I had never heard of Bamboo Cutting Boards and was impressed by the pictures and advertisements posted on Amazon.com. In addition, in person the wood grain and various interlaying colors of this item are truly beautiful. However, I was very disappointed in the quality of the craftsmanship. Some of the various seams between the wooden pieces in the cutting board had large open gaps while others exposed wood glue that had leaked out and dried. It also appeared as though during manufacturing some gaps in the wood were filled with glue or sealant, creating an unsightly blemish on the item. Even more noticeable were 1/2-inch areas located in various spots around both sides of the cutting block that appeared to be rough or un-sanded/unfinished exposed wood. I do not recommend purchasing this item through the internet.