We nearly didn't buy a worktop either.
Granite, marble, quartz - all miles out of budget. So we built our own kit instead. Here's the full story, and what you can make with it.
First-timer friendly
Anyone can do this
Pro finish, DIY price
Save thousands vs a pro install
One supplier, zero guesswork
Compatible materials, all in one place
Expert support, start to finish
Never stuck, never guessing
Every kitchen worktop quote does the same thing. You ask for granite, or marble, or quartz, and the number comes back and you go quiet for a second. That's exactly what happened to us.
Our first house needed a new kitchen worktop, and every quote that came back said the same thing: pick your stone — granite, marble, quartz — and empty your savings to get it.
While I was digging around for something we could actually afford, I found an American DIYer's blog. He'd built his own home office desk out of polished concrete, and it looked better than anything we'd been quoted for the kitchen. Nobody in the UK seemed to be doing it, so my business partner Chris and I decided to try it ourselves. We mixed and poured our first slab in an old stable in the middle of winter, with no experience between us. It came out far better than either of us expected.
We started Concrete Carrot supplying bars and restaurants — building worktops on-site for trade clients. There was one problem with that: the prices we were charging trade clients locked out exactly the kind of buyer I'd been a year earlier — someone doing up their own kitchen on a normal budget. So we rebuilt the whole offer around that person instead. Everything we'd learned went into a kit, with full step-by-step instructions, so anyone could apply or pour their own worktop without hiring a stonemason or a fitter.
That's still what the company does. If your stone quote came back higher than you'd hoped, you don't need a trade background and you don't need a stone-sized budget — just the right kit and a free weekend.
Made by people just like us.
Polished concrete isn't a shortcut version of a "real" worktop. Done properly, it's the finish more people are choosing over stone — because it does what granite and quartz can't: made to your exact size, your exact colour, at a fraction of a professional stone install.
The three things everyone asks.
"What if I mess it up?"
Every kit comes with step-by-step video guides, and you can start with a small test piece before you touch the real worktop.
"I'm not a tradesman."
None of our products are designed for tradesmen. The whole reason they exist is because stone worktops locked out anyone who wasn't. Our kits and products are built for first-timers.
"Will it actually last?"
Sealed properly, polished concrete worktops last decades — same as stone. You reseal occasionally, same as you'd reseal a granite top.
Pick your build.
Three ways to get there. All first-timer friendly, all with full guides included.
Most popular
Microcement WALL Kit
Two coats straight over your existing or new wall. Sand it and seal it.
Most popular
Microcement FLOOR Kit
Two coats straight over your current floor. Reinforced with fibreglass mesh. Sand it. Seal it.
Most popular
Microcement Wall Tile Kit
Three coats reinforced with fibreglass mesh straight over your current floor. Sand it. Seal it.
Most popular
Microcement OUTDOOR WORKTOP Kit
Three coats straight over your current worktop or cement board - no demolition, no new base needed. Reinforced with fibreglass mesh. Sand It. Seal it.
Most popular
Microcement WORKTOP Kit
Two coats straight over your current worktop or cement board — no demolition, no new base needed. Sand it. Seal it.
Small Precast
Precast Concrete Worktop Kit - Small (Up to 1 sqm)
Build your moulds and pour the specialist concrete in. Demould them, sand and seal.
Medium Precast
Precast Concrete Worktop Kit — Medium (Up to 2 sqm)
Build your moulds and pour the specialist concrete in. Demould them, sand and seal.
Larger Precast
Precast Concrete Worktop Kit — Large (Up to 3 sqm)
Build your moulds and pour the specialist concrete in. Demould them, sand and seal.
Pour In Place
Cast-In-Place Concrete Mix
Pour specialist concrete straight into moulds built on your cabinets or structure.
Try a colour first. Plan before you pour.
Microcement Colour Samples
See the exact finish on your worktop before you commit to a full kit.
Cast Concrete Colour Sample Pack
Check the shade against your space before you order the full mix.
Plan your build before you start — dimensions, materials list, and a rough timeline in one download.
Common Questions
Do I need experience to do this myself? + −
No. The kits are built for first-timers, with full video guides for every step.
How much cheaper is this than granite or quartz? + −
Kits start from £205.50 for 5m² of Microcement, or from ££256/sqm for Precast and Cast-In-Place — against a typical granite or quartz install running into the thousands.
Can I use this outdoors? + −
Yes, all three systems can be used outdoors. Click here for more information.
What if I only want to try it first? + −
Order an colour sample above before you commit to a full kit. We also sell 1sqm packs of microcement so you can give it a try.
Does polished concrete crack or stain? + −
Not if it's sealed properly. Every kit finishes with a sealer that stops staining from wine, oil, and everyday kitchen use. Cracking is a horror story people hear about DIY-poured concrete done without reinforcement — our mixes are fibre-reinforced specifically to prevent it.
How long does it take to install a concrete worktop yourself? + −
Most first-timers finish a standard kitchen worktop in a weekend - one day to apply or pour, one day to cure, process and seal. Bigger projects or multiple coats can stretch to a few days, but you're not looking at a multi-week job.
Is polished concrete heat and water resistant? + −
Yes, once sealed. You can put hot pans down and it won't mark, and it's fully waterproof around sinks and splash zones. The sealer is what does the work here, so it's worth doing properly rather than skipping it.
How do you clean and maintain a polished concrete worktop? + −
Day to day, just soap and water like any other surface. Long term, reseal roughly every few years to keep the water and stain resistance topped up — the same upkeep routine as a stone worktop, not a special one.
We also sell wax which helps maintain protection of the sealer.
What's actually included in the kit? + −
The mix itself plus everything you need to finish it — primer, sealer, and full step-by-step instructions. You're not left guessing what else to buy afterwards.
Can I choose a colour, or is it just grey? + −
You pick a colour when you order — it's not limited to raw concrete grey. Order a colour sample first if you want to see it in person before committing.
Do I need any special tools? + −
A few basic tools most people already have or can pick up cheaply — nothing that needs hiring for this job.
We also sell a few select tools which are not expensive but make application/installation much simpler.
What if I run out of mix halfway through? + −
Use our online calculators before you start so you order the right amount first time. If you do come up short, extra bags are available separately — you're not stuck mid-project.