Been working on this piece for about a month now. The wood is 11 x 14 MDF laminated with an unknown veneer and is 3/4 inches thick. I thought the veneer was somewhat unique with the contrast of light and dark. I stained it with a natural oil and then sprayed with about a half dozen coats of clear gloss sanded with 300 between each coat. The picture makes it look like the finish is rough but it is very smooth. The piece is extremely heavy and gave me a fit trying to cut it on my small table. I used both Pegus #3 and #5 MGT and a few FD #5 Ultra Reverse. (This wood was tough on blades.) To clarify, the wood was reclaimed from a table that had been trashed. My wife works for a school and their mascot is a lion. Needless to say she has claimed this piece for herself.