Plinth and undercab lighting

PaDE

PaDE

PaDE

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20 Mar 2015
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264
Our Kitchen refurb is chugging along nicely (albeit it slowly) and our units should arrive today or tomorrow.

We are down to the final details, one of which is the plinth and undercab lighting - so looking for recommendations.

Both will be wired into the lighting circuit and controlled via ZWave switches, a schedule or mobile devices.

Quite fancy LED strip lighting but there’s so much to choose from.

Also RGBW would be a bonus, where I suppose colour changing would be done with an accompanying remote rather than ZWave (which will be limited to switching it all on or off)

Also, how do you guys manage with plinth lighting and integrated units such as dishwashers. Do you miss that section out or still run under it?

Cheers all
 
PaDE said:
Also, how do you guys manage with plinth lighting and integrated units such as dishwashers. Do you miss that section out or still run under it?

Cheers all
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that I am very interested to find out!
I am looking to run LED lights under the plinth but not sure how I can do that where the integrated dish washer is!
 
Not that I have installed it, but I'd imagine you would have to miss that section out. There are no non moving parts to attach it to.
 
I've got 12mm LEDs in the plinth, which is drilled so they are fitted centrally every 1m.
Unless you get quite large ones, they really don't add much effect, I'd call the ones I have a waste of money.

Lighting strips might give a better effect as would mounting any LEDs pointing at the floor, or mounted near the floor (ie. not central in the plinth).
 
psd99 said:
that I am very interested to find out!
I am looking to run LED lights under the plinth but not sure how I can do that where the integrated dish washer is!
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Depending on the door the only solution I can think of is a bit of plastic angle beading spanning the distance where you can stick the LED tape.

Only any good if there’s clearance with the door opening. Failing that you could drop it a few mm to get the clearance which may make th light look a little odd
 
PaDE said:
Depending on the door the only solution I can think of is a bit of plastic angle beading spanning the distance where you can stick the LED tape.

Only any good if there’s clearance with the door opening. Failing that you could drop it a few mm to get the clearance which may make th light look a little odd
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nope not much clearance down there whatsoever
don't think a LED strip would fit under there without causing the dishwasher door nuisance.

Dropping it how exactly? Bit of wood?
 
psd99 said:
Dropping it how exactly? Bit of wood?
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Thanks psd99. Maybe or maybe some plastic beading.

Definitely a case of waiting until it’s all in situ, then doing what’s best aesthetically. If it can’t be done it can’t be done.
 
Had to remove my integrated dishwasher this year (be careful, they seem to enjoy putting sharp edges on integrated units kitchen appliances), which entailed removing the plinth and all the crap behind/under it etc - I would think twice before sticking stuff under the dishwasher door that also needs to be removed separately. Can you not add the lights to the plinth, which is normally set back from the front of the kitchen units, so would give a recessed look to any lighting strips?
 
You want a picture of my dirty kitchen floor and catfood encrusted plinth? I'm assuming the plinth under your kitchen units isnt flush with the front of the units.
 
so what lights have you installed in the ceiling ? and do those give you shadow free worksurface prep areas, so, are the undecabinets largely asthetic

[
... after recent threads, personally wondering if strip lights can accomplish uniform coverage better, and avoid the tessilated(passé?) spots

jpaul said:
further agreeing, you can get some nice/better styles too .. and probably work out cheaper considering embed spot installation costs eg
https://www.lightingstyles.co.uk/ultra-modern-satin-nickel-pendant-light .. so create a nice centre piece
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]
 
Ceiling mounted fluorescent tubes produce more uniform lighting than ceiling mounted spots. They will produce linear distribution that will reflect more off surfaces but the light will be more diffuse and of a lower intensity, the further away from the fitting you get, unless you are using higher wattage tubes. Aesthetically they are not as pleasing either from a fitting or overall lighting point of view. To achieve uniform light intensity you would still require multiple fittings spaced across the ceiling, making your kitchen ceiling look like a shopping aisle in Tesco.
 
right sorry to hijack the thread this is my dirty dishwasher with the plinth underneath...

xnffid.jpg


30lp1k3.jpg


the problem is underneath the dishwasher there is

- no wood to attach the strip to
- very limited space under there, not sure If I added wood myself if there is enough clearance
- unsure how hot/steamy that area will get when I run the dishwasher

LED light under the kitchen plinth in a rectangle pattern would look awesome I even ran the RGBW cable for it already, but the 600mm dishwasher gap is the stumbling block right now.
 
SimonR said:
Ceiling mounted fluorescent tubes produce more uniform lighting than ceiling mounted spots. They will produce linear distribution that will reflect more off surfaces but the light will be more diffuse and of a lower intensity, the further away from the fitting you get, unless you are using higher wattage tubes. Aesthetically they are not as pleasing either from a fitting or overall lighting point of view. To achieve uniform light intensity you would still require multiple fittings spaced across the ceiling, making your kitchen ceiling look like a shopping aisle in Tesco.
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Technology moves on, now that they have high wattage led tubes, I think this option is under-represented, it can both provide ceiling and worksurface lighting,
lost efficiency with spots frustrates me, you end up needing 2-3x more power in my experience, vs pendant/tube
if you have chosen glossy surfaces, it will reflect somewwhat anyway.
and ... it's Tesco's versus and equally commercial (low intimacy) looking spot array like a hotel foyee, or restaurant
 
@psd99 I'd look at the bottom of the dishwasher when you open the door and see what happens/moves to see if there is anywhere that you could put the led strip.
If the gap behind the door remains clear then you could look to put something to bridge the gap to stick the led tape to (hope that makes sense)
 
jpaul said:
Technology moves on, now that they have high wattage led tubes, I think this option is under-represented, it can both provide ceiling and worksurface lighting,
lost efficiency with spots frustrates me, you end up needing 2-3x more power in my experience, vs pendant/tube
if you have chosen glossy surfaces, it will reflect somewwhat anyway.
and ... it's Tesco's versus and equally commercial (low intimacy) looking spot array like a hotel foyee, or restaurant
Click to expand...
Having just replaced over 1000 light fittings in one of our factories and spent weeks with lighting companies and lighting experts looking at lighting levels, luminaries, lighting types and lighting colour temperatures, I'll stand by my comments. Fluorescent / LED Tube lighting is more dispersive but still requires a reasonably high density of fittings to achieve even light dispersion. GU10's at the correct density and the correct dispersive angle can provide adequate and attractive lighting without needing 2 x 3 times the power input.
 
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