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Glossary entry

French term or phrase:

dressé à la règle

English translation:

levelled with a straightedge

Added to glossary by Tony M
Oct 7, 2012 11:43
11 yrs ago
3 viewers *
French term

dressé à la règle

French to English Tech/Engineering Construction / Civil Engineering
This is in a description of how the outer wall of a small telecoms utility shed should be finished. The text is from Belgium.

Here is the exact context:

L'enduit extérieur est :
. soit au mortier bâtard dressé à la règle et lissé
. soit un crépi plastique hydrofuge
Proposed translations (English)
3 +2 levelled with a straightedge
4 flattened with a straight edge
3 trimmed with straight edge
3 flattened with a featheredge darby
3 -2 mortar spread out smooth with a straight-edge trowel
Change log

Oct 21, 2012 08:47: Tony M Created KOG entry

Discussion

B D Finch Oct 8, 2012:
FR overkill? I don't think so. The specification ensures that the contractor can't get away with anything less than using a straight edge. Using e.g. a straight-edge trowel would not produce an equally good result, but would be quicker and easier.
chris collister Oct 8, 2012:
The thing is, most of the professional plasterers I know would use a long straight-edge as a matter of course. "Levelled" kind of implies a horizontal surface, while these walls are vertical. It seems to me that "flat" covers it without necessarily spelling out the details in full of exactly how it's achieved.
Tony M Oct 7, 2012:
@ Chris I don't think so here, Chris. Seems to me they want to be quite specific about the type of finish they expect...
chris collister Oct 7, 2012:
Is this a case of FR overkill? Wouldn't we just say something like "flat, smooth lime mortar render" or similar variations?

Proposed translations

+2
5 hrs
Selected

levelled with a straightedge

When it comes to smoothing out render on a wall, I think 'levelled' is at least one term commonly used.

I think the idea here is not to give instructions as to how to apply the render, but rather, to give an idea of the kind of finish required: in this case, even and smooth, but not as smooth as if it were, say, a plastered interior wall.
Peer comment(s):
neutral B D Finch : "Levelled" is generally used for horizontal surfaces.
4 mins
Thanks, B.! 'Fraid not, it is used in general terms for evening out a surface at any angle.
agree MatthewLaSon : I think we all know that "à la règle" means "straight-edging". The best translation for "dresser" is probably "to level out". I am humble enough to agree. LOL.
6 hrs
Thanks a lot, Matthew! :-)
agree Yvonne Gallagher : yes, "levelled" used for evening out all surfaces
5 days
Thanks, G2!
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4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Selected automatically based on peer agreement."
1 hr

trimmed with straight edge

règle: straight edge (relative to)
Something went wrong...
1 hr

flattened with a featheredge darby

Règle à dresser : Outil de plâtrier ou de maçon. Voir par exemple ma 1ère référence (agrandir la photo) : http://www.btp-materiaux.com/article.php?id=70059

Apparently, this is called a featheredge darby (check my second ref for a video).

Reference:

http://www.btp-materiaux.com/article.php?id=70059

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-bflgM2z0k

Peer comment(s):
neutral Tony M : I'm not sure that 'flattened' is really quite the right verb here; and I fear that a 'featheredge darby' is a more specialized tool, only one out of the whole set of tools called 'règle'.
17 mins
Dresser (cf Le Robert) B. Tech. Rendre droit et plat. Bien sûr, "flatten" n'est peut-être pas le meilleur équivalent en anglais... autres propositions bienvenues. Il y a d'autres règles, mais une "règle à dresser" est particulière.
neutral B D Finch : Though "flattened" is right "featheredge darby" is much too specific.
3 hrs
Something went wrong...
-2
4 hrs

mortar spread out smooth with a straight-edge trowel

Hello,

dressé = spread out*

(*French uses a more all-encompassing word for "installer', whereas the English requires a more specific, contextually-appropriate word)

à la règle = straight-edged

lissé = smoothed out

This just means that this mortar is spread out with a straight-edge trowel. The French doesn't say "trowel" , but that is what is clearly implied here, imho. How else would you do it?


A straight-edge trowel
http://www.google.com/search?q="straight-edge trowel"&hl=en&...



I hope this helps.
Peer comment(s):
disagree Tony M : No, using a straight-edge is a quite specific technique, as distinct from using a trowel. / They are quite simply different tools, the trowel is used for working on a smaller scale, and usually a finer finish; the straightedge for a broader sweep.
14 mins
Then what is a "straight-edge trowel" used for if not for straight edging and smoothing out? So quick to disagree... Perhaps there is a difference between plain straight edging (à la règle) and straight edging with a trowel (à la taloche) .
neutral Anne Bohy : This straight-edge trowel looks like a "taloche" in French. They wouldn't have confused the two terms, I think.
29 mins
Eh bien, je ne sais pas ...je ne peux que deviner....
disagree B D Finch : Not a trowel. A straight edge is much longer than a trowel.// Not at all quick to disagree, but they are different tools.
1 hr
Then what is a "straight-edge trowel" used for if not for straight edging. So quick to disagree... Perhaps there is a difference between plain straight edging (à la règle) and "straight edging with a trowel (à la taloche). It's hard to be certain here.
neutral chris collister : The straight edge propped up in my shed is 3m long. My trowel is about 40cm long.
15 hrs
True..
Something went wrong...
5 hrs

flattened with a straight edge

www.diyplastering.co.uk/backingcoat.html
Your trowel is only used to apply the thickness of plaster required. A straight edge is taken across the wall to flatten it.



--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 5 hrs (2012-10-07 17:33:03 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Maun-Carbon-Steel-
Straight-MAU17001/dp/B0055KJ3W6/ref=sr
_1_20?s=diy&ie=UTF8&qid=1349631064&sr=1-20

Remove line breaks to use above link

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 6 hrs (2012-10-07 17:49:52 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

www.swplastering.com/plastering-explained.html
"A tool called a straight edge is used to flatten the wall. This should be done vertically and horizontally to create an even layer."

Alternatively, flattening is sometimes called levelling off. However, if the wall itself is not straight, the render can be used to straighten it and this could apply here.

www.rowebb.com/render/.../rowebbleafletscrapedtexturesept09...
"K-Rend scratch renders provide a high performance clean and sharp finish ... special care to straighten with a darby/straight edge ..."
Peer comment(s):
neutral Tony M : I have the same problem with 'flatten' — again, often applied to horizontal surfaces. Yes, as you say, ''levelling (off)' is an alternative for 'flattening'
8 mins
Smoothing is done after flattening and is, en effet, smoother.
Something went wrong...
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