The wood is very lightweight. There are short ends that bolt separately and could possibly sag. The stain on it is for aesthetics only. Therefore we stained it to help seal and preserve the wood even though cedar is naturally resistant. We wanted a reddish brown stain to match our trim. We also poured peers to raise the posts up to frame large living room window views to the backyard. Worked out great! Fairly easy build and we love the look.