1 x pine with simple butt joints as is the style from what my sister has been telling me. They also incorporate dovetail joints too but that is for future projects. Stand was base coated with black paint, followed by coat of burgandy, sanded down to black and bare wood at random and then a coat of jacobean stain was applied. Finally sealed with flat sealer. I had fun with it. When I was putting on coat of burgandy my husband came into shop and I could see his apparent fib when I asked him how it looked so far...it was the ugliest dark pink you could imagine. He was really impressed once the coat of stain was on there. It was funny...he had really doubtful look on his face before I got finished...LOL