Brighten Up Your Kitchen

Install a track lighting system with this step-by-step guide.

By Jeff Gorton

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Every kitchen needs good lighting, so we'll show you how to use one of your weekends to install a low-voltage track lighting system to brighten dimly lit countertops.

The system we chose is expensive, about $2000, but is one of the few that has a flexible track that you can customize to fit your kitchen. In addition, its transformer mounts on an existing ceiling light box, eliminating the need to run additional wires. The low-voltage halogen fixtures mount anywhere along the track and supply bright white light that's easy to focus on any countertop. Full-service lighting showrooms are the best place to find a large selection of track lighting systems. Take a dimensioned sketch of your kitchen to the lighting showroom. A lighting specialist will help you decide on the number and placement of light fixtures and put together an order complete with all the parts and accessories you'll need. Ask for an installation instruction sheet to familiarize yourself with the system and double-check the order.

The Track System
The track system is easy to install, even if you don't have any electrical experience. Besides basic hand tools like a set of screwdrivers, tape measure, etc., you'll need a wire stripper, voltage tester (Photo 1), plumb bob or weight and string (Photo 3), 6-ft. stepladder and a drill and bits. Our track lighting system included the Allen wrenches required to tighten the fittings. Check your system's instructions to see if you need any special tools.

Before starting any electrical work, contact your local building department to find out if a permit is required. Then double-check to make sure the power is off before handling the wires (Photo 1). Don't hesitate to call an electrician if you're unsure.

When you get the lighting system, unpack it and make sure you have all the parts. With this system, you custom-bend the track to position the lights where you want them, and then suspend it from the ceiling with the metal standoffs. Before bending the track, use masking tape to create a full-scale plan of your kitchen, including cabinets, on the floor of your garage or workshop. Now mark the location of the existing ceiling light and cabinet door swings and plan the path of the track with masking tape. Bend the track to match your layout. We bent the track by hand using a 5-gal. bucket as a form to get smooth curves. Then follow the instructions below with Photos 1 through 5.

Caution: Make sure all connections are tight. Loose low-voltage connections will heat up, creating a fire hazard. If you have aluminum wiring, which requires special handling, call in a licensed pro who's certified to work with it. This wiring is dull gray, not the dull orange that's characteristic of copper.

Test for live wires. Switch off the circuit breaker or remove the fuse at the main electrical panel to shut off the power to the light. Then remove the screws that hold the old light fixture, pull it down and disconnect the wires. Double-check that the electricity is off by placing the two leads of a voltage tester between every possible pair of wires. If the tester lights up, the power is still on. Do not continue until you find and turn off the correct circuit breaker.

Attach the transformer to the electrical box using the hardware and instructions provided. You'll need a helper. Connect the white wire to the neutral white wire, the black or red wire to the black or red hot wire and the bare or green grounding wires together. If you're connecting stranded wire to solid wire, let the stranded wire stick past the solid about 1/8 in. Size the wire connectors according to the connector manufacturer's directions. Align the threaded stud on the fixture strap with the hole in the fixture and slide the fixture up to the ceiling. Secure it by tightening the nut onto the threaded stud.

Bend the track to the desired shape. Follow the instructions included with the track system. Support the track on the countertop directly under its eventual position on the ceiling. Mark the standoff locations no more than 4 ft. apart and wherever two track sections are joined. Then use a string and plumb bob to transfer these locations to the ceiling. Attach a standoff at each location with the mounting hardware provided. Note: Position the track far enough from cabinets so open doors don't hit the light fixtures.