If you don't mind spending more money, Trex is a great decking material. It is a plastic/wood composite that wears incredibly well and requires no finish. 

 I built a deck (14'x25') a few years ago and used Trex. I built the frame out of pressure treated 2x6's, and used the Trex as the decking. It shows almost no wear. It comes in long lengths and is super straight. I have heard rumors that you can heat it and bend it so that you can make swirly decks.

I used a skilsaw, drill, and a hammer. Be prepared to buy a lot of screws, as they last longer than nails and look better (you can sink them below the level of the deck). A long level is also handy.