Bulbs for Cabinet Lighting

When deciding on lighting fixtures for you cabinets, first decide on type of bulbs that would best suit your needs. Halogen and xenon 12 volt sytems are good choices. The fixtures are small and compact. These bulbs make a good choice for task and accent illumination. They are completely dimmable to help create a warmer softer appearance but still give a whiter brighter illumination with an excellent color rendering.

The 12 volt halogen bulbs uses less energy and less heat than their counterpart 120 volts. The 120 volt bulb produces a somewhat warmer tone and offers lower initial cost of fixtures, they do not require a step-down transformer to operate as the 12 volt version. Becareful the oils from your skin will burn out the bulb because they burn so hot.

The xenon bulbs are the newest bulb producing 10,000 hours of lamp life. They have a somewhat warmer crisp illumination than the halogen bulb. They run 40% to 50% cooler and can be handled without fear of burn outs. They offer the most flexibility, achieving a more custom effect.

Many people still prefer the long life and low energy consumption of flourescent lamps. They can provide a shadow free task illumination. Flourescents are high efficiency with high color rendering lamps. They have inexpensive and have easily replaceable tubes. The down side is they are not dimmable and might be to bright for overcabinets. They have a tendacy to show all the flaws and scars of your ceilings and walls. To search for bulbs for cabinet lighting click here.

When using flourescent bulbs, ballast are required. There are several different kinds of electronic or a magetic ballast to choose from. Make sure your bulbs are campatible with the ballast. Many times bulbs come with the fixture. Answers on Over & Under Cabinets & Coves click here.