The asymmetric roughening of silicon microcantilevers using different vapor stain-etching conditions is studied with the aim of optimizing face selective coating of microcantilevers by polymers through simple dipping. The effect of roughening is studied by following the time-dependent guest-induced bending of silicone microcantilevers coated with a poly-4-vinylpyridine sensing layer. A correlation between the surface roughness of the microcantilevers and their time-dependent guest-induced bending is gained from combining high resolution scanning electron microscopy studies of the surface of the microcantilevers as well as their cross-sections with time-dependent guest-induced microcantilever bending. The purpose of the present work is to lay the foundations for a small and relatively simple gas-phase sensing tool based on a microcantilever platform capable of offering wide range sensing capabilities. (c) 2013 Wiley Periodicals, 2014, 52, 141-146