Sturdy. A combination of real and manufactured wood. The description says “distressed” for a finish but I’m not sure it really is, which I prefer. Has specks of gray paint added rather than wood showing through the paint. Easy to assemble but is a bit heavy once done. Which is good as it indicates solid wood. I like that you can adjust the interior shelves. My one critique is that there is a very strong smell from the paint. I wish I had opened the box early and let the pieces air out a week or so before putting it together.