With increasing demand for means of controlling surface adhesion in various applications, including the semiconductor industry, optics, micro/nanoelectromechanical systems, and the medical industry, nano-engineered surfaces have attracted much attention. This study suggests a design methodology for nanostructures using the Derjaguin approximation in conjunction with finite element analysis for the control of adhesion forces. The suggested design methodology was applied for designing a nano-engineered surface with low-adhesion properties. To verify this, rectangular and sinusoidal nanostructures were fabricated and analyzed using force-distance curve measurements using atomic force microscopy and centrifugal detachment testing. For force-distance curve measurements, modified cantilevers with tips formed with atypical particles were used. Subsequently, centrifugal detachment tests were also conducted. The surface wettability of rectangular and sinusoidal nanostructures was measured and compared with the measured adhesion force and the number of particles remaining after centrifugal detachment tests. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.