When I first took the pieces out of the box, I almost returned the items immediately. The material appeared to be nothing more than enforced cardboard and felt cheap. I didn't have confidence the material would hold up for long. Since I'm trying to be more environmentally conscious, I went ahead and kept the two shelves, primed and painted them, and now I'm glad I kept them. The paint made them feel sturdier and my kid loves them in her room. So far, the shelves have endured the hard use of a 9 yr old and they are still standing. Great organizational units!