I really loved the idea of having a dining bench double as a storage unit. Such a space saver! I do love the look of the bench, but I was surprised to notice the wooden pieces on top are much more rough than I would have guessed. They almost splinter when you run your hand across them. A piece of mine was also cracked. Because of the length of time it takes to put it together, I decided not to send it back. I am making it work, buuuut I do wish they quality was a little better based on the price.