This set was free, also in very bad condition. My dad re-glued the chair supports and cut new seats from 3/4" plywood. The table & chairs had dark stain over what I think is cherry wood. If I could have sanded the carved legs down to bare wood, I would have just used clear polyurethane on it. The table top was really pretty but there was too much ornamentation to sand. I broke part of my sander and had to have dad fix that then I broke the electric staple gun while working on the chairs and had to finish with the manual one. I think I'll be bruised tomorrow.
I also think I'm getting another kind of sander before I refinish my table and chairs.