DIY kitchen lighting for cabinets

Does the kitchen need additional lighting? Of course, because then in the evenings it will be more comfortable to work on it. With the help of such lighting, all corners of the kitchen set, including the countertop, will be clearly visible. If you wish, the lighting for the kitchen under the LED cabinets with your own hands is not a problem, but an option for a variety of kitchen interior. You will be convinced of this by reading the information in this article.

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How to choose a backlight?

When choosing lighting tapes, you should choose moderately bright LEDs, otherwise - instead of a comfortable pastime, you can get torture for the eyes. Specialists have long proved that the human eye most favorably perceives diffused light emitted by various light devices. No less important is the fact that with the help of additional lighting a very nice design is created. Moreover, there will be no problems finding the right shade: there are any color ribbons on sale.

Important! What lighting to choose for the kitchen under the cabinets? For kitchens in a modern style, it is recommended to use pure white backlighting, but if it is a Country or Provence style, then a warm yellow shade of lighting is used.

A standard luminaire is usually presented as a single module, in which several point light sources are integrated. Such devices are mounted on the outer surfaces of cabinets or other kitchen furniture using an anchor.

The main qualities when choosing a furniture lamp with which the working area will be highlighted are presented:

• Electrical safety;
• Profitability
• Moisture resistant;
• Fat protection;
• Long term of operation.

Important! Such furniture fixtures are equipped with their own switch, so it is possible to use them as needed.

The easiest and most profitable option will be lighting the furniture with an LED strip yourself. Moreover, it will be made in the most necessary places, you can independently choose the location and intensity. Thus, the working area will become individual. Using the backlight between the cabinets, you can visually increase the space.

The most convenient and economical way of lighting is represented by an LED strip. It is notable for easy installation: the adhesive surface is easily attached to the walls of cabinets, in addition, the tape has moisture-proof qualities. Due to the fact that such tapes do not heat up, they can be fixed even on stretch ceilings.

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Choosing the right tape:

• For the manufacture of a high-quality case, an aluminum LED profile should be used, a transparent or matte screen is intended for protection from moisture. The service life of such a tape is at least 60,000 hours.
• It is possible to mount a micro-switch in the aluminum profile housing, which does not require tactile contact. To turn off the backlight, just swipe your hand near the tape.
• Any tape contains a certain number of diodes, on which the light intensity depends. If you collect the lighting of the working area in the kitchen with your own hands, it should be borne in mind that the most preferred option will be 60 diodes per meter. Power enough will be 14.4 W / meter.

Important! When choosing a tape, pay attention to the absence of damage and defects. The voltage of the power supply is also checked, it must match the voltage of the tape.

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How is the LED backlight connected?

There are a number of basic rules that apply when connecting backlight elements. Consider the main points:

• Polarity required.
• The tape should not be too curved or twisted. It is best to cut it and solder it at an angle to ensure contact without electrical loss.
• Electric current losses are reduced with fewer connections and a thicker wire cross section.
• For mounting high power tapes, it is better to use a profile (box).
• If the tape is longer than 5 m, only a parallel connection is used.
• The power supply must be located in a place with good ventilation in order to avoid overheating.

Important! Usually there are marks on the LED strip at the places where it can be cut.

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Tools and materials

Lighting in the kitchen under the cabinets with your own hands requires the preparation of some materials and tools:

• Various methods are used to connect the elements, which means that it is possible to use a soldering iron, solder, rosin, heat shrink tube or connector, ferrules for wires and crimping for ferrules;
• Scissors;
• Insulation tape, double-sided tape, fasteners;
• Tool for cutting holes in furniture;
• Selected LED strip;
• Power supply and other elements of the electrical circuit;
• Box for installation;
• Cable.

Important! LEDs still generate heat during the glow process. Its direction is the substrate, the base of the diode. In order for the semiconductors not to overheat, the tape is glued to a special aluminum profile.

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Mount LED strip

DIY furniture starts with thoughtful planning:

• A directed beam of light departs from the LED, most often at an angle of 120 degrees.
• The distribution of the light source is required so as to determine the dividing strip of light and shadow at the natural boundary. Most often, the installation of the tape is carried out right next to the wall for its full illumination.
• Tapes with a narrow angle of illumination are mounted on the edges under the cabinets so that the light does not fall at all on the wall.

Important! To distribute the light, aluminum profiles with light-diffusing protective films are also used.

Installation, if you can work with tools, is not difficult:

1. From the back of the cabinet we drill a hole through which we extend the cable.
2. The low-power LED strip is attached to the prepared and degreased surface of the cabinets. To do this, the protective film is removed from the tape and it is simply pressed to the selected place.
3. We fix the power supply.
4. We make the wiring, for fixing which a double-sided tape or clips are used.
5. We connect all the elements in the circuit.
6. Using a tester, we check the system, connect to the network.

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Stock footage

As you can see, to create an exclusive design in the kitchen does not require special skills. The most important thing is that everything can be selected exactly as it will be convenient and beautiful.