Our rails are made of solid pine, the same type of wood used in the making of log cabins. These rails are perfectly round, not octagonal. Please note that you may see some cracking and splits in your rails, this is part of the drying process. Generally speaking this will not effect its performance. We do not sell damaged rails or rails with large knots as this can cause failure. These rails are not finished in any way. We do recommend a treatment of some sort to protect your rails from the environment. Even a simple clear coat will help prolong the life of this product. We do also offer solid and striped rails.