Glattstrich

float coat, smoothing pass

noun GLAT-shtrikh Rare

Usage Note

Glattstrich is the final smoothing stroke applied to a fresh plaster or concrete surface using a steel float or trowel; it closes the surface pores and gives a uniform texture before painting.

Examples

"Der Glattstrich auf dem Estrich wurde mit einer Glättkelle ausgeführt."

Natural Translation

The smoothing pass on the screed was carried out with a finishing trowel.

Literal Translation

The smoothing-pass on the screed was with a smoothing-trowel executed.

Free starter pack

Building your German vocabulary?

Get the 100 most common German words as a free PDF — one email, no spam.

Related Words

Explore German by topic

GermanNow

German Compound Words: How to Read Any Long Word

Read any long German word by working right-to-left: the last noun sets the meaning and gender, and the small linking letters are just glue. Here's the drill.

June 9, 2026 6 min read

GermanNow

German Modal Verbs: Können, Müssen, Wollen and More

German modal verbs put the modal in position 2 and the real verb at the end. Master können, müssen, wollen and the rest with charts and clear examples.

June 5, 2026 5 min read

GermanNow

German Umlauts & ß: Sounds and Typing

Pronounce ä, ö, ü with the front-tongue, rounded-lips rule, master the ß vs ss spelling, and type every German umlaut on Mac, Windows, and phone.

June 5, 2026 6 min read

GermanNow

Der, Die, Das: Rules to Guess German Gender

German noun gender rules made simple: check the suffix first, then meaning. Endings like -ung, -chen, and -ling predict der, die, or das with ~90% accuracy.

June 5, 2026 6 min read