It is not worth buying. In fact it should not even be sold or even made. John

I will jump right on the band wagon when someone shows me a picture of a deck that had the product applied seven years ago and still looks good.

I obtained a sample of One Time Wood and put it on a piece of IPE and left it in the sun. It lasted about 5 months. The IPE boards with TWP and Pennofin still retain their color. My recommendation - Don't waste your money on OneTime Wood.
Stu

I used it and have had it on my deck for about 5 months and it still looks great.

WAKE UP. You all need to realize something. Staining exterior wood is alot more complicated than slapping a coating on something. Do some research besides the home center products. What is a warranty? A fine printing piece of paper that not all but most companies use to get you to feel comfortable with their product.

I also have no financial interest. I only make my money on labor so why would I use sub-standard products and lose business?

If you trust Consumer Reports by all means buy everything you read in there, call me in ten and let me know what is still worth it.

Let us know in a couple of years if you are still happy.

I Used 7 year on a customers deck after I built it last year. The deck is Mahogany and the color I used was clove brown. It survived a rainy fall and tough winter in New England and looks great with very little color fade. I did a lot of research on this product. I tortured the manufacturer and I'm very pleased. This is a cool product. It looks dry and water beads up on it. This customer is not the snow shoveling type so the snow stayed on it all winter. Still it's got great color. They will not need to recoat it this year and that alone is worth it.
Important points, this product prevents the growth of mold for 7 years. Mold ruins wood and causes splitting. That is their claim. They were up front about the color fading after a few years but the mold prevention is the real selling point. This product needs direct, heavy, sunlight to cure, no rain for at least two to three days and areas out of the sunlight may take a week or longer to cure. If you're completely in the shade you may want to consider another product or chop down some trees.
I'd rather get another deck building job from an impressed neighbor or friend of the customer than re-stain their deck every year.
And if it stops the mold growth for 7 years (and that's what ruins wood outside) I'm game. The latex and oil based stains have not solved this problem, the most they've done has been to put urethane and silicone into their products and that creates a film on the wood. If you like that look (and most people don't) after a few years it looks like crap, chipping and flaking.
And one final note. This 7 year stain is pricey. However, it goes a long way. This deck was 30'x 16', double face board wrap, two staircases and railings of 2x4 and 2x6 mahogany. I applied with lambswool and brush (I did clean everything first ) I used 2 gallons. I was impressed.
-JT

I have personally used and tested the One TIME, as well as talking to many other clients across the country who have used it for a few years. I believe this is the best choice for "headache free deck care".

I have evaluated and tested many many products over the years, and this is the closest to "the perfect product" for most homeowners. The only negative comments I have heard or read are on a couple of the posts here. Any product can give bad results if we have unrealistic expectations, or a pre-existing problem deck.

The biggest frustration and an environmental disaster are the products that lead to eventual stripping and sanding. The "acrylic stains" all eventually fail, and build up color, but are very difficult to strip, yet they are continually sold. I just think the acrylics being touted are one of the biggest problems with deck care, and log homes. I, like everone else would love to find a good acrylic, but we are just not there yet with the technology.

Many deck care product reviews or comparisons rate products in a laboratory setting, and fail to consider the beauty of the wood, and real world circumstances. Most deck staining products we see advertised and endorsed carry false claims with respect to longevity. They fail to account for the frequent maintenance required . Many end up looking "paint-like", and lead to eventual stripping.

Certainly there are a couple of other products we choose in some instances, for example-when a client wants a shiny finish (consider Sikkens). One TIME cures in sunlight, so if we have an enclosed deck, we would look at another options as well.

Bottom line, I just think the One TIME does what it says:
wood is protected from mildew and moisture for several years, and we can easily refresh color whenever we desire without ever stripping or even heavy chemical cleaning. I describe it as "non-problematic", unlike most other choices out there.

I hope this helps.

I agree with the woodfreak previous post. OneTime is the best product I have ever used for my clients as well. I have read a lot of other posts about the OneTime product, and also looked at pressurepros negative comments here and on other posts about OneTime. It looks to me like he sells a wood stain on his site with a "to good to be true" claim. Maybe thats why he is downgrading the OneTime. Anyway, I don't want to get into a debate. Regarding the stain not drying or staining feet, it was likely applied over a previous crap product containing wax, or some other ingredient not totally removed. You always need to strip previous products completely to use the OneTime.

I am sick of stripping failed decks, and I have stripped many of the other products mentioned in different posts on this forum (CWF, behr, olympic) and others in consumer reports. Bottom line, there is not one product that is best. Every deck is different, customers have different tastes, maintenance issues are unique, and you need to look at those issues and existing conditions case by case. OneTime usually does for us.

We have never had a single complaint over drying, durability, or performance of the OneTime (all happy clients) and it is the only product we will use on new wood for decks log houses.

I hope I am ok to put the link below to the guys we get OneTime from. They are very knowledgable about all kinds of stains including the OneTime and even though they sell it, they seem very unbiased, and sell a few other deck products as well. I have been doing this for 25 years, but I still go to that site when I have a question.

Here is a link that might be useful: paintsource.net

Has anyone used this product on a composite like CorrectDeck. I have the Cedar color of this product and it has faded cosiderably, most likely due to the repeated bleaching I need to put on it to remove mold growth each year. I would love to find a product that could restore some color and prevent the mold growth.

Do any of you know how much the red cedar or nutmeg brown colors of this stain fade? Anyone have pictures of this stain used on a redwood deck?

We used "One Time" six years ago on our large north facing northern michigan deck. We used the clove brown and it was originally very dark brown but faded nicely over the years. Our deck has held up very well over the years and I like the way that One Time fades naturally. This year we have decided to restain and the process is very easy. We power washed the deck and are in the process of applying One Time with a roller and brush. I find this product very easy to work with and am greatly satisfied with the results. It gives a nice natural look to our deck and the low maintenace factor can't be beat!

Is yours a redwood deck? With the finish fading over time, does it still keep the wood from graying?

I picked up some sample boards where he took 2 small pieces of decking and put some One Time Natural and Red Cedar on each piece in each color. Each piece of wood was a different density. He was a very nice guy and seemed VERY knowledgable about the product.

The thing is, after 10 days of these samples laying on top of my deck, the red cedar samples are still very RED. However, the sample board (that looked homemade) in their display area was a gorgeous cedar color.

My deck has a lot of shade, but it does get sun through the leaves as the day goes on and the sun moves across. There are periods of direct sun in different areas.

That display board looked like something they made up with real stain, cause the color names were written in magic market on the wood.

I don't understand whats different. Granted he wiped it on the sample board with a paper towel. If it all looked that red I'd hate it, if it looked like his sample board, I'd have already bought 2 gallons.

I'm ordering some samples from the link above to do some testing myself. May even mix some natural and red cedar in diff amounts and see what shades I can blend it into.

Any ideas?

I was really torn about using this product. I have built dozens of decks and for the few customers that decided to also have their decks stained, I determined not to advice for or against any type or brand of stain, as all my experiences had been that, for the price, staining is a waste of time.
It doesnt last and there is usually added cost to a reapplication as the previous application needs to be stripped, it usually looks worse after two years than if no stain had been applied at all, it provides almost no protection from UV and/or weathering, and finally after the cost of staining, stripping and restraining over the years, you could have saved by replacing the deck and keeping the change (Note: this analysis is based on pressure treated pine decking materials).
I had my own personal deck that had been built by the original home builder that was poorly constructed and needed to be replaced and expanded. My wife insisted on staining the new deck, contrary to my advice.
I read as many reviews and opinions as I could on various stains and sealers and gleaned as much advice as I could from many of my subcontractor associates, most concurred with me, most stains were a waste of money.
The thing that initially drew my attention (other than the 7 year claim), was the fact that the previous application of One-Time DID NOT needs to be "stripped", only pressure washed before reapplication. As most know stripping the old stain adds substantially to the reapplication cost and usually turns out inconsistent and sometimes erratic, not always obscured by the subsequent staining.
The biggest negative however of the One-Time was the cost.
My deck surface was just over 350 sq ft plus I had handrails with turned balusters and a 10X12 section covered by a pergola, and a few steps (all pressure treated yellow pine not previously stained or sealed). According to the coverage estimates 250 to 350 sq ft, I had calculated I would need between 3-1/2 and 4 gals of stain, so I ordered the 5 gal size and surprisingly ended up with only about a pint remaining. I suspect the turned balusters were mostly responsible for drinking the additional materials, point being, I got less than the 250 sq ft coverage advertised.
Stain on balusters, handrails and steps were applied with a 4" brush, the actual decking application was applied with a heavy nap roller, and touched up with a 4" brush. The stain was rather pungent and needs to be applied using a quality mask. The deck is on the eastern side of the house and receives well over 6 hours of direct sun in the summertime (when stain was applied). As in previous commentary, this stuff cures and penetrates slowly. The stain surface remained somewhat sticky for about a week, it also took several weeks for the odor of the stain to finally subside. As the stain cured and penetrated sap began to ooze from several of the decking boards this continued for several weeks eventually subsiding after the stain had finally cured. The sap was relatively easy to remove with a painterÂs tool after it had crystallized.
I chose the Cedar Red, because the factory informed me that the more pigment (i.e. color) the better the UV protection, and more importantly, my wife liked it. The application was a royal pain with the coverage scare, slow cure rate, and lingering odor, but the final results were fabulous, the Red Cedar color gave my whole deck a deep mahogany glow, the transparency color is very consistent throughout. Although this is only the second year (third season) since the application I am amazed how great it looks, I can perceive little to no fading at all, and it looks as good as the year it was applied. Most stains here in Georgia would be shot by now or certainly in serious need of a freshening up.
Now when any of my customers ask about deck staining and/or sealing, I do recommend the One-Time product, however as of yet, not a single one has opted to try it, the sticker shock is too much I fearÂ.
I give little credence to those that pooh-pooh a product, any product they have never used, reviews and opinions should be based on experiences (good or bad) with a given product, not baseless supposition.
I personally would/will use this product again, there are inconveniences and the price is steep, but it seems to me the best stain/sealer available I have run across to date.

Stain appearance in 3rd season (second year)...

Pergola

Handrail and Balusters

Decking

we are in the process of researching types of woods and stain/finishes - if we use this product, or any other - do we then use poly or some thing on top like on our interior wooden floors to help preserve the wood?

I sell and build log homes. OneTime is the only stain that I will use or recommend. I have tested about a dozen other stains with all having limitations. So far all my customers are very satisfied with the stain. I personally use the product on all my own projects.

Never use a polly or an inside finish on an outside project. J.

I used the product after a lot of research. It is excellent! I am in the process of putting on a second coat. It has been 6 years. My deck faces north and some mold started so I decided to put on another coat after washing off the mold. I did find dealers who charge less for the product. I know it can be sticker shock.

I am familiar with this product. From a chemistry standpoint, I do not believe there is a better product.This is a performance driven product with coating technology not available from other manufactures because of the patents . I am familiar with applications which have lasted five plus years and still counting.

I pressure washed a 30 year old deck in poor shape mostly in the shade and applied natural One Time with a thick nap roller and brush after the deck had dried for a week. After 48 hours I wiped off the few puddles I had. It was dry to the touch in 5 days. It is almost a year now and the results are fantastic. The bad news is that the coverage was only 50 sq feet per gal but much cheaper than replacing the decking. I have not seen a coverage estimate any place else for very aged wood decking.

I have tried this product and it has really been a pain! It works okay on the rails and spindles but on the deck floor it makes a mess. We have tried it 3 times thinking it was the way we applied it. Wrong. It is clearly the product. Now we are in the process of sanding and cleaning it off once again. We used a mixture of 3/4 golden honey and 1/4 clove brown. Each time you use it it gets darker. A dark dull color. Not attractive at all. It also scratches horribly and makes bad foot/paw prints if you walk on it with dirt on your feet. The prints will not rinse off with water. Doesn't make since but nonetheless it happens. You pretty much have to use a cleaning product of some type. And, it scratches just like funiture and the darker the stain the worse the scratch. Dog toenails scratch it as does moving anything across it. To remove the scratches you have to use steel wool and/or a product that works to cover up furniture scratches. The company denies a lot of these type of complaints but did say a few calls like this have come in. Not sure why it would only cause these problems some of the time but who knows. Just beware. If you really want to use this product I would do a test area. Also, BEWARE do not use it on a shaded deck as it will not cure for weeks, if at all. BTW, the company seems nice enough but I question the product.

CRAP CRAP CRAP, I used it, 4 years later, looks dried up, nothing like they tout. Does not hold up. Ill send pictures. company does not answer phone calls.

I used this product about 4 years ago on a shed and a fence. After doing some research, reading FINE PRINT, and discovering that ALL stains recommend stripping and resealing after 2-3 yrs, I decided there must be a better way. Found this and gave it a try, and I am SO GLAD I did. The color is still great on both the shed and fence. Note that these are VERTICAL surfaces, not HORIZONTAL deck surfaces that get walked on, so can't comment about using on a deck, but I'd be surprised if any stain did better than this.

We've tried it two times in the last four years. Had it professionally applied and then we tried it. Very difficult to work with. Not sure what we will do now because it is peeling in spots.

I'm not too confident about it to be honest, my neighbours did it and it looks rather terrible after only a few months. I think it depends though, some people seem to love it and some people tend to hate it.

Last year I went through the grueling task of sanding my deck. I wanted to strip it but the Sikkens stain that kept chipping could not be removed with any stripper. I tried 5 differrent strippers. I started sanding but found it was less costly and time consuming to just flip the boards that could be flipped and sand the ones that couldn't be. After that I went back and did a light sand on the entire deck. Then I used a cleaner brightener and let the deck dry for 2 days. Was told not to final sand and brighten unless the forecast is without rain. After 2days I applied One Time to my deck. The apllication was pretty easy and the product went on nice and smooth with a deck brush. Yes, the product does not smell the greatest and yes the product took about a week to fully cure. But a year later my deck looks terrific. Because my deck is north facing it sees alot shade and of course mold. The surface did show some green mold just like the siding on the back of my house. But with some luke warm water, dish detergent, a small push broom and 20 minutes, my 425 sq. ft. deck was showing like new. I did spray it with water before cleaning it. No chipping and very little fade. Tremedous product. I wish I had known about this product when my deck was new. It would have saved me a ton of time and frustration.

Well, we had to use an Osborn brush to remove the old stain, Sikkens,  before applying One Time to our log cabin and garage.  (Not an easy job but we read the directions on One Time, and talked to the company) That was 6 years ago and we are very happy with the product. The south side started to show wear this year so we will likely start with the south wall next year and then do 1 wall each year. No problems with Carpenter bees either, which in my area - Finger Lakes, is a big deal.