Video:Install Kitchen Countertop Lighting

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Transcript:Install Kitchen Countertop Lighting

Hi, I'm Ami Young for About.com Home. Often times, the kitchen countertop is the one place in the kitchen where there just never seems to be enough light. Today I'm going to show you how to lighten up those countertops by installing an under-cabinet light fixture.

Supplies Needed to Install Countertop Lighting

For this project, you're going to need:

• an under-cabinet light fixture, with bulb (available at home-based department stores or home improvement stores)
• a Phillips head screwdriver
• some 3/4- to 1-inch screws (be careful the screws aren't longer than the thickness of your kitchen cabinet)
• a staple gun with 1/2-inch staples
• a number 2 pencil

Decide Where to Install the Light Fixture

First, with the bulb removed from the light fixture, line up the fixture where you want to place it on the underside of the cabinet.

Sometimes it can be difficult to get those screws started when you're turned upside down. So first take your number 2 pencil, and make a little outline of the screw holes where the screws will eventually screw into the underside of the cabinet.

Make Holes for the Screws

Next, set the light fixture down and start to screw each of the screws in where you made marks on the base of the cabinet. You don't need to screw them in all the way, just about halfway in, enough to get a little hole started in the wood and then reverse the process and unscrew each of them.

Double-Check the Alignment of the Screw Holes

Now, once you've made a starting screw hole for each of the screws, you're going to place the light fixture back to where you want to mount it on the underside of the cabinet.

Double-check that you have aligned the screw holes on the light fixture with the holes you made earlier on the underside of the cabinet.

Mount the Light Fixture

Now you're ready to mount the fixture to the cabinet. At first, you want to start to screw in each of the screws about halfway. Then, once you're sure you have the alignment of the light fixture the way you want it, tighten down each of the screws the rest of the way until they're nice and snug against the base of the cabinet.

Install the Light Bulb

Once the light fixture is in place, install the light bulb in the light fixture. Most under-cabinet light fixtures come with a tube-like bulb that will easily slip into place.

Hide the Power Cord

Next, you need to supply power to the light fixture and get the power cord up and out of the way. The first thing you'll want to do is figure out the most discrete path for your power cord to run so it plugs into the nearest power outlet.

To secure the cord on the underside of your kitchen cabinet, hold the power cord along its path and use your staple gun to hold the cord in place by stapling one staple over the top of the power cord just about every six to eight inches as you move down the cord.

Plug in the Power Cord

Once you've reached the power outlet, plug in your power cord. Now that you're all set, hit the light switch to the 'on' position, and voila--no more dark kitchen countertops.

Thank you for watching! To learn more, visit us on the Web at homegarden.about.com.