A method of prepping a surface using a high-frequency forced pulsed waterjet entails generating a high-frequency signal having a frequency f using a high-frequency signal generator, applying the high-frequency signal to a transducer having a microtip to cause the microtip of the transducer to vibrate to thereby generate a forced pulsed waterjet through an exit orifice of a nozzle having an exit orifice diameter d and a length L. The forced pulsed waterjet prepares the surface to within a predetermined range of surface roughness. The surface roughness is determined by selecting operating parameters comprising a standoff distance (SD), a traverse velocity VTR of the nozzle, a water pressure P, a water flow rate Q, a length-to-diameter (L/d) ratio, a microtip-to-orifice distance (a), the frequency f, and an amplitude A of the high-frequency signal.