It sounds like a question for a Sherwin Williams rep.

Oil paints can be VEEEEERRRY slow to "firm-up". (I'm assuming by "stairwell"...you mean an interior job?) Humidity CAN be a factor, but it's not the main one. Alkyds cure by reacting-with/linking-with Oxygen in the surrounding air. The better the air-exchange-rate, the faster Oils will cure-out. If your Oil coats were thicker, that'll really slow it down! It's a different mechanism than Latexes go thru, which release water into the air. Thus, Latex films "get tighter"...literally pulling-down/shrinking onto the substrate...thus, drying out. Bottom-line: It may be a week or more. Open some windows, use some fans, etc. Fresh-air exchanges are KEY. Faron

Ok folks, so I am one of these guys who have had this tacky stain problem. I waited two weeks before I finally tried a few things. I attempted to stain again in hopes of emulsifying the original stain and then wiping to no avail, still tacky. I tried to pressure wash the tacky off and nothing, Finally, as a last resort, I tried one more thing. I purchased a bag of oil absorb. I spread it out amongst my porch which is about 240 square feet. I let it sit for about an hour. Then, I took a garage broom and gently pushed the oil absorb over the surface of the deck a few times. When I was finished, the dust from the oil absorb was adhered to the tacky spots. I gathered up the remaining granular and crushed it up as much as possible, attempting to get it as fine as possible. Then, I spread out the remainder equally over the surface of the porch deck once more. I waited 24 hours, then pressure washed off the entire thing with a medium spray tip on a 3000 psi pressure washer. All the excess tacky oil from the stain was absorbed into the speedy dry. I blew it off the deck and followed it up with a good 24 hour air dry. I was back sitting on my porch the following night. It worked great. I hope this helps someone else out there. Questions, try me at benryan76@gmail.com Good luck folks!

Caroline I don't live in Rapid City. I live N of Pierre. Its even closer than you think. Someone mentioned a humidifier. I can tell you right now it makes a huge difference. My DH keeps telling me, he can't believe how much warmer it feels in the house when it is on. I think it is the moisture that makes it feel warmer. I can tell the difference right away. The minute I turn the heat on in the fall I start the humidifier. I used to have two of the gallon ones going at the same time. A few years ago I went to a yard sale and someone had one of the console ones. I think I paid about 5 dollars for it. for it. It runs all the time now. Every night I have to fill at least one of the 3 gallon tanks but it is worth it to me. WE have our thermostat on 57 at night and after I come home from work we turn it up but only about to 65