So you want to know how to install your own kitchen under cabinet light rail trim. Do not attempt installation unless you have some basic carpentry skills. You will also need some hand and power tools. Do not attempt this phase of your kitchen cabinet installation without sufficient time. Miter box is NOT allowed to be cut by hand! You must achieve the highest quality installation possible.

Tools and materials needed:

  • Chop saw
  • Electric drill
  • Three clamps (I prefer Jorgensen clamps)
  • Screws of correct length
  • Countersink bit
  • 1/16 “pilot hole bit
  • 3/16 “bit
  • Hand screwdriver
  • Yellow carpenter’s glue
  • Matching wood putty

One of the most popular questions people ask is; “Should the trim be installed flush or flush with the face of the cabinet?” I always recess the light rail no less than one eight (1/8 “) inch. This looks better than trying to place it perfectly flush with the front frame. Note that the light rail must be flush with the end. of the cabinet next to the place where a space-saving microwave is installed.

Measure roughly the length of each piece of trim you will need and add four inches to each piece. Hopefully you’ve thought of asking for a lot more in case you make a mistake. First, cut all the pieces you need larger.

Now cut some “small” practice miter pieces at forty-five degrees. These should be used to verify that the corners of the cabinets are at true ninety degree angles.

Now when you start cutting the actual trim pieces from the light rail, just cut the angles one piece at a time. The key to installing the trim correctly is working with the precise details one piece at a time and one miter joint at a time.

Before making cuts, drill holes from the inside of the cabinet down with the 3/16 “bit. Then, countersink the holes from the inside of the cabinets. These are the holes that will secure the trim. to cabinets.

The finished trim pieces will be attached to the cabinets with ¾ “x 1” X 8-1 / 2 “blocks. The blocks are attached to the short return trim pieces and then screwed to the cabinet from below. Make it this way This is because they cannot be fastened from inside the cabinet.

Kitchen Cabinet Light Rail Installation:

  1. Decide which part is best to install first (consider working from highest to lowest)
  2. Make your cuts
  3. Apply yellow glue sparingly to the miter joints.
  4. Hold the part in place with the Jorgensen clamps
  5. Drill the light rail through the countersunk holes with the 1/16 “bit.
  6. Secure the trim in place with screws
  7. Clean access glue immediately with a damp cloth.
  8. Repeat these steps for each piece of light rail

The three-sixteenth-inch hole you drilled should be larger than the screws you are installing the trim with. If you need to adjust the trim a little, loosen the screws with a manual screwdriver. Align the light rail accordingly and then secure it firmly in the perfect position.

If you start to get frustrated, take a break. This is tedious work. The joints in the kitchen cabinet light track should be as tight as possible.

The final step in the installation process is to fill the miter joints with the appropriate wood putty. Wipe off any excess caulk with a dry cloth.

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