I was looking for a fireplace mantel shelf that wasn't too deep so it wouldn't stick out so far and this product fit the bill with a lighter weight at a reasonable cost.  It's not fabulous, but it will do.  The texturing of the wood is fairly well done without any huge knots or holes.  The color is listed as 'oak,' but it is not a light colored oak, therefore, I am planning to whitewash it to make it blend in more with my decor and then finish with matte Polyacrylic so it's easier to clean.  I did NOT appreciate NO MOUNTING hardware included in my order which requires me to jump through more hoops to get the thing installed.