Ocriet is a Dutch cast stone — a form of terrazzo — made of stone chippings bound with white cement, then filled, ground and polished. It was produced by the Ocrietfabriek and was the standard material for kitchen worktops, small hand basins and shower trays in Dutch homes between roughly 1950 and 1970.
How ocriet was made
Unlike traditional in-situ terrazzo, ocriet was cast in steel moulds and delivered as a finished component:
- Casting — stone chippings and white cement into a steel mould
- Curing — the element sets in the mould
- Filling — air pockets and pinholes are stopped
- Grinding and polishing — this exposes the stone grains and produces the characteristic glossy, speckled surface
From 1954 the products were treated with fluorine gas — the process the name refers to — which made the surface more resistant to chemically aggressive substances, an important quality in a kitchen or bathroom.
Where you find it
Ocriet turns up mainly in post-war housing:
- Kitchen worktops — often with an integrated sink
- Hand basins — recognisable by the small hole for the towel hook
- Shower trays and utility sinks
- Window sills and thresholds
Later products from the same manufacturer were resin-bound rather than cement-bound.
Working with existing ocriet
- Ocriet is cement-bound: avoid strongly acidic cleaners (vinegar, descaler), which attack both the binder and the limestone grains
- Scratches and dull patches can be ground back and re-polished by a terrazzo or stone specialist
- The material is heavy and brittle at the edges — support a slab along its full length when removing it
- When renovating an old kitchen or bathroom, an ocriet slab is often worth keeping as a period feature
Related terms
- Granito
- Terrazzo
- Cast stone
- White cement
- Worktop
- Grinding and polishing
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