How to Install Lighting Above Your Kitchen Cabinets – DIY

Do-it-yourself! Turn your dark, boring kitchen into a bright, vibrant one. Create a balanced, calm ambiance in your household focal point by installing some indirect lighting over your kitchen cabinets. DIY installation of over-the-cabinet lighting will transform your family’s kitchen into a bright, vibrant meeting place for everyone. Use the thorough step-by-step DIY instructions below to help you install your lighting yourself:

Step 1: Shut Off Electrical Output

Shut off the electrical power supply at the main circuit breaker.

Step 2: Strip Back Electrical Wiring

With the use of razor blade, slit the middle of the electrical wire gently from top, down. Only slit its plastic sheath coating to reveal the 5 to 7 inches of wiring.

Step 3: Remove Knock-Out Flap

Use pliers to take out the knock-out flap located on the back of the shallow single gang box.

Step 4: Secure Box to Cabinet

Use a drill, to secure the box to the top of the cabinets. Try to place it somewhere discreet, like a corner, to avoid it being seen.

Step 5: Feed Wires through Knock-Out

Put the wires through the knock-out so they lay in the single gang box.

Step 6: Staple Wiring

Put back the excess wiring into the wall and staple the other wiring on top of the cabinet for a more attractive finish.

Step 7: Attach Light Fixture

Put the light fixture onto the center of the top of cabinet and tightly drill it down with small screws.

Step 8: Lop Off Male End

• When you look at the light fixture itself, you will notice a power cord with a two-pronged male end. Cut off the male end using a pair of wire cutters.

• Note: For this DIY project, you will be hard-wiring the lighting fixture directly into the junction box.

Step 9: Connect Power Cord to Fixture

Connect the other end of the power cord to the fixture.

Step 10: Strip Power Cord Plastic Sheath

The power cord of the DIY light fixture has two individual wires attached together. Pull these wires apart from one another and slit the plastic sheath on the middle just like you did with the electrical wire.

Step 11: Feed Power Cord through Knock-Out

Slip the power cord from the fixture through the same knock out as the electrical wire.

Step 12: Connect Power Cord and Electrical Cord Wires

For connecting the power cord and electric cord wires, you’ll use pair of pliers. Connect the copper wires from the power cord to the black and white copper wires from the electrical cord by twirling both together in a clockwise rotation.

Step 13: Lock In Connection

Cap off each connection using a 14-gauge wire nut. Twist the wire nut in a clockwise fashion to tighten the connection even further.

Step 14: Tuck Wires into Single Gang Box

After connecting all three wires and capping each one off, put them back into the single gang box. Install a blank plate over the top.

Step 15: Turn On Electricity

Flip the main breaker switch back on to provide electricity to the fixture. See how the lighting gives your kitchen the calm ambiance that it needed? Now, that you’re done installing your DIY above cabinet lighting, it’s time to enjoy your hard work.

Check out some of our other DIY home lighting guides:

• How to Install DIY Recessed Lighting in the Kitchen

• Do-It-Yourself: How to Install Track Lighting

• DIY: How to Change Your Bathroom Lighting

• DIY – Exterior Lighting Installation for Your Home