First of all, know that these speaker stands are not wood. They are an engineered wood product, which in this case results in a "wood" that will almost certainly split even if great care is used when assembling. I've used MDF wood in the past which has been supurb. These are not. I never used the stands because they were so flimsy and unstable. I ordered a pair of Sanus metal stands (Sanus SF30B Black Pair 30" Speaker Stands) instead and now have stable stands I can depend on and which are attractive enough to be proud of. The small difference in price is well worth spending if you want a product that will last forever and bring joy every day when you see them under your speakers.