a yellowish light.
What color should under cabinet lighting be?
When choosing a color temperature for under cabinet lighting, you’ll want to stay within the 3000K to 5000K range. 3000K is on the soft white spectrum and 5000K would lean more towards cool white.
Do LED under cabinet lights get hot?
There are a lot of benefits to moving to LED lights in general. Specifically, I’ll address under cabinet LED. The light is bright and true, so you can see better while working in the kitchen. They are cool to the touch, won’t scorch cabinets, and won’t heat what is inside your cabinet.
What color lighting is best for kitchen?
Warm white (3,000 to 4,000 Kelvin) is more yellowish-white. These bulbs are best suited for kitchens and bathrooms. Bright white (4,000 to 5,000 Kelvin) is between white and blue tones.
Do under cabinet lights go in front or back?
When mounting any fixture under a cabinet, position it to the front. If there is a lens, face it toward the backsplash. The bottom-front rail of the cabinet should hide the fixture from your line of sight, whether you’re standing or seated. A plug-in fixture may be used for short runs of under-cabinet lighting.
What is the best wattage for under cabinet lighting?
Determine how much light you will need. As a point of reference, remember that kitchen counters – often lit by under-cabinet fixtures – need about 4 to 10 watts of power per foot with 5 mm LEDs or about 20 watts per foot with high-power LEDs.
Do under cabinet LED lights need a transformer?
When installing low voltage under cabinet lights, you will have to take some special measures. You’ll need a transformer to convert your home’s voltage supply to a much Page 11 11 lower number, and if you plan to use any accessories, like dimmers, they’ll need to be compatible with your lighting system.
Is 5000K too bright for kitchen?
5000K is ideal for kitchens with white cabinetry and a modern to transitional style. If you have a darker kitchen with traditional wood color cabinets, a 3000K light would be optimum. It’s important to use kelvin temperature within kitchens instead of warm white, neutral or cool white terminology.
Is cool white or warm white better for eyes?
Warm white is more relaxing for the eyes and softens the skin tone and reduces imperfections. We all look better in warm white. We recommend Cool White for: For LED lighting under kitchen cabinets, most people will turn to Cool White.
Are LED lights bright enough for a kitchen?
Brightness = Safety The bright, clean light that LEDs create makes it much easier to use your kitchen. With low light halogen or incandescent bulbs, it is difficult to see what you are doing unless you are directly under or next to the light.
Do under cabinet lights use a lot of electricity?
If you install 4 or 6 or 8 of them under your cabinets, you have to turn each one on in turn. They’re battery powered, so you’ll have to change batteries on occasion. Fortunately LEDs don’t use much electricity so batteries should last a fair while.
Is warm white light better?
While cool white look great in modern kitchens and where the brighter the better, warm white works much better where you are looking for softer light. It’s particularly well suited to lounges, living rooms and traditional kitchen, like country styles, where the white light contrasts too much with the rest of the room.
How long do LED cabinet lights Last?
LEDs are also popular for their long life. Properly designed LED fixtures can last longer than 10 years. Unlike incandescent and fluorescent lamps, LED lamps typically do not burn out.
What are puck lights used for?
Puck lights are a fantastic way to illuminate certain areas or provide accent lighting. These little lights provide easy access to soft lighting that won’t ruin your lighting atmosphere.
How do you hardwire LED under cabinets?
Then, follow these steps for installation: Disconnect the power. Locate the correct breaker and turn off the power supply to the switch outlet where you’re going to connect the lights. Attach the lights. Cut the wall. Run the wire. Run the cord. Connect the lights. Wire the switch. Cover your work.
Where should LED strip lights be placed?
To level up your light design, try installing LED strips in these five places around your home. Under cabinets. As the name implies, under-cabinet lighting illuminates areas underneath your cabinetry. Along toe kicks. Under shelves. Under the bed. Behind computer and TV screens.
