It suits my needs. I needed something relatively inexpensive that could seat 8 for my cabin. I had left over 2x4s from another project, so it was really inexpensive for me. Best advice: do not lay on a blanket or soft surface. It will mess with the alignment of the wood when you screw it down. A hard even surface should work great. If you want to stain the wood, stain it before you build the table. I bought 8 outdoor chairs to go with it, and they fit great. We went with chairs instead of a bench; we spend long hours at this table, and a bench would just be uncomfortable. Also I cut down my 2x4's to 7' (table top). the full 8' makes the table a little wobbly.