This is a great little desk! Perfect for the semi-small space I had and seems completely sturdy.  Yes, you have to put it together and it takes a little time.  It took me about three hours and I did it by myself for the most part.  I just needed my husband to help me hold some cumbersome pieces in place so I wouldn't scratch them up trying to balance them and tighten the screws myself.  The parts are organized and labeled well, and the directions are pretty easy to follow.  One note: the back piece that looks like cardboard in the images in the item description - I think it's on backwards as shown.  It's is finished in black on the other side, so I just flipped it over and the back of the desk looks completely finished.  (The back of my desk is partially in front of a window, so I wanted it to look nice.)  The unfinished side goes to the backs of the drawers and can't be seen even when you open them, so I think it's actually supposed to go on the way I did it.