Under Cabinet Lighting

[offthemark]

My wife and I are starting a fairly major kitchen renovation. We plan on new (purchased) cabinets, countertops, appliances, sink, etc. The walls and plumbing are staying put. I’m doing a lot of the install work myself so expect lots of questions regarding this over the next few months. The first is:

I need to install under-cabinet lighting. My wife wants all of them on a single wall switch. The lights will be direct wire. Where do I take the wires from the lights? Through the cabinet bottom? Into the wall? I assume where that wire joins the romex I need to have a junction box. Where do I put that junction box? I would prefer to avoid plate covers on the wall. The light cord won’t reach to the junction box from which I will be running the power.

Sorry if this is confusing. Any advice is appreciated.

Mark

[gerti]

If you use low voltage lighting you could place the transformer at the junction box. From there on it would all be low voltage and you could run it however it makes the most sense.

[scorrpio]

Have you considered low-voltage lighting? The wires immediately become much thinner and easier to hide, and most regular codes do not apply - as in, no need for junction boxes.
You can run the main feeder wire along the ceiling before mounting the wall cabinets, and from it drop branch wires. Depending on how the cabinets mount to walls, you might need to provide chases for those branch wires.

[offthemark]

My wife prefers fluorescent for energy savings and less heat generation. (Kitchens can get pretty hot in Memphis in the summer.) Unless I've missed something, you can't get low voltage fluorescent.

[cbrown]

Also consider replacing the cord that came attached to the light by rewiring within the fixture with a new length sufficient to reach the switch through the wall--make sure the strain relief is properly reinstalled along with the new wire.

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Christopher

[greencat]

My wife prefers fluorescent for energy savings and less heat generation. (Kitchens can get pretty hot in Memphis in the summer.) Unless I've missed something, you can't get low voltage fluorescent.

I went with the quick start fluorescents and ran the wires through the walls. We were installing a new backsplash and used that opening to run the wires.

[rosesunkist]

Have you considered LEDs? They last a lot longer, turn on faster, usually provide a very crisp, steady light source, no noise from them whatsoever, and run a lot cooler than most lights. But there are a vast variety out there, and some can be rather expensive.

And there is always electroluminescent tape, EL tape. Very economical from what I have heard, and very similar to LEDs in function and useage.

Just a couple outside-the-box solutions...

[jabe]

Check this site out for cabinet lights & hardwares: woodworkershardware.com

[PALefty]

Have you considered LEDs? They last a lot longer, turn on faster, usually provide a very crisp, steady light source, no noise from them whatsoever, and run a lot cooler than most lights. But there are a vast variety out there, and some can be rather expensive.

And there is always electroluminescent tape, EL tape. Very economical from what I have heard, and very similar to LEDs in function and useage.

Just a couple outside-the-box solutions...

I have seen some great LED ones at Ikea. I have plans to install them some time in the future. A little pricy though.....

[scorrpio]

My wife prefers fluorescent for energy savings and less heat generation. (Kitchens can get pretty hot in Memphis in the summer.) Unless I've missed something, you can't get low voltage fluorescent.

Google for 'low voltage fluorescent lighting'. You'll get quite a few. And yeah, LED lighting is also real nice.

[JimD]

The other place to put the wiring in the wall is behind the cabinets. You can take out a strip of drywall behind the cabinets and hide it when you put the cabinets up.

It is more fun to make the cabinets. I gradually did a whole kitchen in our last house. If your wife is patient enough to do this a piece at a time you can get higher quality for less by making it yourself. I built simple boxes out of oak veneer plywood and then made solid oak raised panel doors. It is simplier than you think.

Jim

[offthemark]

Thanks for the help folks. I've got a lot of thinkin' to do.