How should I wire toe kick lighting for bathroom vanity?

Question

I'm remodeling my bathroom and have everything torn down to the studs.

I would like to add some LED lighting to the toe kick of the vanity that is controlled by a switch and I don't want any cords/cables to be visible.

My question is, what's the ideal way to wire this?

Should I install an outlet somewhere in the vanity then plug in the LEDs to it? Is there a solution where i just hardwire the LEDs? Since these are low voltage, is there some other solution?

I know there's a million ways to accomplish this, but wasn't sure if there was a standard way that was being preformed for new construction.

Answer 1

There's not a standard for this.

What I would do is:

• Install a receptacle hidden inside the cabinet (depending on cabinet style, this could also be installed in the wall if there's no back on the cabinet, or you cut a hole)
• Install a switch on the wall, that controls the receptacle
• Install a second junction box in the cabinet for the low-voltage connection, and run a lamp wire (or similar low-voltage wire) from that down underneath the cabinet to the toe kick (leave it coming out of the top of the toekick to be connected to the LED strip.
• Plug in a transformer to the receptacle, and make the connection to the wire inside the second low-voltage junction box.

You could skip the junction box for low-voltage, but then you'd have to deal with the transformer being connected during construction, and think about how the transformer could be replaced if it ever broke (without having to tear out the cabinets).

The receptacle would also have to be GFCI-protected: so either it is a GFCI receptacle, or it is powered from the load side of another GFCI already in the bathroom. If you do this using an upstream GFCI, you could also run a 14/3 and wire the receptacle as split (so you have both constant and switched power).

Answer 2

Leave a wire tail protruding from the wall just above the bottom plate. Plan on installing a junction box in the kick plate, onto which you'd install your lighting fixture or an outlet. All junctions must be accessible after finish work is done.

Alternatively, plan for an outlet in the back wall of your cabinet, and plug in your lamp cord there.

For more assistance, update your question with better information about your lighting.