A method for manufacturing a three-dimensional object by a layer-by-layer application and selective solidification of a building material in powder form in a device, comprising the steps of: applying a powder layer (31, 32) of the building material in powder form to a build area on an application surface of the device by means of a recoater moving in a movement direction (B1, B2) across the application surface, selectively solidifying the applied powder layer (31, 32) at positions corresponding to a cross-section of the object to be manufactured, and repeating the steps of applying and selectively solidifying until the object is completed, wherein at least a number of selected steps of applying the powder layer is performed in such a manner that a height of the applied powder layer (31, 32) is varied at least across a section of the powder layer along the movement direction (B1, B2) of the recoater, preferably monotonously increases or decreases, and wherein a recoating distance of the recoater relative to the application surface is varied during its movement across the application surface by a substantially vertical movement of the recoater and/or wherein the object is built up on a building platform and/or base plate (7, 8, 9) and a distance of the building platform and/or base plate (7, 8, 9) relative to the application surface is varied during the movement of the recoater across the application surface by a substantially vertical movement of the building platform and/or base plate (7, 8, 9) and/or the building platform and/or base plate (7, 8, 9) is tilted relatively to a substantially horizontal orientation plane of the building platform and/or base plate (7, 8, 9) prior to and/or during the movement of the recoater across the application surface. applying a powder layer (31, 32) of the building material in powder form to a build area on an application surface of the device by means of a recoater moving in a movement direction (B1, B2) across the application surface, selectively solidifying the applied powder layer (31, 32) at positions corresponding to a cross-section of the object to be manufactured, and repeating the steps of applying and selectively solidifying until the object is completed, wherein at least a number of selected steps of applying the powder layer is performed in such a manner that a height of the applied powder layer (31, 32) is varied at least across a section of the powder layer along the movement direction (B1, B2) of the recoater, preferably monotonously increases or decreases, and wherein a recoating distance of the recoater relative to the application surface is varied during its movement across the application surface by a substantially vertical movement of the recoater and/or wherein the object is built up on a building platform and/or base plate (7, 8, 9) and a distance of the building platform and/or base plate (7, 8, 9) relative to the application surface is varied during the movement of the recoater across the application surface by a substantially vertical movement of the building platform and/or base plate (7, 8, 9) and/or the building platform and/or base plate (7, 8, 9) is tilted relatively to a substantially horizontal orientation plane of the building platform and/or base plate (7, 8, 9) prior to and/or during the movement of the recoater across the application surface.