The mechanical protection of component surfaces against wear is typically achieved by the deposition of hard coatings. Depending on the kind of application suitable material combinations and deposition techniques have to be selected. A promising approach uses the modification of substrates “substrate engineering” before depositing the coating material to tailor the tribological properties of the surface. Microstructuring of the substrate using mechanical microembossing and/or laser surface texturing (LST) allows the control of crucial variables such as the coefficient of friction and the wear rates in an application-specific manner. The implementation of additional materials into the interface between substrate and hard coating can lead to surfaces with improved properties. In this context, “substrate engineering” proves to be a fascinating tool for the preparation of surfaces with tailored mechanical properties.