Your cabinets can cast shadows onto the work surface beneath them regardless of the style of lighting you have installed in your ceiling. The shadows can make it difficult to see objects and complete a task. With multiple types of under-cabinet lighting available, however, you can find lighting that fits your budget and lights your work surface efficiently and effectively.
Reduce shadows on your work surface by installing under-cabinet lighting
Plug-In or Hard-Wired
Under-cabinet lighting is available in both plug-in and hard-wired fixtures. Which kind of lighting you choose to install depends on your skill level and whether you intend to install permanent or temporary lighting. A hard-wired under-cabinet installation will require drilling through the wall, running electrical cable and installing a light switch on the wall. When installing a plug-in fixture, you must tack the electrical cord to the wood beneath the cabinets to hide it, but the plugs will always be visible in the outlets.
Fluorescent Fixtures
You can find under-cabinet fluorescent fixtures in multiple lengths, so you should not have an issue finding a fixture to fit beneath your cabinets. Thankfully, these fixtures are designed to use standard-length fluorescent bulbs. Fluorescent lighting uses less electricity and generates less heat than incandescent lighting, and the bulbs have a longer life. Fluorescent fixtures can begin to hum over time, however, and as the bulbs age, they can begin to flicker. There are some drawbacks with fluorescent lighting; The National Association for Adults with Special Learning Needs notes that individuals with fluorescent sensitivity can exhibit certain conditions, such as headaches and eye strain, and you may not be aware that the under-cabinet lighting you installed is causing the issues.
Puck Lights
Round puck lights are similar in size to a hockey puck: about 3 inches wide, but the depth of the fixture will vary from 3/4 inch to 1 1/2 inches, depending on the manufacturer and style. They come with halogen, xenon or LED bulbs; many of the existing halogen puck lights can be converted to xenon lights by simply changing the bulb. Changing from halogen to xenon can reduce energy consumption and the amount of heat the bulb produces. Halogen bulbs can produce enough heat to burn your hand should you accidentally touch the fixture. You can surface- or recess-mount puck lights beneath the cabinets; however, recessing a puck light reduces the space inside the cabinet and could require you build up the bottom shelf to protect the back of the fixture. Although the puck lights plug into an electrical outlet, each puck connects to the next through a series the thin wires, giving you more flexibility with the installation and reducing the number of electrical outlets used.
Light Sticks, Channels and Tape
For truly easy installation, you can install LED light sticks, channels or tape underneath your cabinets. You can cut tape lighting to fit the width of your cabinet, and depending on the style and brand, they come with self-adhesive or snap into brackets installed beneath the cabinets. Light sticks and channels also come in multiple lengths. Light sticks can snap together to create longer lengths, or you can use the connector cord. Light channels also use connector cords to link each fixture together. The LED under-cabinet fixtures operate on either 12 or 24 V. The electronic drivers used to step down the electrical current are available in both plug-in and hard-wired models, and the LED light bulbs in these fixtures can last from 25,000 to 50,000 hours.
