Wooden Deck Maintenance-Paint or Stain

2 things. First make sure all the deck boards are installed right side up and not upside down. There's a correct way. Also if using pressure treated.....and I'm sure you are, the best thing to put on the deck is nothing. Not a damn thing. It will last just as long and be much less headache. What gets them is people just throw the deck boards on without realizing there is a right and wrong and get most of them upside down. They cup over time and hold water, instead of cupping the correct way and allowing the water to run off. There's not a frikkin thing that'll stay on a deck or steps or any other high traffic area so why waste the money? If it's pressure treated and you install the boards right, it'll last.

All that said, if I just could not STAND it bare, I'd use stain.