Are you planning to install under cabinet lighting but not sure how to hide the wires? Lighting wires left disorganized is never pleasing to the eye; however, this doesn’t always have to be the case. The only solution aside from taking off the wires and light completely off of the kitchen cabinet is to hide the wires. And in this guide, I’ll show you how to hide under cabinet lighting wires all by yourself.
To hide under-cabinet lighting wires, you can use cable protectors or make cuts on the cabinet to fit the wires in. Also, installing a wooden valance or cable raceways can also help organize your under-cabinet lighting wires.
There are more ways to hide your under-cabinet lighting wires, and I will list and explain them in this article. I will also explain how difficult the job is and whether you’ll need an electrician. You can also take a quick overview of the different types of lighting wires and chose the best one for you. So, let’s dig deep.
Key Points
- The difficulty in hiding under-cabinet lighting wires depends on the type of lighting and the cabling and how you plan to hide it.
- Hiding under-cabinet lighting wires incurs extra expenses, and it is time-consuming. But it reduces obstructions in the kitchen and increases the good looks of the kitchen as well.
- Using a wood valance, wire clips or staples, and placing the wire properly are the best ways to hide under-cabinet lighting wires.
How Difficult It Is To Hide Under Cabinet Lighting Wires?
Hiding under-cabinet lighting wires might be super easy in some instances and not easy in others. The difficulty level depends on a couple of factors, such as:
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The Type of Under-Cabinet Lighting and Wiring in Use
This can affect how hard the fixing job can get because some wires are large in width. Such wires might not fit some of the spaces they created for hiding it. So, more work has to go into it to get the job done.
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The Type of Hiding Method in Use
This is a factor that also determines how hard the job can be because some methods are simple and others are tasking. Methods like using stables or protectors just require you to buy a tool to fix and hide the wires, which is fairly easy. On the other hand, installing a wooden valance or cable management system requires drilling holes, cutting wood planks, and much more.
It’s best to first assess what cable management system goes well with your kitchen cabinet and then decide what method to use. Even if the method seems difficult, just get on with it. After all, we don’t redecorate our kitchen every single Tuesday, right?
What Are The Different Types of Under Cabinet Lighting
There are several types of under-cabinet lighting. They don’t all work for the same style of cabinet, and they have different looks too. You can choose from-
Puck Lights
Puck lights have a slight resemblance to hockey pucks, and they are easy to install under your cabinets. If you need stylish under-cabinet lighting, puck light fits in that role perfectly. They are stylish, and they come in different bright colors.
Strip Lights or Bar Lights
Bar lights are easy to connect, and they come in long forms. This is an advantage for people that have long cabinets, as they only need a few bar lights to light the under part of the cabinet. It is a conventional under-cabinet lighting type.
Tape Light or LED Strip Lights
Tape lights are another easy-to-install under-cabinet lighting option. They are long enough to fit a long cabinet, and you can cut them into smaller sizes if you want to. Also, for cabinets that don’t have a straight structure, you can cut the tape light and fix it to correspond with the cabinet structure.
Rope Lights
Rope lights are popular because they are flexible, and their flexibility makes them versatile. People usually have many uses for them, including decoration. This is because they come in different colors and lengths.
Pros and Cons of Hiding Under-Cabinet Lighting Wires
As much as they are many benefits of hiding your under-cabinet lighting wires, there are also a few disadvantages to it. Let’s take a look at both the advantages and the disadvantages of hiding your under-cabinet lighting wires. Then you will decide whether to hide your under-cabinet lighting wires or not.
Why Hiding Under Cabinet Lighting Cabling is a Good Idea
- Less Obstruction
The stress of bypassing the under cabinet lighting wires is annoying, and it can slow your work down. But, if you hide the wires, these obstructions will reduce drastically, and you won’t have any reason to get annoyed or delayed while cooking.
- Reduces Electrical Accident Risk
A kitchen rarely stays dry. The only time it does is when no one is using it. But that’s not when we keep the lights ON, right?
If the under-cabinet wires come in contact with water, the potential risk of an electric short circuit is fairly high. Besides, open wires pose extensive risks to the user as well. The person will be lucky if the part of the wire he or she touches is covered with an insulator.
- Standard Looks
Have you been to a space where the wires are swinging carelessly, or they got pulled off? It is not always a good sight, even if the place is well decorated. But, if the wires get neatly arranged, the beauty of the space will shine. This explains that hiding under-cabinet lighting wires gives your kitchen a standard look.
What are the Disadvantages of Hiding Under-Cabinet Lighting Wires
- Extra Expenses
Most of the tools that you can use to under-cabinet lighting wires are expensive, especially when the wire is long. If the wire is long, you need longer material to hide it, and that alone incurs more cost. Even if the wire hiding material is not expensive, and you have enough money to buy it 10 times over, the point is that it still adds extra expenses to you.
Aside from the cost of getting the material, another extra expense that you will have is paying an electrician. If you cannot complete the process alone, this means you’ll need a professional to do the job.
- Stress and Time Consumption
This might be the least worry for some people, but it is a great deal for others. Some people working with tight schedules may lose some important work to hide under cabinet lighting wires. The process is also very stressful, especially when you’re doing it alone.
What Kind of Under Cabinet Lighting Should I Use?
The type of under-cabinet lighting best for you depends on your lighting preference and your cabinet structure. Choosing under-cabinet lighting might be tricky. So, there is hardly the best under-cabinet lighting option, as everybody has a different lighting preference, and they mostly don’t share the same cabinet structure.
I recommend visiting different forums and sites like Pinterest to see how others are renovating their kitchen cabinetry. This way, you’ll have some basic knowledge to work with and find the best under-cabinet lighting for your kitchen.
6 Best Ways To Hide Under Cabinet Lighting Wires
To hide under-cabinet lighting wires, there are some options you can use, and I will take you through them. Also, I will show you how to use them.
Wire Placement
The wire placement method does not require you to buy any material to hide your under-cabinet lighting wires. Here, find spots between the wall and the cabinet to fix the wires. The back of the bottom edge of the cabinets can work a great deal for this method. All it takes is to place the wire properly.
However, this is not a durable method. The wires can fall off and swing at any time, giving you the stress of re-fixing them over again. So, you might want to try a more durable option.
Inside the Cabinetry
This option is also cost-effective. All you need to do is arrange the wire inside the cabinet, but it is not as easy as it sounds. When installing under-cabinet lighting, connect the wires from the inside through a little hole. You need to bore a hole on the spot before the installation of the under-cabinet lighting wires.
When the wire goes through-hole, it hides, and you can only see it when you open the cabinet. It could still be an obstruction in the cabinet, so make sure that you arrange the wires properly in the cabinet.
Wooden Valances
This is another option you can pick to hide your under-cabinet lighting wires. Wooden valances provide a channel through which the wires go through and stay invisible. However, valances do not come with the cabinet. You either have to build or buy one but the problem is that its color might not match your kitchen cabinetry.
However, you can paint the wooden valance to suit your kitchen color. To use wooden valances, just pass the under-cabinet lighting wires through them and to a spot where all the wires meet. Wooden valances serve as extra decorations alongside an under-cabinet lighting wire hider.
Cable Management System
Cable raceways are narrow and long with hollows to contain wires. To hide under-cabinet lighting wires with them, insert the wires in them and attach them to the cabinet edge. They look stylish and can add beauty to your cabinetry if you install them properly. This option is better than letting wires swing all around the cabinet.
Clips or Wire Staples
Using clips or wire staples is not the best hiding option, but it is still a good one. With clips, the under-cabinet lighting wires will still be in the open, but they will keep the wires from dangling. Hence, reducing kitchen accidents and delays or obstructions in kitchen activities.
There is also a way to keep the under-cabinet lighting wires out of the open, even with clips or wires stapes. This method involves placing the wires and clipping or stapling them behind the cabinet or at the back edge of the cabinet.
Cable Protectors
This is probably the easiest and most cost-effective option for hiding under cabinet lighting wires. Install the cable protector and pack all the wires together. Put them in the cable protector, then run that link to the power source. Afterward, cover the cable protector.
Do You Need to Hire An Electrician To Hide Under Cabinet Wiring?
Hiding lighting wires doesn’t have anything to do with wire connections. So, it makes it easy for just anyone to hide their under-cabinet lighting wires on their own.
Unless you don’t have time, or you don’t just want to stress about hiding the under-cabinet lighting wires, you don’t need an electrician.
Conclusion
A kitchen cooktop needs to have lights for many reasons. But it is more important to hide the wires that transmit power to the light. You can do this on your own without the help of an electrician.
But, the problem is that many people don’t know how to hide under-cabinet lighting wires. Hopefully, now you know you can use wooden valances, arrange the wires in strategic places, use cable protectors, and many more. Good luck with your DIY project!