what is the difference between stains?

There are two different property stains on the market. Film forming water based stains and penetrating oil based stains. The difference is simple. Film forming stains act more like a paint. Its coating sits on top of the wood and protects the wood from elements by acting as a barrier. 

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Penetrating stains soak into the wood and fill the wood up locking out rain and dirt. Penetrating stains do not create a film on top of the wood. This is a more traditional stain. 

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Both stains are sealers. But they differ mostly in how they wear down and how they are maintained. 

What is the main difference between film stains and penetrating stains?

The main difference in these two stains is in how they wear down and how they are maintained. Film stains peel over time, much like old wallpaper. This tends to happen frequently on the deck floor. 

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Penetrating stains fade over time and lose their color. Penetrating stains will never peel due to its non filming properties. 

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How they are maintained is the primary reason I will always suggest penetrating over film. Film stains will need to be sanded off as much as possible and then reapplied with more film stain.

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Penetrating stains simply just need to be washed and then reapplied into the wood. This is far less labor to do and therefore much easier to keep up with.

What stain do you use?

I use primarily penetrating oil based stains such as TWP pro series. These stains soak into the wood and fill up the wood locking out water. The pigment in the stain protects the wood from harmful U.V. light keep the color from turning grey. 

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These stains need reapplied every 1 to 2 years but reapplication is far easier to do than a film forming stain.

I have a paint/solid stain on my deck. Can I go to a semi transparent?

While possible to convert from a film forming stain to a penetrating stain it is extremely labor intensive and around 2.5 times the cost. Film forming stains are hard to remove off of vertical structures and require a combination of chemical, sanding and washing to fully remove. Often it is simply not worth the effort to do so and the best course of action is to rebuild or to simply cover up with a thick film stain.