We are glad we paid the extra money to get this model although its metal, the woodgrain accent makes it look so rich! Instructions were fairly easy to follow, we had a few hiccups with assembly. We were very impressed with the packaging - all the parts were there and nothing was damaged FedEx also did an excellent job with the delivery. Assembly took 15-20hrs with two people, it cannot be done with one person. Overall, we are very pleased with the look and quality of this gazebo and we look forward to enjoying it for many, many years to come!