How to Install Puck Lights

Before looking for a way to install puck lights you must first know what they are. Puck lights are the small lights that are often mounted under kitchen cabinets or inside closets for task lighting. These small lights get their name due to looking so much like a hockey puck. Although puck lights used to be made using halogen bulbs the halogens would burn out early due to the oils in your hands so they are now made with LED or Xenon bulbs giving them an improved life of 6,000-60,000 hours.

The installation of puck lights is pretty simple. You can install them either recessed or surface mounted. The versatility of the puck light makes it ideal inside cabinets and within bookshelves as spot lighting. These little lights can be used just about anywhere you need a little more light. This tutorial will walk you through how to install puck lights in just a few simple steps.

Step 1: Shop

Puck lights come in kits of two or more lights. The kits include everything you will need to install them. The puck lights come in 12v or 120v. This tutorial will guide you through the 120v. The 12v installation requires a transformer.

Step 2: Decide how you want your Lights Placed

Do you want to go to the trouble of recessing them? If not, can they be seen where you want them? Do you want them to be seen?

Step 3: Test your Placement

Use the double-sided tape to easily place your puck lights in a temporary manner. You can even plug them in to see how they look.

Step 4: Trace the Lights

If you have decided to recess your lights you will want to use a pencil to trace the space where you want them. Once you have them traced, take them down and use a hole saw of the right size to drill ½ inch into the bottom of your cabinet. Once you have your cutout you can install your lights. Just push the light into the hole you made for it.

Step 5: Attach to the Cabinet

Use your screwdriver to attach the lights permanently into place.

Step 6: Wire

Puck lights plug into each other. You may put up to 10 puck lights on one strip. When you reach the end of the row these lights simply plug into an outlet. You can also wire your puck lights to a light switch if you prefer so you can turn them on and off. You can hide both the puck lights and the wires with the installation of a small valance. A valance is simply a 1 or 2-inch wide strip of wood that matches the cabinet that is placed as a lip with glue or screws to hide the bottom of the cabinet and focus the light.

Step 7: Hide the Wires

You can use your stapler to hide the wires by simply stapling the wires to the cabinet. Be careful to not allow the staples to cut into the wire.