Love this bench, attach the legs & done!! Purchased in April & its starting to show some wear (August) of the finish; it sits in full sun all day, no protection from the elements. I'm ok with it because I planned on staining it a different color, not so reddish.  I'd definitely recommend if you like the original color to put a protective coat on it though. Love the versatility of this bench for additional seating, easily moved to have seating wherever needed, can be used as a table too. Planning on purchasing another one.