Make sure when you put your shelving together that you do not tighten any of the screws, keep them all loose until you get all the shelves in or it will seem that they do not fit. The bamboo is thin bamboo, maybe an inch thick but together it is still strong enough to hold some weight.I was disappointed in the height of the item, only stands 25 inches high. When I bought mine the dimensions in the ad said 36" x 36". Looks like the ad has been changed to the 36 wide by 25 high. The finish is not great so you may want to add a couple of coats of poly to it for a more finished look.Overall for the price it is a good item.