This bench is attractive to look at and the bamboo will be durable.  However the dowels do not fit the holes accurately and therefore we needed to use a bucket of glue to attach them securely. In addition the slats on top are attached with only the smallest nails. Before we even used the bench for the first time we had one slat fall off. We needed to screw down all the slots.Overall with the additional screws  we are happy with the product, but be prepared to do some work if you want the bench to be sturdy