Slides
Bottom mount drawer slides explained, and the box we build for epoxy roller slides
For a few decades this was the slide in nearly every builder grade kitchen: a thin epoxy coated steel rail on each side of the cabinet, a nylon wheel riding in it, and a matching rail screwed along the bottom edge of the drawer box. The wheels wear, the rails bend, the drawer sags. The box, if it was a good one, outlasts the hardware. This page is for the person with that cabinet.
Quick answer. A bottom mount slide, also called an epoxy roller slide, is a pair of light steel rails with a nylon wheel that rides under each bottom edge of the drawer box. The box is sized like a side mount box, 1 in narrower than the opening, but measure the old box to confirm. They are 3/4 extension, have no soft close, and are cheap to replace. Order the box as a custom size with slide prep None, built to the old box’s dimensions. Gritly builds this replacement box from Baltic Birch or Hard Maple (Select Grade), dovetailed and sanded like every other box in the shop.
How to recognize one
Pull the drawer open and look at the bottom edge of the drawer side. A bottom mount slide has an L shaped rail, usually white, almond or brown, screwed to the side of the box right along the bottom edge, with a small nylon wheel at the back end. On the cabinet there is a matching rail with a wheel at the front. The two wheels ride in each other’s rails. To take the drawer out, you pull it to the stop and lift the back up and over. If the drawer has a steel channel up on the side with visible ball bearings instead, that is side mount. If nothing shows on the side and a runner tucks under the box with a clip at the front, that is undermount.
What we do to the box
- Width. Sized to your old box. Most bottom mount slides need 1/2 in per side, so the box usually comes out at the opening minus 1 in, the same as side mount. The old box is the proof: measure it and we build to it.
- Sides. Plain, no prep. The drawer rail screws to the side of the box along the bottom edge, and a 5/8 in dovetailed side takes those screws without anything special.
- Depth. Match the old box, which in turn matches the slide length. Custom boxes run 9 to 24 in.
- Height. Match the old box. The roller adds a little under the box, so the old height is the safe number.
- Bottom. 1/4 in captured in a groove. The rail rides beside the bottom, not on it.
Because the width rule matches side mount, a standard size will often drop in if your old box happens to measure the same. When it does not, the custom box is built to the 1/32 in of whatever you measured.
How a bottom mount epoxy roller slide works
Two L shaped, epoxy coated steel rails do the work. The drawer rail screws along the bottom edge of the drawer side, with a nylon wheel at its back end; the cabinet rail screws to the cabinet side, with a wheel at its front end, and the two wheels ride in each other’s rails. The cabinet rail usually has a ramp near the back, so the drawer rolls itself shut once you push it most of the way, and a stop near the front with a lift out notch so the drawer comes free.
Other names for the same part: euro slide, epoxy slide, epoxy coated slide, bottom corner mount. KV markets its 1805 as a 3/4 extension self close white epoxy coated euro drawer slide. None of this is the same as an undermount runner, which hides completely under the box with no rail on the side at all.
What to measure
Take the old drawer out and measure the box, not the front. Outside width, outside depth front to back, and outside height of the side. Then note the slide length, stamped on the cabinet rail or measured along it, and the clear opening width. If the old box is gone, use the opening minus 1 in and check the clearance printed on the new slide package; nearly all epoxy roller slides ask for 1/2 in per side. The measuring guide has the pictures and the find my drawer tool sorts standard from custom.
| Spec | Bottom mount drawer box |
|---|---|
| BOX WIDTH | Match the old box; usually the opening minus 1 in (1/2 in per side) |
| SLIDE PREP | None. Plain sides, the rail screws along the bottom edge of the side |
| SIDE THICKNESS | 5/8 in standard; 1/2 in or 3/4 in on request |
| BOX DEPTH | Match the old box and the slide length; 9 to 24 in custom |
| BOX HEIGHT | Match the old box; 2 to 12 in custom |
| EXTENSION | 3/4 typical; the back quarter of the drawer stays in the cabinet. Blum’s 430E is a full extension epoxy version with 1 1/4 in of over extension |
| SOFT CLOSE | Rare. Most are self close, not damped; a few full extension epoxy runners offer true soft close |
| LOAD | Light duty: KV’s 1805 is rated 75 lb for drawers up to 18 in wide, Blum’s 230M is in the 100 lb class |
| PRICE PER PAIR | About $8 to $15 per pair at retail, per Fine Woodworking; we do not sell them |
| HARDWARE | Reuse the old rollers or buy new ones locally; we do not stock bottom mount slides |
Can I upgrade from bottom mount to something else?
Yes, and two of the three upgrades keep the same box width. Bottom mount rollers are cheap and easy to swap, which is a real virtue when the goal is a working drawer this weekend. But they stop three quarters of the way out on most versions, they carry light loads, and soft close is rare. If the box is coming out anyway, it is worth asking whether the slide should too.
- Side mount ball bearing. The easy upgrade. It uses the same opening minus 1 in width rule, so the new box is the same width you were going to order anyway. You get full extension, a higher load rating, and a soft close option. We stock Würth PRO100 side mount slides in 10 to 28 in. Check that the cabinet member length fits the cabinet depth. Our side mount guide covers the slide itself.
- Side mount soft close. Same box width again. Choose Würth PRO100SC instead of the plain PRO100, and the drawer gains a built in damper with no change to the box. See soft close side mount slides explained.
- Undermount. The bigger step. The box gets wider, notched and drilled for the runner, and the runners mount to the cabinet floor and back. Hidden hardware, soft close standard on most runners. The conversion guide walks the measuring, and the same steps apply from bottom mount.
Keeping the rollers is the right call when the cabinet is a rental, a garage, or a laundry room where the drawer just needs to work. Upgrading is the right call in a kitchen you use every day. Either way, the box is built the same: dovetailed, cut to the 1/32 in, from the same shop.
How bottom mount compares to the other three slide types
Side mount, side mount soft close, bottom mount epoxy roller and undermount fit a drawer box differently and cost different amounts. Here is how the epoxy roller slide on this page stacks up against the other three.
| Spec | Side mount ball bearing | Side mount soft close | Bottom mount epoxy roller | Undermount |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VISIBLE WHEN OPEN | Yes, a steel channel on the side, about halfway up | Yes, the same channel plus a damper housing at the rear | Yes, a painted rail along the bottom edge | No, hidden under the box |
| CLEARANCE PER SIDE | 1/2 in | 1/2 in | About 1/2 in | Set by the runner, commonly about 3/16 in |
| BOX WIDTH | Opening minus 1 in | Same as side mount, opening minus 1 in | Usually the same as side mount; match the old box | Set by the runner; opening minus 13/32 in for a Blum TANDEM plus BLUMOTION 563 box with 5/8 in sides |
| BOX PREP | None | None | None | Rear notch, hook holes, front clips, recessed bottom |
| EXTENSION | 3/4, full or over travel | Full, almost always | 3/4 extension mostly; some full extension | Full on nearly every current runner |
| TYPICAL LOAD | 75, 100 or 150 lb and up per pair, by model | 50 to 100 lb per pair, by model | 60 to 100 lb class, by model | 88 to 170 lb per pair, by model |
| LENGTHS | 10 to 28 in | 12 to 28 in | About 10 to 26 in | 9 to 21 in standard, to 30 in on heavy duty runners |
| SOFT CLOSE | An option | Built in | Rare; most are self close | Standard on most current runners |
| PRICE PER PAIR | $18.77 to $42.34 | $25.66 to $59.59 | About $8 to $15 per pair at retail, per Fine Woodworking; we do not sell them | $33.01 to $79.65 per pair (Würth PRO600 $33.01 to a Blum MOVENTO 769 heavy duty at $79.65) |
| GRITLY SELLS | Würth PRO 3.0 and PRO100 | Würth PRO100SC | No, box only | Blum TANDEM, MOVENTO and Würth PRO600 |
Gritly prices current as of October 2026; the bottom mount range is Fine Woodworking’s.
How to order a box for bottom mount slides
Measure the old box
Outside width, depth and height, to the nearest 1/32 in. Note whether the drawer rail is still good or whether you are buying new rollers.
Enter it as a custom box
On the custom box, enter the old box’s width, depth and height and leave slide prep at None. Pick Baltic Birch or Hard Maple (Select Grade), 5/8 in sides and the 1/4 in bottom.
Or check a standard size
If the old box measures one of the 98 standard sizes, order that instead. Same box, in stock.
Move the rails over
Unscrew the drawer rail from the old box, screw it to the new box in the same spot along the bottom edge, set the wheel in the cabinet rail and drop it in. The install guide covers attaching the front.
Not sure this is your slide? The slide types overview compares all four, side mount and soft close side mount are the usual upgrades, undermount is the bigger step, and center mount is the other slide found in older cabinets.
Technical sources
- Fine Woodworking: Mechanical drawer slides, finewoodworking.com. Revision: not stated.
Figures on this page were checked against these documents in October 2026. Our shop’s own rules (the 1 in side mount deduction, the cut list limits) come from how we build.
Questions
What is an epoxy drawer slide?
A bottom mount roller slide with an epoxy coated steel rail, usually white or almond. One rail screws to the cabinet with a wheel at the front, one screws along the bottom edge of the drawer with a wheel at the back, and the wheels ride in each other’s rails. It was the standard slide in builder grade cabinets for years.
How wide should a drawer box be for bottom mount slides?
Usually the cabinet opening minus 1 in, because most epoxy roller slides want 1/2 in of clearance per side, the same as side mount. Confirm it against the old box, since a few slides use a different clearance, and we build to whatever the old box measures.
Can I put ball bearing side mount slides on a box sized for bottom mount?
Usually, yes. Both take about the same clearance per side, so the box width is the same. Check that the side mount slide length fits inside the cabinet and that the box depth matches it. The slides screw to the plain sides and the old roller holes along the bottom edge do no harm.
Do bottom mount slides come in soft close?
Rare. Most epoxy roller slides are self close, a spring or ramp pulls them shut, not damped. A few full extension epoxy runners, such as Blum’s 430E, offer true soft close. If you want to be sure of it, move to a side mount ball bearing slide with soft close or to an undermount runner; both are covered in our replacement guides.
Do you sell bottom mount slides?
No. We build the box; the rollers are inexpensive and sold at any hardware store, or you reuse the ones you have. We do stock side mount and undermount slides if you decide to upgrade.
Can I replace just the wheel on a drawer slide?
No. The nylon wheels on an epoxy roller slide are riveted to the rail, not bolted, so a cracked or worn wheel means replacing the whole slide pair. The rails themselves also bend under load over time, which is the other common reason to replace rather than repair.
Are bottom mount and undermount slides the same thing?
No, even though some retailers use the terms loosely. A bottom mount epoxy roller slide shows a painted rail along the bottom edge of the drawer side. An undermount runner is completely hidden; it sits beneath the box with no hardware visible on the side at all, and needs a notched, drilled box, not a plain one.
What is a bottom mount drawer slide?
A bottom mount or epoxy roller slide uses two L shaped steel rails, one screwed along the bottom edge of the drawer side and one screwed to the cabinet side, each carrying a nylon wheel that rides in the other rail. It is an older, inexpensive design with no ball bearings and usually no soft close. Gritly does not stock this slide type, but still builds the replacement box to your old drawer’s exact dimensions.
Can drawer slides be mounted on the bottom?
Yes. Bottom mount, or epoxy roller, slides run a rail along the bottom edge of the drawer side and a matching rail on the cabinet side, each with a wheel that rides in the other rail, instead of a channel mounted higher up. They were common in older cabinetry and are still sold today as a low cost replacement option. Gritly builds the matching box, but recommends measuring your old box first since a few bottom mount slides use a different clearance than the usual rule.
How to measure bottom mount drawer slides?
Measure the width of the old drawer box itself, not just the cabinet opening, since not every bottom mount slide wants exactly the same clearance. A rough guide is the opening minus 1 in, the same deduction as side mount, but confirm it against the box you are replacing before you order. See our measuring guide for the full steps across every slide type.
How to install bottom mount drawer slides?
Screw one rail along the bottom edge of each drawer side and the matching rail to the cabinet side at the same height, so the wheel on each rail rides in the other, then roll the drawer in. Most epoxy roller slides pull the drawer the last bit shut with a ramp rather than a damper. See our how to install drawer slides guide for the steps on every slide type.
A better box on the slides you have
Measure the old box, enter it, and get a dovetailed replacement that drops onto the same rollers. Or take the chance to upgrade the slide. Cut to the 1/32 in, built in our Las Vegas shop.