I don't know about you, but I just can't stand particle board and cardboard furniture. It makes me feel like I'm living on a movie set. This item shipped as around 13 pieces of wood--nothing more, nothing less. Just solid lumber and the parts to put it together. It was a lot of work--I had to stain it, apply three coats of lacquer, and assemble it, but now I have a solid wood coffee table. It's the sturdiest piece of furniture in my apartment. It'll probably outlive me.