October 24th, 2008 — Cabinets, Handy Man, Light Fixtures
I love my kitchen, I really do - it’s just so dark over the countertops, which makes food preparation a bit dangerous. I’ve been looking into DIY under cabinet lighting options over the past couple of months and I think I’ve found a suitable option for our kitchen. Since we only have one overhead light, that space underneath the cabinets is too shadowy for us to safely use the cutting board. There’s also the general aesthetic appeal that comes with additional countertop lighting, particularly if your counters are granite, stone or corian. They just look infinitely better when they are highlighted! Low voltage under cabinet lights (like these Kichler Under Cabinet Lighting Fixtures) are preferable, as they are practically invisible, fitting perfectly underneath the cabinets. Here are some important things to take into consideration when thinking about installing under cabinet lighting in your kitchen.
Under Cabinet Lights in Remodeled Kitchen
If you’re looking for a simple solution for under cabinet lighting, there are plenty of inexpensive plug-in options for you. Simply attach the fixture to the underside of the cabinets and plug them into a nearby outlet. Most of these fixtures should have of a built-in switch that you have to turn on and off each time. There are downsides with this under-cabinet lighting solution, the main one being that you take up valuable outlet space. If your kitchen is anything like mine, outlet space is a valuable commodity. A toaster, blender and coffee maker all permanently reside there and having to choose which one to unplug each time would just be a nuisance. You could use a power strip but that both takes up space and is unattractive. That being said, plug-in fixtures are probably best if you only have a small counter surface that requires light.
Hard-wired under-cabinet lighting is definitely more attractive, given that there are no exposed wires and you likely have a dedicated wall switch that controls the fixtures. The downside is that the installation is considerably more complicated. This is where having a general knowledge of electrical work comes in handy, so if any of this makes you uneasy, spend the extra cash and have it professionally done by a licensed electrician.
One thing to consider before installing the under cabinet lighting is how far apart you space each light. Experts recommend placing one light for every 30 inches of counter space, as you don’t want any shadowy spots along your countertop. It’s also important to consider the size of the transformers that you are using. Make sure and match the number of under cabinet lights to the transformer. The more lights you plan to have, the bigger your transformer will have to be. Having enough air space around the transformers is also crucial. Since a transformer is converting a regular alternating electrical current into a direct low-voltage current, the result is heat. This heat needs to somehow dissipate from the transformer. An overheated transformer is a serious fire hazard. Along the same lines, never hide the transformer in a wall or ceiling space that gets covered up with drywall or paneling. Transformers must be clearly visible or easily accessible for servicing.
Now if I haven’t completely scared you off, here is a basic DIY for installing the fixture yourself. Once you have your plan mapped out, make sure that you carefully read the provided installation instructions and that you follow them closely.
- Turn off the breaker switch for the correct circuit
- Remove the faceplate from a nearby electrical outlet, pulling out the receptacle to expose all of the wiring
- Knock out the back of the electrical box (you can do this easily with a hammer and screwdriver)
- Drill a hole directly over the outlet next to the bottom of your cabinets
- Cut the plug off the power cord for the fixture, making sure to leave about 2 inches of cord on the plug. This will help to determine which wire is neutral (the neutral wire is usually ribbed or otherwise marked in some way)
- Using some draw tape or fish tape, thread the light fixture’s wire through the wall and into the electrical box. Thread one fish tape through the electrical box and another to pull the first piece back through the hole in the wall.
- Now attach the cord to the terminal, connecting the neutral wire to the silver terminal and the wire that carries the current, to the brass terminal.
- Finally, you are ready to attach the light fixture to the cabinet bottom.
Photo Credit: 1
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July 9th, 2008 — Aesthetics, Countertops, Create, Design, Handy Man, Kitchen, Mosaic
Mosaic countertops are incredibly beautiful and they are a lot of fun to make. If you’d like to make your kitchen stand out from the crowd, it’s actually quite easy to design your own mosaic masterpiece. We’ll show you how to do it in just a few hours and get some great results. Before you get started, you’ll need a few tools and some materials. First, you’ll need:
- a screwdriver
- a crowbar (to remove the old countertop if necessary)
- your tiles
- your design idea
- a lathe
- tile caulk
- some tile cement
We also recommend gloves if you don’t want to get messy. A soft, wet rag is also necessary near the end of the project.
Before you progress any further, you’re going to need to have your design planned out. Some places offer idea templates for stock designs, or you can make your own. It’s completely up to you. We recommend the following technique to make it really easy. Go to a countertop that you will not be using and lay out all of the tiles in the design you want. You can play around with it here, before they are set in stone so to speak, to work out any design flaws or make any changes. Once you’re done, leave this design intact with all of the tiles in place.
Now, go to the surface where you will be adding your tiles. The great thing about mosaic countertop tiles is that you can simply put them over your old counter if you prefer. If not, you’ll need to rip out that counter and make sure that the surface below is ready to be tiled. This means sanding it out until it is completely smooth, washing it to remove any debris and letting it thoroughly dry.
Once your surface is ready, you’re ready to start adding your tile cement. You may need to mix it depending on the type of cement you’re using, so make sure that you follow the instructions on the container. We recommend doing only one row of cement at a time just in case you need to make changes. You won’t run the risk of having the whole thing dry out if you’re doing only one row at a time.
Grab your lathe and apply a thin coat of the cement for the first row. Here’s the fun part (and it’s incredibly easy!) Go over to the counter where you laid out your design and take the first tile out. Put it in the cement, pressing it down firmly but gently. Go back to the design and grab the next tiles, repeating until your first row is done. This makes it super easy to put together your new design.
Once all of your tiles are in place, you’ll need to fill in the gaps with special tile caulk. Spread the caulk all over the tiles. It will look messy, but you’re going to wipe that off of the tiles in a second. Don’t let it dry once you’ve spread the caulk, but go back and gently wipe off the caulk from the tiles, but not from the gaps. You’re done!
Photo Credits: 1
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June 20th, 2008 — Book Review, Ceramic, Countertops, Flooring, Tile
Black and Decker’s The Complete Guide to Ceramic and Stone Tile is a must read for anyone that is considering renovating their home. This is a great guide that makes it very simple to understand how to do even complex tasks and the project section alone makes it worth the cover price. This book is aimed at beginners but professionals should be able to learn a thing or two along the way.
The book opens with basics of ceramic and stone tile that walks the reader through the process of picking the right tile for their home, the kinds of tools they will need to complete various projects and how to prepare for a new tile installation. We appreciated this section since it does go into more information on the many different types of tile as well as their suggested uses. If you’ve always wanted a certain kind of tile, you may find that it’s really not meant for that purpose, so this is a great place to start before you end up spending too much money on tile selection.
This section provides an absolutely exhaustive list of the tools you’ll need and what purpose they serve. This is perfect for beginners who may not know exactly what they will need to get each type of job done. It also serves as a handy shopping list. Even the most complex tools are completely explained so that anyone can pick one up and begin using it properly.
The section on removing old flooring or countertops is very useful and contains some tips that will make the job go a lot faster. This is perfect for those who are not used to ripping out old tile and contains some safety tips that will make it a lot less dangerous for those who are new. In keeping with the times, this last section also includes a how-to on installing a floor warming system. This is not only energy efficient, but can greatly add to the value of your home. While you’ve got your old floor ripped out, you may as well take advantage of this new method of heating.
Moving on to the projects section, there are plenty of tasks here that will probably have you itching to redo something, anything in your home. They are all broken down so that anyone can follow them and get great results. You’ll get how-to’s on proper planning, and a material’s list that makes it even easier to make sure you have everything you need before you get started.
While it includes plenty of flooring and countertop how-to’s, we appreciated the projects on backsplashes, shower bases and the more extensive forms of flooring that include intricate designs. Everything is laid out logically and it very easy to follow.
Overall, this is an incredibly helpful book that more than deserves a place in your bookshelf. If you’ve got a tile project coming up, it’s definitely a must-have. Even if you don’t, after you read the book, you’ll undoubtedly want to start one.
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