#The Insider: Alternative kitchen worktops - Interiors - Property - The Independent

I'm helping a friend do up his (Ikea) kitchen. He wants an off-menu worktop. But away from the stalwarts of wood, stone and laminate: what other options should we consider?

Steel yourself

We considered stainless steel: Commercial kitchens use it as it's easy to clean, says Andrew Hyett of APD Interiors. But it does scratch and corner joins are expensive.

Can't afford Corian, DuPont's hard-wearing, mouldable stone-acrylic blend? Try a Corian-esque veneer, or solid surface worktop. Pick one at least 6mm thick for durability.

Rank and tile

Modern, brick-shaped mosaic tiles seem chic. But, says Hyett, they're a hygiene nightmare: Grout is absorbent; it goes dark and yucky.

Glass is easy to clean, says Hyett, and comes in many colours. But? It's better for show than for heavy use: joins are visible and gather muck.

The joy of Perspex

It's cheap, easy to fit – and comes in many colours and thicknesses, says Hyett. It will scratch, but it's so cheap you can just replace it.

If we'd thought of Hyett's super-budget tip ourselves, we'd have done it: Sand down marine ply (18mm minimum) and apply yacht varnish.

Eventually, we chose concrete. Well, concrete-ish. You can build a frame and pour the stuff in, to polish when set – or, as we did, use Beton Cire, a new, surface-only product. Try masssurfaces.co.uk and modernhomesolutions.co.uk. I'll let you know how it goes.

Find Kate's blog on affordable interiors at yourhomeislovely.com