Slats run across both the seat and the backrest, so rain passes straight through and the bench is dry again within an hour of a shower - a solid panel would hold water in the seams. Seat area is 42 x 19 in at 17 in high, within a 46 x 24 x 33 in frame rated 440 lbs. Solid wood construction weighs 24 lbs. The proportions suit a porch, a garden path or the end of a driveway where a bench is somewhere to sit and take off boots. Periodic oiling is recommended to keep the finish even.