How can I replace the top on my McDowell & Craig steel tanker desk?

The desk originally had some sort of top glued to it. There is a little aluminum band around the edge that this top sat in. The easiest method that has been suggested to me so far is stick on floor tiles. I've also considered linoleum. Both of these will have an undesired texture. If I use gl or a piece of wood then I will have to remove the little band that's on there. I don't want to change it. I want to make it functional again. Any suggestions on how to put a top on it that will be like the original. If I can't figure it out soon I'm just going to use the ghetto sticky tiles.