Hi, all.

My wife and I are planning to enhance our 20-year-old kitchen with a few relatively small projects, and I was wondering if you had any input based on past experience. We’d like to install a tile backsplash, as well as under cabinet lighting. Additionally, I would like to replace our non-vented over-the-range microwave with a range hood that vents to the outside. Let’s discuss each one.

Tile backsplash

This one is the most straightforward. We are perusing a few local stores gathering ideas for what we like in tile styles and colors. We have a natural stone floor-to-ceiling fireplace across the room from the kitchen so we are focusing on the natural beige/tan/gray colors in a stone look for the backsplash, in either ceramic or porcelain. We had a gentleman come over this weekend to discuss the project and it seems like a relatively easy task. We also plan to remove an unused phone jack plate on the backsplash to make for a cleaner look. We are going for a shape/style that's similar to subway tile, but more of a natural stone look. We found some called Mountain Road by allen+roth at Lowes we really like.

Under cabinet lighting

This project will require some cutting and installation of additional outlets to accomplish. We’ve looked at all 3 lighting options: battery-powered (yuk), plug in, and hard wired. We had initially thought we wanted the lights to be hard wired to a single dimmer switch to control the entire thing. But after discussing the project with the same guy with whom we discussed the tiler backsplash, it seems connecting all of the lights to the same switch would be quite hard.

Our kitchen is in an L shape with the cabinets on 2 walls: one exterior wall, and one interior wall. There’s a sink/window on the exterior wall and a range on the interior wall. He was suggesting the installation of 3 new plug outlets up in the cabinets, and simply plug each section of the lighting into each outlet and run wires underneath to the lights.

This option would, of course, require 3 separate on/off switches. We didn’t really care for that initially, but the use of plug-in lighting would make it much easier to change/upgrade the lights in the future if we ever chose to. We were told that some of the plug-in lights come with a slim touch pad that could be hidden just under the lip of the cabinet and we could just press to turn on/off. That seems ok.

Now, as far as the type of lights themselves… we are thinking of going with the LED “puck” style rather than the LED strips. And we are looking for a normal warm light, not the cool light that seems popular these days. Oh, and we definitely want these lights dimmable.
Given the above, does anyone have recommendations on specific LED lights, and/or suggestions on how to best wire/install them? What are we not considering?

Over-the-range vent hood

Ok, this is the pièce de resistance. My wife is not a fan of this idea, but since I do all of the cooking I figured I have a bit more say. We currently have a microwave oven above our glass cooktop range. The microwave is not vented outside, and it’s on an interior wall just under a cabinet. The microwave is rather old, but works fine. I’d like to replace it with a vented hood that has good lighting and gives me more visibility when cooking (I’m tall). I also would like the hood vented outside so when I’m cooking something that’s smokey, it doesn’t fill the kitchen.

Like I mentioned earlier, the issue is that this vent hood will not be mounted on an exterior wall. The duct work connected to the hood would need to go up into the cabinet above, turn 90 degrees, and then travel about 5-6 feet to reach the exterior wall. The entire length of the duct work would be inside cabinets along the wall. Has anyone done an installation like this, and do you recommend it? Would this cause any potential problems?

If you feel this is an ok approach, does anyone have any recommendations on specific models of vent hoods? I am looking for something with a stainless steel finish, standard 30 inches wide, good lighting, multiple fan speeds, is quiet, and is easily cleaned/maintained. What’s a decent CFM? I see models ranging from 400-900 CFM. I assume more if better, but what is good enough?

As far as the duct work goes, would you recommend that the entire length be the full diameter of the vent’s actual opening, or could the duct diameter be a bit smaller while traversing inside the cabinets to save room? Any specific duct material you’d recommend or exterior vents?

Summary

Of course, each of these projects would need to be done in the reverse order in which they were listed here. The vent hood first since the additional wall space behind the range means more area for tile backslash. And the lighting/wiring/outlets need to be done before the backsplash since cutting of the dry wall behind the backsplash is needed.

Thanks for any experience and insights you can provide!

We did our kitchen 18 months ago.

We went with hardwired under cabinet lighting connected to a single dimmer. It's low voltage, LED lighting that connects to a transformer in the cabinet over the refrigerator. We have lighting under cabinets on three walls. It works very well.

We also had a microwave over the cook top and moved it to put in an outside vented hood. The hood is on an interior wall and we vented it through the roof. The vent on the roof bends downward to keep water out. No problems with any leaking.

We also went with a simple subway type tile for the backsplash.

quote:

Like I mentioned earlier, the issue is that this vent hood will not be mounted on an exterior wall. The duct work connected to the hood would need to go up into the cabinet above, turn 90 degrees, and then travel about 5-6 feet to reach the exterior wall. The entire length of the duct work would be inside cabinets along the wall. Has anyone done an installation like this, and do you recommend it? Would this cause any potential problems?

I did this exact thing. A HVAC client did the exhaust for me. He installed a 6" exhaust to handle 400cfm. The outside wall was brick and the outside vent looks good.

Remodel in 2020-2021. We did dimmable under-cabinet led strip lights with transformer in basement.
As for stove vent, we have a XO 36-inch 720 CFM. Anything more than 400CFM, you may need make-up air depending on your state/local building codes. IF you are running a gas/oil: furnace, water-heater, stove, or fireplace, a large CFM fan can backdraft these things. Your distance sounds reasonable, but you'll need to examine the installation instructions about vent diameter, number/type of bends, and maximum vertical and horizontal distance. Bends are a distance killer. If you do need makeup-air, things can get expense with heating/cooling in-coming outdoor air. I only opted for heating side in Northeast PA. We do get a few drips of condensation when temps get below 20F with low air speeds. IF I bought again, I would get a fan wider than my stove.
For tile, we liked the little 3/4x2 inch ceramic rectangles attached to a mesh backing with pattern brick colors of white, grey, black, opaque/frosted clear, etc.

We did a gut kitchen renovation in Summer of 2022.

We had LED tape under cabinet lighting installed and tied all to one switch by the sink and I’m glad we did it that way.

I don’t think putting them all on one switch is as hard as you think, and frankly having to turn on/off 2 or 3 each time would get pretty old fast.

The lighting that we have has the ability to customize the light temperature from cooler to warmer and also the dimming. Looks great with our countertops.

We did a remodel about 10 years ago. We had a contractor do all the things you mentioned. Microwaves come with the vent fan built in. Just replaced the stove and microwave last week. We went with Thermidor for both appliances. Hope to get better longevity from this brand.

Have to say that they cook better than what we had.

With the ducting you are faced with for a hood, I recommend you focus on one that has the best filtration/grease separation system that is easily cleaned at the hood and does not permit aerosolized/airborne grease to pass into/through the duct.

It's been almost 30 years since I built homes, and nearly 50 years since I worked in a Steak House, that a system that separated grease.

But, seeing inadequate ducted systems where grease can accumulate, the mess, "drip back" and seepage into wall cavity/ceiling joists compels me to mention this.

It's not something you want do do twice nor have to endure a disappointed wife if it goes badly.

I know there are excellent systems that will work for you, just dig into it.

Depending on your wife's vertical design, consider a hood with a remote. My wife is 5' and struggles to reach the knobs on our current hood. Retirement home project the hood is (I think) even a bit higher, but there is a tiny little remote that runs fan and lights.

I recently replaced my 22 year old GE vented hood. I wanted one with more air flow, quieter, and better lighting. I went with a Broan Glacier 30-inch, 450 CFM Blower, 5.5 Sones, Stainless Steel hood and it improves all 3. It's so quiet on the lowest speed I questioned if it was even moving enough air to open the flapper door but when I went out and looked the flapper was open and air was blowing out. One reason I went with this one is at 19.5" deep it projects out a couple inches farther over the range than most hoods but still not in the way at all. At speed 2 it moves out more smoke and steam than my old one did at max speed, while being *much* quieter. Max speed is rated at 450 cfm and I have only used it a few times simply because speeds 1&2 are all that's necessary most of the time. The LED lighting is nice too. It can vent up or out the back and was $400 shipped IIRC. https://www.broan-nutone.com/e...rangehoods/bcdj130ss