A fatty acid-starch complex was prepared to apply in the linerboard surface treatment (sizing). Compared with the raw corn starch and commercial size press cationic starch, the fatty acid-starch complex displayed better water resistance, higher tensile strength and higher bending stiffness of treated samples. Two different fatty acids of C16 like palmitic acid and C18 like stearic acid were compared. Both C16 and C18 fatty acids showed similar results. Small amount of clay addition to the complex could increase the tensile strength and bending stiffness of sized samples, while keeping the good water resistance. PCC also could increase the tensile strength with the small amount of addition to the fatty acid-starch complex as surface sizing agent in our study. The SEM pictures of surface treated samples using the complex with and without clay and PCC were taken and the bonding characteristics and surface film formation were investigated.