Beautiful hard wood, and much more comfortable than I thought for the price! Wood is completely un-treated and rough to the touch (part of the recommendation to store inside, I'm sure). We will be lightly sanding and applying marine varnish to ours so that they can be more safely stored outside during light rain and other mild conditions. Overall the set looks great for the price, and the extra work will be worth it to ensure it lasts. Construction was very straightforward and they are light/easy to move around while still being sturdy.