This bookshelf was overall pretty easy to put together. It took about an hour total between my husband and myself. Definitely worth the work because it is a very solid piece and looks more expensive than it was. Got it in the darker brown color, "Mocha Cherry". Color swatch online was very true to real life. Looks rich and elegant. Beware- if you're doing it on your own, it might be tricky because it is SO heavy. It took two people to flip it over and maneuver it correctly without hurting anyone's back. I might have to get another one of these because it was such a nice find and great deal.