Under Kitchen Cabinet Lighting
Installing under cabinet lighting in your kitchen has so many benefits and will really help highlight and light up your kitchen. Under cabinet lighting is also great for workshops such as those in the garage or basement. Not only will the lights help to make your work clearer and easier, but will also serve as an extra light source in areas that lack natural light.
There are many benefits to under cabinet lighting including:
1) Energy-Efficient- Using the lower wattage under cabinet lights can save energy versus using the main kitchen lights.
2) Choice in Bulbs- Energy efficient bulbs are the bulb of choice for many who install under cabinet lighting. Energy efficient bulbs used for under cabinet applications include fluorescents, halogens, LED, and xenon bulbs. Each bulb has their own specific advantages and disadvantages. The best bulb for your cabinets will depend on your specific lighting needs. Make sure you to consult with a reliable electrician to find out which is best for you kitchen cabinets.
3) Eliminates shadows
4) Makes jobs safer and easier
5) Adds a unique style and distinction to your kitchen
6) Fairly easy to install- You could make it into a do-it-yourself project.
7) Most cabinets have an area underneath where the lights can be installed.
Other Useful Tips:
1) As a general guide, install one 12 inch lighting fixture or 3 puck lights for every 4 ft. of counter top. Read more below about the different types of light fixtures.
2) Install the lights toward the front of the cabinet so that they will highlight the surface the most.
Three Under Cabinet Lighting Types: Strip Lights, Puck Lights, Linear Lights
Strip Lights: These type of fixture are rectangular and work well with fluorescent bulbs. They are great at providing diffused light to the kitchen. While this fixture type is the most popular for under cabinet lighting, you should be aware that it could end up being bulky if it uses a transformer.
Puck Lights: These round fixtures got their name from their round hockey puck- like size and appearance. These lights are best for highlighting counter tops and back splashes. Puck lights work with LED, halogen or xenon bulbs.
Linear lights: Linear lights are the least common under cabinet lighting and tend to be the most expensive. The linear lights contain very small bulbs along a cable and can be used with halogen , xenon or led bulbs.
Categories: Fluorescent Bulbs Tags: Cabinet, Kitchen, Lighting, Under
Under Cabinet Lighting For Every Occasion
Under the cabinet lighting provides a practical way to illuminate spaces. Shadowed areas underneath shelves and cabinets can be made brighter with this form of lighting. At first under counter lighting was used for kitchen counters but now it is utilized for a variety of places like; bars, offices and work areas where extra light is needed.
But there is more to under the cabinet lighting than just practical uses. You can use it for decoration purposes to highlight certain areas in a room. It does not matter whether it is a bookcase or a special show case, under cabinet lighting can be used for all sorts of purposes and places which need extra illumination.
There is special under the counter lighting to fit any area or purpose and you can select from the wide range of fixtures available. You can also select different bulbs to change the lighting effects.
Working areas can nicely use fluorescent lighting. They conserve energy, and give a bright radiance that lasts for a long time. Halogen bulbs can be used but they give off quite a bit of heat, although they too last a while. Xenon bulbs will last 5 times longer than halogen bulbs. LED bulbs will be as bright as fluorescent bulbs but their light is more directional. These bulbs will be less likely to break than fluorescent lights and often last longer. Due to its natural daylight light, spectrum lights are growing in popularity.
Stand alone units are some of the more popular lighting used for illuminating work areas and kitchen counters. They are attached underneath cabinets and bookshelves and are rectangular in shape. They provide direct illumination to the work surface below. They are either wired to an electrical grid or plugged into an outlet.
Because these lights look like a hockey puck they are dubbed puck lights. They have low direct light and are good for spotlighting an item. When you wire them together they can produce various lighting effects like, circles, lines or triangles.
Track lighting is a flexible form of illumination. This is because bulbs can be positioned in different ways along the track. They can also be removed or added to change the illumination. Track lights can be used for a mood altering illumination or a bright light.
