I built a cedar deck last year (approx 300 sq ft). Stained it with a
"semitransparent stain" from (I think) Behr (Home Depot). I can't
imagine that the wood hadn't cured, but in a large section (over 3 - 4
boards), the stain just bubbled up and peeled off. Now, after a year,
the stain on the high traffic parts of the deck is wearing off. My
primary question is how to prep the deck for refinishing. Sanding the
entire deck isn't an option, because the decking was put down with
screws, so they can't be set deeper into the wood. I've read that
power washing is an option, but will require going over the deck with
a sander (although that would be light sanding and, therefore,
feasible). I've also read about using TSP and bleach solutions, but
that seems to be more for mildew, which is not a problem in this case
(yet). So, has anyone found the magic bullet? (I'm in Nashville, in
case there are any regional solutions.)

My second question is what to use once I've prepped the deck. I know
there are opaque stains (that sound like they're paint, right?) and
semitransparent stains (more like what I think of as a woodstain,
right?) If I've got those right, I like the idea of a semitransparent
stain. Otherwise, I'd have built the deck out of pine. Consumer
Reports likes Wolman and Olympic semitransparent stains. I've read
about Sikkens, too. Is there any consensus?

Eric