Kitchen lighting is extremely important. The way a kitchen is presented is very often a deciding factor in the sale and purchase of a property.
Subtle kitchen unit lighting such as plinth lights and under cabinet lighting offers a great ambiance while providing a good level of light to work by.
The project below shows how to set low voltage lights into the plinth of a set of kitchen units but this method can just as easily be used in covings and cornices in and on all types of unit. Using water-proof lighting it is even possible to set the lights into work tops.
Regulations for Installing Plinth Lights
As with any type of wiring and electrical work in the home, especially in special locations such as the kitchen and bathroom, the work should only ever be carried out by someone with the necessary knowledge and equipment to install and test it fully and then issue a minor works certificate.
As it happens the only person able to do this is a Part P qualified electrician as, although others may poses the necessary knowledge, you can’t issue a works certificate unless you are Part P registered.
In many cases, when selling your property you may need to have a full survey done, part of which covers the electrical side of the house. If work has been done and there is no certificate to back it up, this can invalidate your home insurance and, worse still, potentially prevent the sale.
For information on other safety aspects when working around electricity, see our electrical safety project here.
What are Plinth Lights?
Plinth lights, as they sound, are a series of lights installed in the plinth or kickboard that covers the space at the base of a kitchen unit.
Once installed, plinth lights can make a huge difference to the general ambience of the kitchen, making it a much more relaxed and enjoyable space to be in.
Most of the time, plinths or kickboards are simply used to block up the gap under a kitchen unit created by the legs. Without them there you get a lot of dirt and build up and often stray items of food that get dropped and sit under there festering.
Plinth lights can come in a range of different styles, from actual lights fixed through the plinth to those fixed above that shine down. They also come in a range of colours, but generally the warm white tones are the best to go for indoors as the light they produce is much softer.
In terms of how they are connected up, again, there are several methods. Some are hard wired to a junction box or similar and have their own switch and some, the more DIY versions, can be plugged into a standard socket.
In many cases, plinth lights generally tend to be low voltage 12V lights so they are supplied with their own transformer.
Types of Plinth Lights
There are 2 mains types of plinth lights and these are the continuous type or the spotlight type:
- Continuous: A more recent innovation, generally known as LED strip lights, continuous plinth lights are generally bought as a strip on a reel of 2 – 5m or more and can easily be cut to length. They normally also feature a 12V transformer and mains plug
- Spotlight: Spot light plinth lights normally come in the form of separate units that are installed through the plinth and are wired together. These can also come in DIY form with a mains plug but also as hardwired that need to be installed by an electrician
Aside form the major differences between the 2 types listed above, both types are available with coloured bulbs, other than the standard warm white. This is especially the case for the LED type as these are also available in colour changing form with the ability to change to any colour of the rainbow.
Tools and Materials for Fitting Plinth Lights
In order to successfully fit your plinth lights you will need the following tools and materials:
- Chosen plinth light kit – either spot lights or continuous lights. A full kit is best
- Pen/pencil
- Tape Measure
- Sticky pads – if using continuous kit
- Scissors
- Drill/driver
- Correct sized hole drill, flat bit or auger bit – if using spotlight kit. Should state in manufacturers instructions the size of hole needed
- An available socket – If using a DIY kit of either type
- Electrician – To wire up hardwire kit and also install switch
How to Install Plinth Lights
Now that you know exactly what plinth lights are and the different variations they come in, it’s now time to take a look at how they’re installed.
For the purposes of this demo we are going to install a spotlight kit, but installing a continuous strip light kit is very similar.
Step 1 – Source Plinth Light Kit
There are 2 ways to gather all of the materials needed for your plinth light install, either buy all of the items separately or buy a kit with everything you need.
We suggest buying your unit lights in kit form. The kits usually come with 9, 10 or 12 bulbs, or LEDs on a strip (your choice of length). They can be all one colour, many colours or even colours which change regularly.
The type of kit you go for is entirely up to you and your chosen tastes.
Step 2 – Identify Socket or Install Location
Before installing anything, so that you know exactly where your wiring is going to need to run to, to get power (e.g. to an existing socket or power source your electrician con take a feed from), the first job is to identify what socket to use or where one can be installed.
Generally with the DIY kits you get quite a length of free cable (normally at least 3m) so that you can trail it from a socket down to where the light are installed. This is usually the easiest way to go as the plug can be simply plugged into a socket and switched on and off as required.
If you want to go one step further and have everything concealed then you will need to have an electrician install a socket somewhere out of sight such as inside or behind a unit that you can plug into (you’d need an accessible switch) or in you’re hard wiring, a feed from behind/inside the unit.
However you would also need an accessible switch to be able to turn them on and off. Again the kit you choose and the way you want to operate your lights will dictate this.
In both cases, you will also have to find somewhere to install the transformer/control box. With DIY kits this is generally best done by sticking it inside a unit out of the way, unless hardwiring when it can be fixed behind or under the unit.
Step 3 – Drill out Holes for Spotlights
Once you know where the powers coming from, the next job is to mark out, drill and install the each spot light.
First, remove each plinth. Generally, all you need to do is simply slide your hand over the top and pull it forward to unclip it. If this doesn’t work then it may be screwed somewhere so locate the screws. Remove all plinths you’re installing lights into.
Next measure the depth of the plinth in several locations and find the centre and mark. Use a pencil to join up the marks so there is a line through the centre.
Work out the distance between bulbs in order to create a balanced display and mark the location for each bulb along the line.
Drill the holes using a flat or auger timber drill bit. The correct diameter for the hole will be shown on the instructions for the lighting kit.
Once all the holes are drilled, push each spot light in until it clips in place.
If you’re installing a continuous strip then instead of drilling holes you would simply use sticky pads on the underside lip of the unit and stick the strip in place.
Step 4 – Install Transformer and Connect up
The next job to do is to connect up each light. The lights are fixed to each other by simply plugging in the cable from one light into the next in the run.
The cable from the last light does not have to return to the control box so you can stop your lights at any point. However, the other end is then run over to the transformer location.
If the transformer is separate simply plug it into the cable and then fix it in place or if one piece, just fix in your chosen install location.
The transformer/control box is then fixed to an accessible surface and all the cables running from it are clipped securely or even put in conduit or ducting which can be stuck down.
If using a DIY kit, the cable from the transformer is then run to the socket or if hardwired, over to the location ready for your electrician to take a feed from an existing supply.
If your kit has a plug then route it up to your chosen power socket.
Step 5 – Tidy up Cables
To prevent any accidents and ensure everything looks nice and neat and tidy, any loose cables will need to be clipped and secured out of the way.
How this is done will depend on the type of kit you’re using and where you have trailed the cables. If you can it’s best to keep everything hidden and out of the way, trailing it under and behind the unit if possible.
If not then there are plenty of self adhesive clips on the market that can be used. If going this route then try and keep them clipped up under the unit or under the front lip.
In the image below the cables were left loose because the lights were in the plinth at the bottom of the units and all cables were out of reach and hidden by the plinth. If you are putting lights in covings under units the cables will need to be placed in ducting or kept safe by clipping securely out of sight.
Step 6 – Test Installation
Once everything is tidy, plug your plug into its socket, turn on the power and then turn on any switches. If all is well then everything should burst into life and your kitchen will now be bathed in a relaxing light.
If the system is being hard wired then your electrician will connect everything up, perform any tests and troubleshoot any issues.
Installing some plinth lighting in the plinths or kickboards of your kitchen units can really transform the look and feel of your kitchen, turning it from a more work-orientated space into an area that’s much more relaxing and pleasant to be in.