My joke about this desk is that if you sneeze near it, it will scratch. So I just try not to sneeze near it. It is a beautiful piece and I love it for aesthetic. I keep it cleared off most of the time by choice. I don’t recommend using the top of the desk without some kind of protective mat.

It is sturdy and, while it takes a long time to put together (3 hours minimum), it came together with clear instructions that made the task manageable. 

Use a desk protector where you want to “work”, otherwise, you will have scratches that you can do nothing about.