Have reluctantly come to conclusion that we can't afford granite work surfaces in our new kitchen [sad face] - so what should we have instead?

[bibbitybobbityhat]

Don't say wood or bamboo! We are having a wooden floor and I just think a wooden work surface will make it all look a bit woody.

Any suggestions? Is there anything that looks really like granite?

i often wonder if i would still choose acrilyic stone-effect even if it was more expensive than the real thing..

it is very hard wearing, i don't worry about the kids braining themselves against it, nor indeed if i drop something on it, it usually doesn't break/shatter/chip...it doesn't need any care.

and if it ever gets damaged, a new one is readily available off-the-shelf from B& Q which we can self-fit.

'we' as in DH.

i wouldn't have wood block. at least, not unless i could afford 'wide and stave'...too many people i know have ruined theirs through normal usage.

ours is B& Q 'slate effect'

...Wickes do 'super tough' acrylic ones...though i didn't like the colours.

we 'inherited from last owner' slate tiles. When we needed to have another area of the kitchen worktop done where we'd put in extra cupboards, we got a tiler to cut cheap roof slates and tile the area with an off white grout. Looks good, is heatproof, wears well and gives a lovely silk finish effect if you use Lakeland's worktop wonder on them. An idea?

Oh replies! Thank you.

Yes, Eggy, we saw those Wickes ones yesterday (probably going to have a Wickes kitchen) but I didn't like any of the colours either.

I loved their low cost Indian granite which is about 60% of the price of their African granite, but even that works out at £5300 for the worksurface only!!

I did think about tiles aylsham, but think I decided I'm too much of a slattern to keep the grout looking clean!

Any more for any more? Anyone else done their kitchen lately?

I like glass

but it can be pricery too

www.maldonglass.co.uk/glass-photos/glass-splashbacks-gallery/

have you looked at granite prices elsewhere? I bet you can find it a lot cheaper than Wickes if you look online. Or try slate worktops. How much worktop do you need? If not huge amounts of worktop, people even sell their old granite worktops on ebay which you can then get trimmed to fit your units, you may get lucky!

We've got wooden worktops with wood floors and it looks great - not too woody at all. Depends what colour your units are.

We bought new granite worktops through ebay - all fitted on site for a very reasonable price. We have had them about 6 years now and still love them. I have had a quick google and I think the seller is www.mistermarble.co.uk

It's probably worth having a look at them or other online sellers as kitsmummy suggests before you rule out granite completely. I really wanted granite but could never have paid the local showroom prices,