? Use only top of the line paints. My time is worth more than the 5 bucks I save on the gallon.

? Do your repairs first if you are very concerned about the looks of the finished product. Highlight potential blemishes and prime them down first. This will show you how it would look finished which will make everything on the same level or you will see the flaws and cracks.

? When you have a dimple in the wood and wood putty won't stick to it, use some drywall mud.

? Cracks and gaps are filled the best with paintable caulking (not silicon because it is not paintable). Fill in the crack with a bead of caulking, not too thick, just enough to fill the crack. Take a wet sponge and wipe it down. The same goes for joints, but don't over wipe or you will remove the product.

? On a metal door, I use auto body spot putty for dents and imperfections.

? Make sure you spot prime repairs well ahead of time. The prime has to dry thoroughly to seal the repair.

? Use a sandable primer for your trim. It has to be soft enough to smooth out for the finish coat.

? If you are painting other than white, tint your primer the exact same color or very close. Sometimes what I do is thin out the paint for a first coat. This also dries faster.

? If you are painting walls and baseboards but your brush work on the wall over the base board doesn't look quite straight, take some of that caulking and with a very thin bead run a line down the baseboard. Be careful not to get too much on the wall or it won't look good at all. Try an inconspicuous place first where you can adjust your method.

? When I am repainting walls, I put 2 finish coats on the wall. There is no need to prime the walls again because they are already primed.

? It's easier to remove covers than paint around them. Take off the cover and just roll up around them with a little care. In some spots you still have to brush.

? Unless the paint your putting on is exactly the same paint don't waste your time trying to do it in1 coat. 2 thin coats are far better and faster.

? Don't forget the door bell's plastic housing comes off so you won't have to paint around most boxes with so much care.