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 sound/materials.txt. This file usually has documentation at the top dictating which surface types are available in the given mod.

Types

This table represents scripts/surfaceproperties.txt. Every game is shipped with this file and therefore every game has all these surface properties, with some exceptions.
Games listed in the "Not in" column had the surface property deleted for one reason or another.

Some games introcude their own surface properties, which can be seen below.

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 further below.
If a surfaceprop happens to be missing in a third party mod, it will still be listed in the "Not in" column.

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	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	Not in
Boulder	Will cause material glitches if used in models
Brick
Concrete
Concrete_block	9x12 prefabricated concrete cinder blocks.
Gravel
Rock	Solid rock (small sounds).
Metal	Description	Not in
Canister	Large oxygen tank, propane tank, welding tank.
Chain	Metal chain.
Chainlink	Chainlink fencing material.
Grenade	Sounds like a small metal object when dropped, but sounds like dirt when stepped on.
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)
Metalgrate	Metal grating, used for decking
Metalpanel	Thick solid steel panel - used for solid wall, floor, machine construction.
Metalvent	~1mm thick metal
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
Weapon	Sounds for when weapons drop.
Wood	Description	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	Not in
Dirt
Grass
Mud
Quicksand	Does not let you sink like in quicksand.
Sand
Slipperyslime	Very low friction on which you slip and slide, just like ice.
Liquid	Description	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.
Frozen	Description	Not in
Ice	Very low friction on which you slip and slide.
Snow	Bug:Missing sound files for footsteps  (tested in: )
Organic	Description	Not in
Alienflesh
Armorflesh	Flesh for physics, metal for bullet fx.
Bloodyflesh	Does not spawn bloody bullet decals in
Flesh	Medium-sized body.
Foliage
Watermelon
Manufactured	Description	Not in
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...
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.
Porcelain	Tubs, urinals, sinks, ect.
Miscellaneous	Description	Not in
Carpet
Ceiling_tile	Acoustic ceiling tiles, sound baffles, crumbly plaster.
Computer	Technical equipment. Glass and plastic impact noises, but plastic bullet decals.
Pottery	Ceramic pots.

Game-specific

The following surface properties are not part of the base scripts/surfaceproperties.txt and therefore not available in every game.
These lists only show the surfaceproperties that were added for that game. They still contain all the surfaceproperties in the above list, unless otherwise specified.

Note:Various games are shipped with the scripts/surfaceproperties_hl2.txt from Half-Life 2. Some game's scripts/surfaceproperties_manifest.txt do not actually use these files though.
These tables are set up to only show the surfaceproperties that are used according to their manifests.

Half-Life 2

These surfaceprops were introduced specifically for Half-Life 2 and its episodes, but this file was shipped alongside numerous games.

$surfaceprop	Description
Antlion
Antlionsand
Combine_Glass
Combine_Metal
Crowbar
Gunship
Metalvehicle
Metal_Seafloorcar	Probably used for the E3 Seafloor map
Strider
Zombieflesh

Half-Life 2: Episode Two

These surfaceprops were introduced for Half-Life 2: Episode Two. These are not available in Half-Life 2 and Half-Life 2: Episode One due to this surfaceproperties sript only being loaded when EP2 is active.

Workaround:Manually edit the scripts/surfaceproperties_hl2.txt in the base game to add the EP2 specific surfaceprops.
Alternatively, add the EP2 script file with its manifest as a mod.vpk to the base HL2.

$surfaceprop	Description
Advisor_shield
Antlion_eggshell
Cavern_rock
Hunter
Jalopy	Specifically for the EP2 vehicle.
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.

Alien Swarm

Shipped with scripts/surfaceproperties_hl2.txt, which is still used.

$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
Antlion Antlionsand Combine_Glass Combine_Metal Crowbar Gunship Metalvehicle Metal_Seafloorcar Strider Zombieflesh	Half-Life 2 leftover. See the Half-Life 2 List.

Counter-Strike: Source

Shipped with scripts/surfaceproperties_hl2.txt, but is unused according to its manifest.

$surfaceprop	Description
Brass_Bell_Large Brass_Bell_Medium Brass_Bell_Small Brass_Bell_Smallest	Various bells, playing different notes when shot.
Hay
Metalvehicle

Counter-Strike: Global Offensive

Main article:  List of CS:GO Surface Types

$surfaceprop	Description
Asphalt
Brass_Bell_Large Brass_Bell_Medium Brass_Bell_Small Brass_Bell_Smallest	Various bells, playing different notes when shot.
Blockbullets	Blocks bullets entirely, because the Tools/ToolsBlockBullets doesn't really block bullets.
Clay	Ceramic jug, mug.
Dufflebag_SurvivalCase	Used for prop_money_crate.
Glassfloor	Like Glass, but with a normal friction value.
Grate	Uses "Metalgrate" as base and has no properties of its own. Probably a leftover.
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.
Metalvehicle
Puddle	When shot, spawns refracting water splash particles
Plastic_SurvivalCase	Used for the yellow prop_loot_crate.
Sheetrock	Plaster like walls, except uses stone particles for bullet impacts.
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.
Slipperyslide	Like SlipperyMetal, but uses SolidMetal sounds.
Strongman_Bell	Sounds like a boxing ring bell when hit.
Stucco
Sugarcane	Same Sounds as Foliage, but uses "Dirt" as base, with lower density. As foliage uses higher density.
Tile_SurvivalCase	Used by the blue and red prop_loot_crate, and prop_paradrop_crate.
Tile_SurvivalCase_GIB
Upholstery	For Couches, sofas, car seats, ect.
Weapon_Magazine
Wet	Doesn't actually do anything.
Wood_Basket	Like Wood_Box but with different footstep sounds.
Wood_Dense	Allows much less bullet penetration.
Jalopy Jalopytire Slidingrubbertire_jalopyfront Slidingrubbertire_jalopyrear	Originally from Half-Life 2: Episode Two. See the Episode Two List.

Day of Defeat: Source

Shipped with scripts/surfaceproperties_hl2.txt, but is unused according to its manifest.
However, for some reason all those surface properties got added to its base surfaceproperties script.

$surfaceprop	Description
Helmet	special sounds when a helmet is shot.
Antlion Antlionsand Combine_Glass Combine_Metal Crowbar Gunship Metalvehicle Metal_Seafloorcar Strider Zombieflesh	Half-Life 2 leftover. See the Half-Life 2 List.

Left 4 Dead

$surfaceprop	Description
Asphalt
Clay	Ceramic jug, mug.
Metalvehicle
Puddle	When shot, spawns refracting water splash particles
Sheetrock	Plaster like walls, except uses stone particles for bullet impacts.
Upholstery	For Couches, sofas, car seats, ect.
Wet	Doesn't actually do anything.

Left 4 Dead 2

$surfaceprop	Description
Asphalt
Clay	Ceramic jug, mug.
Foliage_Leaf	Same as Foliage, except is uses leaf sounds when stepped on. "Foliage" uses dirt sounds when walked on.
Grate	Uses "Metalgrate" as base and has no properties of its own. Probably a leftover.
Metalvehicle
Puddle	When shot, spawns refracting water splash particles
Sheetrock	Plaster like walls, except uses stone particles for bullet impacts.
Slipperyslide	Like SlipperyMetal, but uses SolidMetal sounds.
Strongman_Bell	Sounds like a boxing ring bell when hit.
Sugarcane	Same Sounds as Foliage, but uses "Dirt" as base, with lower density. As foliage uses higher density.
Upholstery	For Couches, sofas, car seats, ect.
Wet	Doesn't actually do anything.
Bat Blade Chainsaw Cricketbat Crowbar Fireaxe Fryingpan Golfclub Guitar Pitchfork Shovel Sword	Like "Weapon" but used for the melee weapons, giving them unique sounds when dropped.

Portal

Shipped with scripts/surfaceproperties_hl2.txt, which is still used.

$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	Unsure 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.
Antlion Antlionsand Combine_Glass Combine_Metal Crowbar Gunship Metalvehicle Metal_Seafloorcar Strider Zombieflesh	Half-Life 2 leftover. See the Half-Life 2 List.

Portal 2

$surfaceprop	Description
Brokenglass
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".
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	Unsure 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, regardless of what it hits".
Sphere	Unsure 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
Turret_Gib	Gib models of turrets use this.
Underground_Cube
WeightedCube_Bounce	Extremely bouncy storage cube.

Team Fortress 2

Shipped with scripts/surfaceproperties_hl2.txt, which is still used.

$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
Antlion Antlionsand Combine_Glass Combine_Metal Crowbar Gunship Metalvehicle Metal_Seafloorcar Strider Zombieflesh	Half-Life 2 leftover. See the Half-Life 2 List.

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

Shipped with scripts/surfaceproperties_hl2.txt, which is still used.

$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.
Wet	Doesn't actually do anything.
Xen_Root	Fleshy tentacle roots in Xen.
Antlion Antlionsand Combine_Glass Combine_Metal Crowbar Gunship Metalvehicle Metal_Seafloorcar Strider Zombieflesh	Half-Life 2 leftover. See the Half-Life 2 List.

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
Hay
Phx_Explosiveball
Phx_Flakshell
Phx_Rubbertire
Phx_Rubbertire2
Phx_Tire_Normal
Phx_Ww2bomb
Plastic_Barrel_Verybuoyant	Even more buoyant barrel.
Hunter Jalopy Jalopytire Slidingrubbertire_jalopyfront Slidingrubbertire_jalopyrear	Originally from Half-Life 2: Episode Two. See the Episode Two List.

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.
Puddle	When shot, spawns refracting water splash particles. Except that Infra does not have weapons.

See also

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