Nanoporous silica aerogels with various surface modifiers were prepared by ambient drying process. Tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS) were used a raw material. Ambient drying process for various surface modifier was studied in the point of view of a crack-free monolith and thin films and low cost. Various kinds of surface modifiers like as hexamethyldisilazane (HMDSZ), trimethlychlorosilane (TMCS), methlytriethoxylsilane (MTES), and methlytrimethoxysilane (MTMS) were studied in order to enhance hydrophobicity for the silica aerogel. Surface modified aerogels were evaluated by FT-IR, TG, BET, SEM and wetting angle measurement. Homogeneous and crack-free aerogels were obtained by modifying the HMDSZ and the TMCS. However silica xerogel was obtained when modified with MTMS, MTES.