Effects of solvent exchange that enhance mechanical properties were investigated in the present study. Silica aerogels were made from Tetra Ethyl Ortho Silicate (TEOS), water, methanol and NH4F in molar ratio 1:4:8:2×10−3 using a one-step method. The prepared gels were aged under methanol, and solvent exchange was conducted by immersing the produced gels in different type of solvent such as water, methanol, acetone, n-hexane, and HCFC 141b. Subsequently to minimize shrinkage due to drying, the surfaces of the gels were modified using Tri Methyl Chloro Silane (TMCS). Finally Ambient Pressure Drying (APD) was performed at 80 oC for 3hr. The surface area of the samples was determined by BET analysis and the pore size distributions were measured using the BJH method. FT-IR spectroscopy was used to confirm the surface silylation of the aerogels and the annihilation of a peak near 3500 cm-1, which was attributed to -OH bonding. Compression modulus of the samples was investigated by universal machine before drying. By increasing the surface tension of solvent, compression modulus and shrinkage of the sample increased drastically. The enhancement of hydrolysis and condensation in the presence of solvent with higher surface tension could be the major reason behind this strengthening. The BET and BJH results showed that, by increasing the surface tension of related solvent, the specific surface area of silica aerogels decreased, and this declination is more significant for the sample with water. Regarding specific properties, it can be concluded that the sample made with HCFC 141b has the highest properties, because an optimum level of silica polymerization has achieved. On application of higher surface tension solvents, the solid network of aerogels will become denser and lower surface tension solvents show lower densities and higher porosities but will have weaker 3D network. Consequently, the produced aerogels are more fragile.