Material surface properties

These are lists of physical surface types ($surfaceprop) that Source recognizes, as defined by the files referenced in /scripts/surfaceproperties_manifest.txt.

Surface types define the physical properties of an object including friction, density, collision/footstep sounds, the effect of bullet impacts and, if the object is destructible, health and gib type.

Both materials and models define their surfaces with the $surfaceprop command.

Note:For GoldSrc, use sounds/materials.txt. This file usually has documentation at the top dictating which surface types are available in the given mod.

Types

About the following first table:

• Each row represents a surface property available in multiple games. (The game-specific ones are below.)
• Games listed in the "Only in" column are the only ones that have that surfaceprop. If empty, the surfaceprop should be available in all games.
• Games listed in the "Not in" column had that surfaceprop removed. Such as Zombieflesh which was shipped with Half-Life 2 but is ironically not in the Left 4 Dead series anymore.
• If a surface property is available in some game, one can expect that it is also available in mods of it, like Portal: Revolution being a mod of Portal 2.

Most of the following surface properties are shipped in scripts/surfaceproperties.txt, which almost every game has.
Some HL2-specific surface properties are shipped in scripts/surfaceproperties_hl2.txt. Those are only for the HL2 series, such as Strider, but some games ship that file as well.

Note:This list only contains surfaceprops from official valve games. Surface properties that were introduced in third party mods/games such as Garry's Mod and Black Mesa can be found below.
If a surfaceprop happens to also be in a third party mod, it will also be listed as "Only in" inside this first list.

Note:The following games have been checked for its surfaceprops: , , , , , , , , , , .

Todo: Check other games and add them to the list of checked games.

Special	Description	Only in	Not in
Default
Default_silent	For invisible collision materials, like sky. Bullet impacts are neither visible nor audible, giving the illusion that there is no impact.
Floatingstandable	This one is used for puzzles where we want something that floats but the player can stand on without it sinking beneath the water.
Item	Small med kit, smaller tech items, battery.
Ladder	Ladder is a fake material for walking on ladders.
Woodladder	Same as Ladder, but with wooden climbing sounds.
No_decal	Warning:Will still cause decals if used on world brushes. At least in
Player	Special materials for player controller.
Player_control_clip	Special materials for player controller.
Concrete/Rock	Description	Only in	Not in
Baserock	Missing in most games. Why is it listed here?
Boulder	Will cause material glitches if used in models
Brick
Cavern_rock
Concrete
Concrete_block	9x12 prefabricated concrete cinder blocks.
Gravel
Rock	Solid rock (small sounds).
Sheetrock	Plaster like walls, except without paper-like particles. Uses rocks instead.
Metal	Description	Only in	Not in
brass_bell_large brass_bell_medium brass_bell_small brass_bell_smallest	Various bells, playing different notes when shot.
Canister	Large oxygen tank, propane tank, welding tank.
Chain	Metal chain.
Chainlink	Chainlink fencing material.
Combine_metal	Part of scripts/surfaceproperties_hl2.txt. Native to HL2, and the games shipping with this script.
Crowbar	Sounds for specifically the crowbar. Part of scripts/surfaceproperties_hl2.txt. Native to HL2, and the games shipping with this script.
Grenade	Sounds like a small metal object when dropped, but sounds like dirt when stepped on.
Gunship	Part of scripts/surfaceproperties_hl2.txt. Native to HL2, and the games shipping with this script.
Metal
Metal_barrel	Larger metal barrel, metal oil drum. In CS:GO, a thickness of 1 unit already blocks all bullets.
Floating_metal_barrel	Surfaceprop alone does not define whether item can float. At least in
Metal_bouncy	prop_physics and func_physbox with this surfaceprop will bounce around when dropped.
Metal_Box	Smaller metal box (< 2' width/height/depth)
Metal_seafloorcar	Part of scripts/surfaceproperties_hl2.txt. Native to HL2, and the games shipping with this script.
Metalgrate	Metal grating, used for decking
Grate	Uses "Metalgrate" as base and has no properties of its own. Probably a leftover.
Metalpanel	Thick solid steel panel - used for solid wall, floor, machine construction.
Metalvent	~1mm thick metal
Metalvehicle	Part of scripts/surfaceproperties_hl2.txt. Theoretically native to Half-Life 2 series only, but many other games also use it. Its easier listing which game doesn't have this.
Paintcan	Smaller metal can
Popcan	Small aluminum can, full.
Roller	Combine Roller mine material.
Slipperymetal	Very low friction on which you slip and slide, just like ice.
Solidmetal	Almost nothing is solid metal - so metal is sheet metal
Strider
Weapon	Sounds for when weapons drop.
Strongman_bell	Sounds like a boxing ring bell when hit.
Slipperyslide	Like SlipperyMetal, but uses SolidMetal sounds.
Wood	Description	Only in	Not in
Wood	Generic wood Note:materials should use wood_box, wood_crate, wood_plank, wood_panel etc.
Wood_Box
Wood_Crate	Large crate, large wood furniture (bookcases, tables).
Wood_Furniture	small wood furniture - chairs, small tables.
Wood_LowDensity	Small crate.
Wood_Plank	Wood board, floorboard, plank.
Wood_Panel	Plywood panel, wood door panel.
Wood_Solid	Solid 6x6 or greater block, post or tree.
Terrain	Description	Only in	Not in
Dirt
Grass
Gravel
Mud
Quicksand	Does not let you sink like in quicksand.
Sand
Slipperyslime	Very low friction on which you slip and slide, just like ice.
Antlionsand	Part of scripts/surfaceproperties_hl2.txt. Native to HL2, and the games shipping with this script.
Sugarcane	Same Sounds as Foliage, but uses "Dirt" as base, with lower density. As foliage uses higher density.
Liquid	Description	Only in	Not in
Slime
Water	If applied to brushes/models that are not using %compilewater, it will sound like water and spawn water particles when shot. But it will also draw bullet decals.
Wade	Wade is a water material for walking in/on water at knee height. If applied to brushes/models it will sound like water and spawn water particles when shot. But it will also draw bullet decals.
Puddle	When shot, spawns refracting water splash particles
Wet	Doesn't actually do anything.
Frozen	Description	Only in	Not in
Ice	Very low friction on which you slip and slide.
Snow	Bug:Missing sound files for footsteps  (tested in: )
Organic	Description	Only in	Not in
Alienflesh
Antlion	Part of scripts/surfaceproperties_hl2.txt. Native to HL2, and the games shipping with this script.
Antlion_eggshell
Armorflesh	Flesh for physics, metal for bullet fx.
Bloodyflesh	Does not spawn bloody bullet decals in
Flesh	Medium-sized body.
Foliage
Hay
Hunter
Watermelon
Zombieflesh	Part of scripts/surfaceproperties_hl2.txt. Native to HL2, and the games shipping with this script.
Manufactured	Description	Only in	Not in
Advisor_shield
Asphalt
Glass	Pane of glass, computer screen, window, glass door... Use Glassfloor in CS:GO if a glass floor shouldn't be more slippery than usual.
Glassbottle	Glass soda bottle, cup, plate, jar...
Combine_glass	Part of scripts/surfaceproperties_hl2.txt. Native to HL2, and the games shipping with this script.
Tile
Paper
Papercup
Cardboard
Plaster	Drywall, office wall material, sheetrock.
Plastic_barrel	Larger plastic barrel, hollow, soft plastic.
Plastic_barrel_buoyant	Surfaceprop alone does not define whether item can float. At least in
Plastic_Box	Small - Medium plastic box, hard plastic.
Plastic	Smaller generic hard plastic.
Rubber	Solid rubber floor mat, solid rubber tire.
Rubbertire	Hollow rubber tire
Slidingrubbertire	Special material for monitoring vehicle handling per wheel.
Slidingrubbertire_front	Special material for monitoring vehicle handling per axle.
Slidingrubbertire_rear	Special material for monitoring vehicle handling per axle.
Jeeptire	Tired for the drivable vehicles.
Brakingrubbertire	Special material for monitoring vehicle handling per axle.
Jalopy
Jalopytire	Special material for monitoring vehicle handling per axle.
Slidingrubbertire_jalopyfront	Special material for monitoring vehicle handling per axle.
Slidingrubbertire_jalopyrear	Special material for monitoring vehicle handling per axle.
Clay	Ceramic jug, mug.
Porcelain	Tubs, urinals, sinks, ect.
Upholstery	For Couches, sofas, car seats, ect.
Miscellaneous	Description	Only in	Not in
Carpet
Ceiling_tile	Acoustic ceiling tiles, sound baffles, crumbly plaster.
Computer	Technical equipment. Glass and plastic impact noises, but plastic bullet decals.
Helmet	special sounds when a helmet is shot.
Pottery	Ceramic pots.

Game-specific

The following surface types are only available in one game.

Alien Swarm

$surfaceprop	Description
Ammo_pickup	Ammo supply boxes
Ice_noslide	Ice, but without the ability to slide.
Snow_noslide	Snow, but without the ability to slide.
Steam_pipe
stim_prop	Stops glass breaking sounds from playing when stims are kicked around/shot

Counter-Strike: Global Offensive

Main article:  List of CS:GO Surface Types

$surfaceprop	Description
Blockbullets	Blocks bullets entirely, because the Tools/ToolsBlockBullets doesn't really block bullets.
dufflebag_survivalCase	Used for prop_money_crate.
Glassfloor	Like Glass, but with a normal friction value.
metal_barrel_explodingSurvival	Used for prop_exploding_barrel.
metal_barrelSoundOverride
Metal_sand_barrel	Barrel of sand. A thickness of 1 unit already blocks all bullets.
Metal_shield	Uses weapon sounds for weapon_shield.
metal_survivalCase	Base for metal_survivalCase_unpunchable.
metal_survivalCase_unpunchable	Used for prop_metal_crate.
metal_vehicleSoundOverride
metaldogtags	Used for item_dogtags.
plastic_survivalCase	Used for the yellow prop_loot_crate.
slowgrass	Used for the tall grass material seen on dz_blacksite. It's the only material that has the property hidetargetid 1.
soccerball	Used by the soccer ball prop seen on de_dust2.
stucco
tile_survivalCase	Used by the blue and red prop_loot_crate, and prop_paradrop_crate.
tile_survivalCase_GIB
weapon_magazine
Wood_Basket	Like Wood_Box but with different step sounds.
Wood_Dense	Allows much less bullet penetration.

Left 4 Dead 2

$surfaceprop	Description
Bat Blade Chainsaw Cricketbat Crowbar Fireaxe Fryingpan Golfclub Guitar Pitchfork Shovel Sword	Like "Weapon" but used for the melee weapons to give specific sounds when they are dropped.
Foliage_leaf	Same as Foliage, but uses Foliage sounds, instead of Dirt sounds.

Portal

$surfaceprop	Description
Energyball	Unsure what this is. But its listed in the portal surfaceprop file, based on "Glass". "The portal energy ball needs perfectly reflective collisions, reguardless of what it hits".
Sphere	Unsre what this is. But its listed in the portal surfaceprop file, based on "Metal". The sphere needs to have elasticity and dampening set to create a more realistic bounce
Sphere2	Portal2's spehere is made of metal and isn't quite as bouncey

Portal 2

$surfaceprop	Description
brokenglass
hard_light_bridge
PaintBomb	Based on metal. Unsure what this really is used for.
painted_surface	Has paint step sounds, but no other functions.
Reflective	Unsre what this is. But its listed in the portal surfaceprop file, based on "metalpanel". Same description as "Energyball" in Portal 1 had. "The portal energy ball needs perfectly reflective collisions, reguardless of what it hits".
Turret_Gib	Gib models of turrets use this.
Underground_Cube
WeightedCube_Bounce	Extremely bouncy storage cube.

Team Fortress 2

$surfaceprop	Description
ball_bouncy	Rubber bouncy ball
demoman_grenade
grenade_napalm	pyro napalm grenade.
passtime_ball	Rubber Pass time ball from Tf2
scout_baseball	Rubber baseball Projectile.
scout_ornament	Glass christmas tree ornament Projectile.
wasabiball	Based on "Rubber.
Wrecking_ball

Third Party Games/mods

The following surfaceprops are added in popular non-Valve games, which can't be found in any official valve titles.

Black Mesa

$surfaceprop	Description
Concretegrit
Conveyor_off Conveyor_on	Special properties for the conveyor belts.
Floating_metal_barrel_bms	Special version just for Black Mesa
floating_plastic_barrel_bms
friction_metal_00 friction_metal_10 friction_metal_15 friction_metal_25 friction_metal_35 friction_metal_45	Metals with various friction settings.
hornet_bouncy
Inttower	Flesh walk sound used in the interloper tower interior
Leaves	Black Mesa's version of "Foliage_leaf"
Metalpipe
Satchel	Dufflebag material, or backpack.
Xen_Root	Fleshy tentacle roots in Xen.

Garry's Mod

$surfaceprop	Description
frictionM_00 frictionM_10 frictionM_25 friction_00 friction_10 friction_25	Material with default sounds, but with various friction settings.
gmod_bouncy
gmod_ice	Very low friction on which you slip and slide.
gmod_silent
gm_ps_egg
gm_ps_metaltire
gm_ps_soccerball
gm_ps_woodentire
gm_torpedo
phx_explosiveball
phx_flakshell
phx_rubbertire
phx_rubbertire2
phx_tire_normal
phx_ww2bomb
plastic_barrel_verybuoyant	Even more buoyant barrel.

INFRA

$surfaceprop	Description
Alttile	Only has different step sounds
Bag	Dufflebag material, or backpack.
Balloon	Based on plastic, but has a balloon popping sound when broken.
Crpt	Same as Carpet in every way.

See also

• Creating a Material
• $surfaceprop
• Material Types
• Creating custom gibs
• List of CS:GO Surface Types