How-To: Installing Glass Cabinet Lighting

How to Install Flexible LED Strips on the Interior of a Glass Faced Cabinet

Under cabinet lighting is not your only option when it comes to adding LEDs to your kitchen. Glass cabinet lighting serves as a great source of accent lighting, helping to make your cabinets pop and your glassware glow. After years of design consultations, our expert Lighting Designers have found the easiest way to install glass cabinet lighting is an upside-down “U” position along the front of your cabinet. This ensures an even distribution of light throughout the cabinet while ensuring the LED light strips stay hidden when glass cabinet doors are closed.

Items you will need to complete this project:

Drill and drill bit
Screw driver
Normal Bright Flexible Strip
Cable (or power supply depending on system set up)

Step 1: Prep

Remove the shelving, and the cabinet door(s).
Make sure the inside of the cabinet is wiped down and cleaned to ensure the adhesive will stick to the inside of the cabinet.

Step 2: Drill a hole

In order to allow cable (and therefore power) to pass through to your LEDs, you will need to drill a small entry hole to your cabinet.
The ideal location for your hole will vary depending on your set-up, but typically, when connecting to an under-cabinet lighting system, you’ll want to drill through the front left or the front right bottom corner of your cabinet.
On the other hand, if you are connecting to a run of lights above your cabinets you may want to drill a hole near the top center of the cabinet. This will allow you to connect to a mid-connector in the middle of your LED strip, powering down each side.

Step 3: Install the Flexible LED Strip

Inspired LED recommends installing your flexible LED strip in an upside-down “U” shape.
Start at one side of the cabinet to apply the flexible strip. You may want to draw a line along the inside of the cabinet for guidance. Work your way around the front perimeter of the cabinet, keeping it as close to the front as possible to avoid interference with shelving or door hinges.
Continue around the cabinet, peeling the adhesive as you go.
When approaching a corner don’t be afraid to bend the flexible strip. Just be conscious of the resistors and solder joints(silver dots) which are fragile.

Step 4: Finishing touches

Note that everything is in place, then plug in the lights to ensure they are working properly.
Then, simply re-attach the door to the cabinet.

The LEDs should be hidden by the frame of the front glass cabinet, giving the cabinet beautiful accent lighting! Installing Flexible Strips for Glass Cabinet Lighting

Lighting the cabinet with a single flexible strip allows for even distribution of light across the entire cabinet. This is unlike puck lights which can create a “spotlight” effect inside a cabinet, only providing light for the upper shelf. This installation is preferential if your shelves are wood or glass!

Be sure to check out Inspired LED’s other “How-To” blogs and technical guides here. For further assistance please feel free to contact us at 480-941-4286 or orders@inspiredled.com. For design information and a free layout and quote, please contact the design team, design@inspiredled.com.

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