CS2 Float & Skin Wear Explained: FN, MW, FT, WW, BS

Every CS2 skin has a float value — a precise number that determines exactly how worn or pristine the skin looks. Float is one of the most important factors in skin pricing, and understanding it unlocks a clearer view of the CS2 skin market. This guide explains the full float system, the five wear tiers, how float affects appearance and value, and where to check the float on any skin you own or want to buy.

What Is a Float Value?

A float value is a decimal number between 0.00000000 and 1.00000000 assigned permanently to a skin when it is first obtained — whether from a case, a trade-up contract, a drop, or a Steam Market purchase. The number never changes once assigned. Lower float values generally mean a cleaner, less worn appearance; higher float values mean more visible wear, scratches, and discolouration on the skin’s pattern.

The float is stored in the item’s metadata and is not visible in the default CS2 inventory view — you need a third-party tool or inspect link to retrieve it (more on that below).

The Five Wear Tiers and Their Float Ranges

CS2 divides the 0-1 float range into five wear tiers. Every skin in the game uses these same boundaries:

A skin sitting at 0.069 float is Factory New. The same skin at 0.071 would be Minimal Wear — the visual difference between a 0.069 and a 0.071 may be virtually invisible to the eye, but the wear label changes and so does the market price.

Float Caps: Not Every Skin Has Every Wear

Each skin in CS2 has a defined minimum and maximum float cap that overrides the theoretical 0-1 range. For example, a skin with a minimum float cap of 0.06 and a maximum cap of 0.80 can never be Factory New (which requires 0-0.07) at the very lowest float, and can never reach Battle-Scarred beyond 0.80. These caps vary by skin and are determined by Valve when the skin is designed.

This is why some skins only exist in certain wear conditions on the market — a skin with a minimum float of 0.14 will always be at least Minimal Wear, never Factory New. Checking a skin’s float cap before buying helps you understand what range of floats is actually achievable for that specific item. Visit our CS2 Skins page for details on specific skin float ranges and pricing.

How Float Affects Appearance

The visual impact of float depends heavily on the skin’s design. Some skins show dramatic changes across wear conditions — a heavily wood-stocked weapon may look completely different at 0.01 versus 0.90. Other skins, particularly those with dark or busy patterns, show little visible difference across the entire float range despite having technically different wear labels.

In general:

• Factory New: Minimal or no visible wear marks; clean paint coverage.
• Minimal Wear: Very slight scuffs, barely noticeable in most cases.
• Field-Tested: Visible wear on high-contact areas like the barrel and stock.
• Well-Worn: Heavy scratches and significant paint loss on edges and surfaces.
• Battle-Scarred: Extensive wear; the underlying metal or wood is clearly visible through damaged paint.

How Float Affects Price

Float creates significant price variation within a single wear tier. The most extreme premiums apply to:

• Low float Factory New: Skins with floats below 0.01 (sometimes called «0.00x» or «clean») command substantial premiums — sometimes 2-5× the price of a regular FN copy of the same skin.
• Low float Battle-Scarred: Some skins look better at very low BS floats (0.45-0.50) than at high BS floats (0.90+), creating a secondary low-float BS market.
• Phase and pattern index: For some skins (particularly knives like the Fade or Case Hardened), the pattern index interacts with float to determine which colour regions are prominent. A Case Hardened AK-47 with a «blue gem» pattern index is worth many times more than one with an average pattern, regardless of float.

StatTrak and Souvenir Skins

Both StatTrak and Souvenir variants use the same float system and the same five wear tiers. StatTrak skins have a kill counter embedded in the item and typically sell for a premium over standard versions. Souvenir skins (dropped during official Valve-partnered tournaments) have a golden sticker of the tournament and teams applied — they cannot be StatTrak. Float values on Souvenir items work identically to standard skins.

Where to Check Float Values

The CS2 client does not display float values in the inventory. To check float, use one of these methods:

• CS2 in-game inspect: Right-click a skin in your inventory and select Inspect — the inspect window shows the skin, but not the raw float number.
• CSFloat (csfloat.com): The most popular third-party tool. Enter the Steam inspect link or your Steam profile to retrieve float values for all your items.
• Steam Community Market listings: Some market listings include the float value in the listing name or description when posted by informed sellers.
• Browser extensions: Several browser extensions for the Steam Market display float values directly in listing pages without leaving the site.

When buying a skin for float-sensitive reasons (e.g. targeting a low-float FN), always verify the float before purchasing. Browse our Skins and Cases sections to explore which skins are most float-sensitive.

Trade-Up Contracts and Float

The trade-up contract lets you combine 10 skins of the same rarity to receive one skin of the next rarity up. The output skin’s float is calculated as the average of the 10 input skins’ floats. This means you can target specific float ranges in your output by carefully selecting input skins — a technique used by experienced traders to craft low-float outputs of rare skins.

Conclusion

Float is the invisible number behind every CS2 skin’s appearance and a major driver of its market value. Understanding the five wear tiers, knowing that float caps limit what each skin can achieve, and knowing how to check float values puts you in a much better position as a buyer, seller, or collector in the CS2 skin economy. Whether you are searching for a pristine Factory New or hunting a specific Battle-Scarred pattern, float knowledge is essential.