This is probably one of those things that we say "you get what you pay for". It is supposed to be able to be painted - well, it is but not without some work: sanding and two coats of KILZ still showed some cratering. After two finishing coats of latex acrylic it looked OK. I had painted the wood before assembly, so it  was laid out for about a week and some of the longer pieces that were propped up began to curve. As a result, when I began assembly, one peg and hole were slightly misaligned: I hammered it into place but in the process the piece cracked. After patching and repainting it was barely noticeable. Regarding attachment to the bed-frame: the predrilled holes did not align with any of the holes in our bed-frame - be prepared to drill new holes. When all is said and done, it is an attractive headboard, especially considering the price.