We just recently had a wood deck built around our above ground pool. What is the difference between "sealing" and "staining"? Obviously, I am a novice at this. I would like to protect the deck as we live in Florida and our weather is so inclimate. I like the color of the deck as is and would like to keep the color about the same or similar. Also, I have read soooo much as to application i.e. sprayer, brush, combination etc. My mind is boggled!

Thanks for any help/advice you can give

Sealing keeps out water and may cause the wood to look a slight bit wet. Stain adds color and it too will seal out most of the rain. I have a suggestion that is slightly in betweem. Thompsons Wood Protector Plus comes in both clear and slightly tinted versions such as Honey and 4 other tones. This is a very transparent stain and the true wood texture still shows quite well. Spray it roll it or brush it on. My favorite is filling a Hudson garden sprayer with it and spray. They also make a newer product called Advanced. Thompson's® WaterSeal® Waterproofer Plus Clear Wood Protector - ThompsonsWaterSeal.com (http://www.thompsonswaterseal.com/products/product_detail.cfm?prod_id=3)