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Where Should Under Cabinet Lights Be Positioned?
The position of your under cabinet lights has a big effect on how evenly the worktop is illuminated, how visible shadows are and how comfortable the finished kitchen feels to use.
For most kitchens, a good starting point is to plan the illuminated worktop first rather than simply centring the lights beneath the cabinet.
Quick answer
For many under cabinet spot and puck lights, positioning the fitting around 30–50mm back from the front edge of the cabinet is a useful starting point for task lighting. Always test the light in position before fixing it permanently.
How far back should under cabinet lights be?
For task lighting over a kitchen worktop, placing the lights too far back can leave the front of the work surface darker and can create stronger shadows from items on the worktop.
A useful starting point for many compact under cabinet fittings is 30–50mm back from the front edge of the cabinet.
This is not a fixed rule for every fitting or every kitchen. Cabinet depth, worktop depth, fitting beam angle, mounting method and the type of light all affect the result.
The key idea is simple: plan where you want the light to land, then position the fitting to achieve that result.
Should under cabinet lights be centred beneath the cabinet?
Not necessarily.
It can be tempting to centre every light beneath the cabinet because it looks symmetrical from underneath. In practice, however, the best position is usually the one that gives the worktop the most useful and even illumination.
That often means positioning the fitting slightly toward the front of the cabinet rather than exactly in the middle.
How far apart should under cabinet lights be?
Spacing depends on the light output and beam pattern of the fitting.
For compact puck-style fittings such as the Loops Aurelia range, 250–300mm between light centres is a sensible starting point. Moving the lights closer together can create a stronger, more continuous pool of task light.
Other fittings may need different spacing, so always check the individual product specification rather than applying one measurement to every style.
Closer spacing
Creates stronger overlap between each pool of light and can give a more continuous task-lighting effect.
Wider spacing
Uses fewer fittings but may make individual pools of light more visible, depending on the fitting and mounting height.
Where should the first light be positioned?
Avoid treating the edge of each cabinet door as the starting point. Instead, look at the full worktop area you want to illuminate and lay the lights out evenly across that space.
This is particularly important where several wall cabinets sit side by side, because planning each cabinet independently can create uneven gaps between the light pools.
What about corners and L-shaped kitchens?
Corner layouts are best treated as separate illuminated runs rather than forcing a single spacing measurement around the turn.
Plan each worktop section so the useful preparation area receives even light. If you want the sections controlled separately, a multi-zone 24V setup can be useful.
Explore the Loops 24V Project Builder for multi-zone layouts
Should the lights sit at the front or back of the cabinet?
For task lighting, the front half of the cabinet underside is usually the more useful place to start testing.
Positioning the light close to the rear wall can emphasise the splashback while leaving more of the worktop in shadow. That may be desirable for decorative lighting, but it is usually less effective when the main aim is illuminating the preparation surface.
Does mounting style change the position?
Yes. Recessed and surface mounted lights can sit differently beneath the cabinet, so the visible fitting and beam position should both be considered.
Recessed vs Surface Mounted Under Cabinet Lights
What about LED strip lighting?
LED strip is different from individual puck or spot fittings because the light source runs continuously along the cabinet.
The same principle still applies: position the strip according to where you want the light to land. A strip mounted closer to the front edge will usually throw more useful light onto the front of the worktop, while a strip placed close to the wall can emphasise the splashback.
The most important rule: test before fixing
Do not permanently fix the light until you have seen it switched on in the intended position.
Temporarily hold or position the fitting, switch it on and look at the worktop from normal standing height. Small changes in position can make a noticeable difference to the finished result.
A simple way to plan your layout
- Identify the worktop area you actually want to illuminate.
- Choose the fitting style and check its dimensions and mounting method.
- Start around 30–50mm back from the front edge for task lighting and test the result.
- Space the fittings evenly across the illuminated run.
- Adjust the spacing if you want stronger overlap or a more continuous light effect.
- Test before permanently fixing the fittings.
If you are using the Loops 24V system, the Project Builder can then help match the driver, required distribution, controls and lighting zones once you have chosen the visible fitting and quantity.