Tips for Painting

I don't know about you guys, but it's all about the details for me when it comes to painting my home.  If I don't get it right, it is something that will bug me down the road, so I would rather just take my time and do it right the first time!

I had some great help when we did our dining and fireplace paint project from the Paint Man at Home Depot.  The problem was that we have some wood paneling that had lots of holes between the panels and in between the corners where the wall met the wood panels or molding. It made the panel and molding look unprofessional and like they were installed or cut by an amateur.  Check it out these before photos:

The clerk at Home Depot suggested we use latex caulk to fill those holes, because it's the best type to use on wood (especially if it will be painted over).  For more tips on the types of caulk to get for your project, check out this Home Depot Buyers Guide. 

Here is an after photo of all the spots we applied caulking to for our project - this by far took longer than any other step in our paint project, but it was well worth it!  In the end, we had a nice smooth finish that looks much more complete than it did before. I love the way this created a seamless look for both the dining and living rooms.

Do you guys have any big paint projects to complete this winter?  Do any of you with painting experience have any other tips to share?