DIY Dimmable Kitchen Cabinet Lighting

Turn off power for all existing light switches that you will use for the new LED lighting on your main control panel and circuit breaker. Use a circuit tester to confirm that electric power to each switch has been turned off.

Measure your cabinets to determine the length and quantity of LED light strips to purchase. Hold the strip underneath the cabinet to find a suitable location to mount the strip. Position all light strips as close to your existing electrical outlets as possible.

Use a carpenter’s pencil to mark the left and right edges. Repeat this process to mark locations for each strip you will install under a cabinet.

Make a paper template to use as a guide for drilling holes for the screws and hardware to attach the strip under the cabinet. Put the strip on top of a blank piece of paper, and draw an outline with a pencil. Turn the strip over so the holes for the screws are facing you. Put the paper outline on top of the strip, and fill in each space for screw holes with a pencil. Cut out the holes with scissors.

Tape the paper template under the cabinet, using your guide marks for the left and right edges. Fill in the holes for the screws with a pencil. Use the pencil hole marks as drilling guides. Drill holes through the cabinet. Use a screwdriver to attach the strips to the bottom of the cabinet. Add washers, if needed, to keep the screws from poking through the bottom of the cabinet into the inside of the cabinets.

Determine the number of dimmer locations for the cabinet lighting. For example, if your existing light switch only has one switch, use a single-pole dimmer. If your light switch has two switches, use a three-way dimmer and a three-way switch. Alternatively, use a multi-location dimmer switch if you want to control dimming and turning the light off and on from two switches.

Use a screwdriver to unscrew the faceplate for the each light switch where you need to install a dimmer switch. After you remove the faceplate, draw a diagram on paper of the how the wires are connected and their corresponding colors -- black, white, green, red -- for reference. Disconnect the existing wires.

Follow manufacturer’s instructions to determine how much of the colored plastic insulation you need to strip from the wires for the LED lighting strips. This is typically 3/8 inch to 5/8 inch. Use wire strippers to cut the insulation. Connect the wires to the wall switch according to the manufacturer’s directions. In some cases, the manufacturer recommends that you wrap the wires with electrical tape.

Turn the electric power back on at the control panel. Flip the switch to turn on the LED lighting strips. Test the dimmer control. If there are any problems, check to make sure wire connections were made according to the manufacturer’s directions for your LED lighting unit.