Painting finished wood trim - tips/tricks?

Thanks!  I had already hand sanded a small section, so I was hoping that would work. It seemed so smooth still, but I can't tell between lacquer and smooth finished wood probably.

I will look for the gel Glidden stuff, thanks!

This.  See if you can find a small piece of trim to take to the paint store with you.   I like Sherwin Williams (they had a primer for painting brick... I used it when painting our old house.  When I got it on my hands it WOULD NOT come off.  Great stuff.)  Show them what you're doing and they can recommend a primer for you.

Painting 2 coats will always be easier than sanding!  

I would also recommend getting something like a Wagner Power Painter or the equivalent.   Sprayed trim looks SO MUCH better, especially if you're using a gloss or semi-gloss.    Get a couple of sawhorses that you don't care about, and take everything out in the yard and start spraying.   Everything goes so much quicker than brushing.  

Start by cleaning the trim. I have had the best results with Soilax. It comes in a box and just mix it in a bucket of warm water. it cleans great and does not leave a residue.

Next you will need to sand the surface. You want to use a medium/fine grit for this. The two best methods I have found are either use a red scuff pad (found in the painting section) wrapped around a dried out sponge, or get one of the sanding sponges ready made (also in the painting section) The sponge will help the abrasive conform to the trim contours and will let you really speed through the sanding part of the job. You will want to be sure there is no glossy areas left when you are done sanding. If you are using regular sandpaper, shoot for a grit around 300, that will give a good balance of power without causing large gouges you will see through your new paint.

The sanding will seem like a real pain, but this is a job you do not want to redo. remember, a paint job is only as good as the base it is painted on.

Use a good masking tape on either side of the trim to protect the walls/floor as this will give you a nice sharp line, and will let you cruise with the brush and get done in half the time.

One last tip, use a good quality latex paint and dillute it slightly with water. No more than 5% dillution, but the dilluting will let the paint flow better and it will reduce the visible brush lines. Use a good quality brush too. Hope this helps, and good luck. Nothing like some nice fresh color to brighten up your abode

Wow, so many ways to skin a cat!  Thanks guys!

I'm thinking:

clean thoroughly to remove grease, etc

sanding sponge

visit hardware store to talk about primer/paint options.