Under-Cabinet Lighting Trimmed Out in Orchards, Vancouver, WA

This trim-out in the Orchards neighborhood put lights under a navy and white oak counter run. We took care of two garage items on the same visit.

Under-cabinet lights get decided at rough-in

The before photo shows where it starts. The channel was cut in above the counter line and the boxes were set months before anybody saw a light.

That’s when you decide on under-cabinet lights. If you add them after the cabinets and backsplash are in, you’re either sticking a cheap strip on the bottom and running a cord, or cutting into a finished wall. Neither one looks like the main photo, where you can’t see the light itself, just the light on the counter.

Three things have to be right at rough-in:

• The power comes out above the counter line, behind where the cabinet will sit
• The switch location is set, because lights switched from the wrong spot don’t get used
• The light type is picked, since a channel for a strip light isn’t the same cut as a puck light

Getting that order right is most of what makes kitchen lighting and circuits go smoothly at trim.

Lighting the counter

Under-cabinet lights are for working at the counter, and the ribbed backsplash here shows why it’s worth doing right. Light shining down across a textured backsplash shows off every ridge. Light from a ceiling fixture hitting it straight on flattens it out.

That’s why the light goes at the front edge of the cabinet bottom instead of tucked at the back. You want it shining down the backsplash and across the counter.

The garage part of the visit

While we were trimming out the kitchen, we did two things in the garage:

1. Roughed in outlets for a desk, because if the garage is turning into a workspace, the outlets need to be where the desk goes.
2. Ran a 20-amp circuit ten feet along the same wall, with a disconnect, ready for a mini split the HVAC contractor was putting in.

Setting the circuit and disconnect ahead of time means the HVAC crew shows up and hangs their equipment, instead of waiting on an electrician who isn’t scheduled yet. We do the same thing working with general contractors and builders.

Kitchen, pantry or garage conversion coming up in Orchards or east Vancouver? Call 360-828-7143 or plan the lighting at rough-in instead of after the cabinets go on.