This table is GORGEOUS!!! It's definitely solid wood and is very sturdy and heavy. The distressing is stunning. I do not believe the top has any kind of protective finish, however. Therefore, it is harder to clean. It shreds paper towels because it's rough from the distressing. I switched to sparingly using a wood cleaner and cloth. I plan to apply a wipe on polyurethane because this is my everyday kitchen table and I have a kid! The table I replaced it with was one I refinished 10 years ago and it had a poly coating and it still looked brand new when I sold it recently! I bought this table because I wanted a trestle table and something larger. This table is huge without taking up too much space. I absolutely love it!!