The present study demonstrates a simple technique to decorate a surface for superhydrophobic or superhydrophilic properties by randomly coating an inorganic oxides powder. The superior properties are stable in air for more than half a year. The particulates of the powder are made from aligned single crystalline ZnO nanorods, which aggregate to microspheres with (0 0 0 (1) over bar) ends pointed outside of the spheres. The density of surface hydroxyls of ZnO nanorods and the micro-nanostructures of the particulates are responsible for their superior properties. (C) 2008 Elsevier B. V. All rights reserved.