Abstract: A heat exchange surface having nucleate boiling cavities defined by subsurface cavities in combination with a thin porous coating. A preferred embodiment of the heat exchange surface includes a plurality of helical fins formed on the outer surface of a metallic tube, the tips of which are deformed by rolling to define gaps opening into fin cavities between adjacent fins. A porous open-celled coating flame-sprayed on the deformed portion of the fins substantially bridges these gaps, except at random open points caused by the inherent porosity of the coating. These openings in the porous coating in combination with the fin cavities provide nucleate boiling sites which promote efficient heat transfer for boiling a liquid.