A novel hybrid cladding process is developed to control the mechanical properties of the inner metallic clad layer by combining direct energy deposition (DED) and ultrasonic nanocrystal surface modification (UNSM). The hybrid process allows the manipulation of the cladding layers' internal and external mechanical properties to the desired surface and bulk properties. To verify the usefulness of this method, the wear resistance test of the Inconel-718 cladding layer at high temperatures of 200 and 400 °C was performed, and it was confirmed that the wear resistance was improved to 25.4 % and 14.4 %, respectively. This work analyzes the wear-resistant characteristics with and without UNSM treatment in the DED process. The proposed method is a promising way to change the internal mechanical properties of the cladding layer with high controllability and repeatability.