Purchased this bench based on other reviews and glad I did! I am most impressed with the quality of the wood! This bench is beautiful AND sturdy! So nice that I hated to paint it. I bought it for a beach house, painted it, placed it under a window and put books on bottom shelf and picture frame with collected sea shells on top. It is one of our favorite things in the room! When you start with good quality wood, you get a lovely finished product!