C.B., Medford

A. If you can't take it upstairs, put it outdoors on warm, sunny days and let nature take its course. Actually, with cold weather near, the basement should be dry enough to allow the wood to shrink some, but it's still better to put it outdoors whenever you can.

You can hasten the drying out with a hair dryer; turn the bureau upside down so you can get to the drawers, to dry them out. If the drawers are encased in their own units (this construction in high-quality bureaus made the drawers dustproof). Also, put the bureau on its face to expose the back; then suspend two or more 100-watts bulbs above the back to start to dry them out. Check occasionally to see if the drawers come loose. If you can get to the drawers from the bottom or even the back, you can try tapping them or prying them gently. If you are able to pull a drawer out just a few inches, then put a 100-watt bulb in the drawer; make sure the bulb is not in direct contact with the wood. If you can do that, the rest is easy.

Once you get the drawers free, plane the top and bottom runners of the drawers so they will stay free, and also the top, sides and bottom of the drawer front, which fits into the drawer openings. It is better to have a drawer that is too loose than too tight.

Q. I just bought a computer desk made of particleboard, nicely finished in most places, but some edges that you can't see are not finished, exposing the particleboard. How can I seal those edges to help prevent exposure to formaldehyde?

B.C., Foxborough

A. There are several ways. Two coats of an oil-based polyurethane varnish, and oil-based interior primer, even latex primer will probably do it. Or a coat of adhesive caulk: Put a bead of caulking on the edges and press it thin with your fingers or smoothing tool, and then glue on a bit of trim or screen molding.

Q. I have a big problem, but don't laugh. My condo is on the fourth and fifth floors of a building, with the entry on the third floor. I have a fine old sofa that needs rebuilding, reupholstering, and refinishing; the works. But we can't get it down the stairs, not even out of our entryway. Believe me, my husband and sons tried. The only way to get it out is through a window, maybe, or from the roof, by crane. But before we do that, are there any upholsterers, rebuilders, and finishers who might be able to do the job ``in situ'' -- in the house?

/ S.H., Boston

A. Here's another answer shorter than the question. It beats the heck out of the handyman. All you can do is try upholsterers in the Yellow Pages. Which brings us to a handyman's question: Are there any furniture men willing or able to work on a piece on site? S.H. and the handyman would sorely like to know.

Q. Water got on my inlaid teak table, and raised the edge of the some of the inlays. It is still damp. How can I get the inlays to lie flat again? The table has been treated with tung oil.

R.M., Georgetown

A. If water raised the inlays, oil might get them to go down again. Let them dry out, then treat the top with more tung oil; apply the oil, let it sit there for 15 minutes, then wipe all excess off with a dry cloth. Dispose of oily cloths carefully by burning them.

With luck, this will work. But the water also loosened the inlays and you will have to glue them back down. Very carefully pry them up and apply yellow carpenter's glue and lay them down again. Wipe off excess glue with a wet sponge. You may not have to pry up the inlays altogether; if they don't yield, you can slip a little glue under the raised part, then press it down until the glue sets. If you are able to do that, sand off any excess glue that remains and re-oil.

Q. I bought a new mattress and box spring, and kept the old steel Harvard frame, but since the frame is 3 1/2 inches from the floor, the extra thickness of spring and mattress made the bed too high, and my bedspread is too short to fit properly. What can I do?

K.K., Framingham

A. Buy a bigger spread. You have spent a bundle on the new bedding; another $60 to $100 (or so) for a spread is not unreasonable.

What else you can do might be expensive. One is to cut two inches or so from the steel legs of the frame, and make sure you put a rubber cup or similar protection under those freshly-cut steel legs. I don't think Harvard frames come with shorter legs.

Another idea is more costly, because you have to abandon the box spring. Build, in its place, a thin backer board box of plywood and 1 x 3s or 1 x 4s or 2 x 4s. A good mattress on a wood backer may be more comfortable than one on a box spring. The bed will be lower and the spread will fit.

Q. I am covering the screens in my back porch with plywood for the winter. Can I store wicker on the porch all winter long?

ARTHUR, Watertown

A. You sure can. The only place wicker should not be used or stored is outdoors. It is porch furniture, not lawn furniture, and should not be exposed to rain.

Q. I have some old furniture that I want to clean up but not restore or refinish. How can I clean it? Do you have any formulas for cleaning and polishing? One of the pieces is an old wagon, with big wheels with wooden spokes, designed to carry luggage at train stations.

JOHN MAY, Boxford

A. If some of the furniture is antique (that wagon sounds like one, or at least a collectible), they should not be refinished or ``restored.'' Such treatment may reduce their value.

To clean these items (varnished, shellacked, lacquered, stained, painted, or bare), wipe with a cloth wet with paint thinner, let it sit on the finish for 30 seconds, wipe moderately, then dry with a dry cloth.

There are a number of formulas for cleaning and polishing. Again with antiques, be wary of applying anything but a cleaning agent such as paint thinner. Is the handyman obsessed with this subject? Perhaps, but if I don't issue the warning, the antiques people will get on me like ugly on an ape.

Here are some of the formulas: A polish: 1 1/3 pints olive oil, 2/3 pint alcohol, 1 teaspoon vinegar. Best results from more rubbing with less polish.

1 tablespoon turpentine, 3 tablespoons boiled linseed oil, 1 guart hot water. Keep hot in double boiler and rub with cloth wet with solution; polish with dry cloth.

4 oz. paint thinner, 4 oz. vinegar, 1 oz. alcohol, 4 oz. boiled linseed oil. Apply with fine steel wool.

Q. A maple dining set has a bad case of mold after sitting in a damp cellar this summer. Is there any way to remove it without harming the finish? Or is it necessary to have all pieces refinished professionally. I would like to clean it myself.

ELLIE CRONIN, Melrose

A. There is no need for refinishing, professionally or by you. Indeed you can remove the mold or mildew yourself without harming the finish. Make a mix of 1 part bleach and 3 parts water, and paint this on the areas where you see or suspect mold. The solution will kill the mold and remove it. And it would not hurt the furniture to apply the solution to all finished and unfinished surfaces.

After this treatment, get the pieces out of the cellar, or ventilate the cellar by opening windows. You want to keep the furniture dry; as it is, water vapor is condensing on the furniture and growing mold.

Another thing you might try is Lysol disinfectant spray, which claims to fight mildew and also tends to be a drying agent, reducing moisture on which mildew thrives. I'm going to check that out, but I think the contents are mostly alcohol, which is a drying agent. Alcohol also might kill mildew, but that's something I'm going to find out for myself.

Q. My dining room chairs are 45 years old and loosen up every five years or so, and I have to reglue them. They come apart easily, and I carefully sand the dowels to remove old glue and do everything else right, but still, they loosen up again. Could I install a series of turnbuckles and wire under the seat to hold the legs together? I can make the turnbuckles and wire invisible.

P. D., Cohasset, Mass.

A. The turnbuckles could work to keep the chairs together longer, and since they are not antiques, it should be OK to do. It is the design of the chairs that is causing the problem; there is just too much stress on the joints and movement in them for them to stay glued. Another reason they are loosening quickly is your sanding the dowels to remove the glue, something you are supposed to do, but it does make the dowels thinner and therefore looser in their sockets.

However, there are two things you can do to give you some relief. Buy Mr. Grip in a hardware store. Mr. Grip is a kit containing several small punctured aluminum strips that look like a cheese grater and provide a better fit when you reglue. You can stick a strip in the hole or fold one over the end of a dowel as you glue it.

In addition, use epoxy adhesive instead of carpenter's glue. If you can get a tighter fit with the Mr. Grip strips, you may not have to use epoxy.

Still another trick is to drive narrow brass screws through the dowels at each joint. Drive the screws in from the bottom so they will not be seen. The screws will hold the joint tighter, reducing the stresses and delaying the breaking of the bond.

Q. I have heard many opinions as to the height of a chair rail, so I doubt if there is a standard height. How high should a chair rail be? I have chairs that are 42 to 48 inches high. Wouldn't that be high for a chair rail?

BOB DiFRAIA, Melrose

A. OK, still another opinon, but this one is based on common sense and logic. The chair rail goes wherever the backs of chairs hit the wall. Since your chairs have different heights, you could be a pioneer in house design and put a rail at 42 inches and another at 48 inches.

There is no standard height, just as there is no standard height for wainscoting, the paneling that goes along the bottom part of a wall. There are also no standards as to what the chair rail should be made of. An ordinary 1 x 3 or 1 x 4 will do, with a bit of molding top and bottom. You can get plainer or fancier. Even ceramic tile will make a good chair rail.

Q. My gateleg table was stripped several years ago, a hand-rubbed finish was put on, then polyurethane varnish. The feet of the table left smudge marks on the finished oak floor and I found an insect at the bottom of one leg. Do I have bugs? I put glass cups under the legs, but they are not convenient. How can I prevent those smudges from reappearing?

CAROL ST. GERMAIN, Chelmsford

A. I don't think you have bugs; the insect you found was probably squished between floor and foot. Check to see if there are any holes in the bottom of the feet by turning the table on its side and tapping the legs lightly; if sawdust drops out, you may have bugs such as powder post beetles or the old house borer, but also they may be long gone. If you do see holes at the bottom of the feet or sawdust drops out at a slight tap, turn the table on its top and pour liquid chlorine bleach on the leg bottoms and into the holes. That should kill anything in there. Wear skin and eye protection when using bleach.

If the legs are in good condition, you can nail nylon sliding disks on them; they will allow easy movement of the table, but not too easy, and will prevent smudges. I think the smudges may be residue of the finish, especially that rubbed finish. The nylon disks have a nail point sticking through them so you can nail them in place quickly and easily.

If you don't like the looks of those disks (they come in white and brown and are virtually invisible anyway), use rubber cups instead of glass. They will prevent the table from slippy-sliding better than the glass cups or the nylon disks.

Q. The top of one of my bureaus is badly bleached out by the sun. I heard of something called Formadil for refinishing furniture. Would that work? Do I have to work outdoors with some of these refinishing products?

L.C., Medford

A. You don't have to work outdoors with refinishing products, but it is a good idea, unless you use plenty of ventilation in the house where you are working. That Formadil sounds like one of the Formby products, which restore old finishes by reconstituting them. Something like that works, depending on what the old finish is; it will work with some finishes but not with others, and the only thing you can do is try it.

I frankly don't think it will work on a bleached-out finish because the old stain is gone; if that is so, you'd be reconstituting the bleached finish. So, I suggest refinishing the top completely by removing the old varnish and stain (if any is left), and applying a new oil stain and then two coats of a polyurethane varnish.

To remove the varnish, you can use one of the new, citrus-based removers, which are safer to use than standard removers that contain methylene chloride, the most toxic ingredient of standard paint removers. But even with this citrus-based remover, use plenty of ventilation.

Q. Some kind of solution took the brass off the legs of my dining-room table. How can I restore that brass color?

R.G., West Roxbury

A. The solution may have just tarnished it, so to restore the brass color, polish it with Noxon or similar high-quality brass polish and buff with a power buffer. This will work on solid brass, but it might make brass plate worse. If it doesn't work in either case, chances are it was not brass in the first place, but some kind of brassy paint.

Solid brass may be just a hollow leg, perhaps wrapped around a wood leg. To determine if it is solid, put a magnet on it. Generally, solid brass will not magnetize, but if it is solid brass shell over steel, the steel will make it magnetize. Brass plate will magnetize.

If it is brass plate, you could take the legs to a metal plater who could replate them. One is Chrome (and other metal) Plating of Waltham, 265 Pleasant St., Watertown 02172; 617-924-8021. Also, E. Ciardi Co., 96 Library St., Chelsea, MA 02150; 617-884-0857.

Q. My wife is buying an antique reproduction farm table, with old pine boards as a top. There is only one finish avilable: French polish, a combo of wax and shellac, and I believe, waxed. That sounds esoteric to me. Should she buy a table with that finish? She can also get the table unfinished.

BILL SWEENEY, South Dennis

A. Yes, a French polish is esoteric and, according to finishing specialists, difficult to apply, and it gives a high gloss. I would opt for the unfinished version. Then give it two or three coats of a satin, oil-based polyurethane varnish and be done with it, because a varnish is easy to apply, looks good, and will last for years.

There is hope for John Scholz of Georgetown, who asked how to keep chipmunks from under the hood of his car. The handyman said there probably is not much he could do except seal the garage where the car is parked rather than trying to seal the car.

Margo Long or Reading called to tell us that she puts a mesh onion bag filled with mothballs in the engine compartment. It keeps critters away, she said.

Pauline Charbonneau of Northborough echoed the mothball idea, adding that she had a family of skunks under her tool shed. ``Moth balls thrown on the floor and around the outside, and the skunks moved on.'' And, said Ann Funari of Belmont, ``I do have a solution. If Mr. Sholcz were to sprinkle cayenne pepper under the hood of his car, the chipmunks would no longer camp there.

``I had squirrels digging up my tulp bulbs. After sprinkling cayenne pepper . around the bulbs, the squirrels never came back. ``I also had a problem with neighborhood dogs. After sprinkling cayenne pepper, there was no longer a problem. Cayenne pepper can be bought at CVS stores. It is nontoxic and safe around children.'' Well, you three nice people have renewed the handyman's faith in two old-fashioned cures for critters: mothballs and cayenne pepper. Mothballs will last longer than moth crystals outdoors, and the cayenne pepper should last a while as well.

But be careful with cayenne pepper. It can indeed be toxic, but probably less so than cayenne powder, which if breathed can cause a severe reaction. One reader told us how she inhaled some cayenne powder and spent several hours in the emergency room. So, when using any volatile material, be extremely careful. Cayenne pepper may be in the form of flakes or like ground black pepper. While flakes are unlikely to be inhaled, the little pepper granules could be inhaled.

Q. My kitchen table is varnished pine, and is now pretty dark. How can I clean it?

DONALD MacLENNAN, Acton

A. With a little luck, it will come fairly clean by applying a standard solution of Spic and Span and water, with a cup of bleach added to the solution. But you want to let that solution do its work, by leaving it on the table for two minutes or so. Then scrub and rinse. Wear skin and eye protection when working with bleach.

This should clean the table as well as anything. You could also try Spray and Wash, but try it in an obscure corner first. The table will be clean, but may be dull. You might be able to restore some shine by polishing with a dry cloth. If not, you could apply one, possibly two, coats of a semigloss, oil-based polyurethane varnish. Before doing that, sand lightly and rinse to get rid of the sand-dust. You could end up with a table that looks brand new, and it will last for years.

Who says you can't paint ceramic wall tile, asked Leanne Goldman of Newton. ``I wanted to lighten my dark blue tiles, so I tinted Perma-White paint to a lighter blue shade, and painted the tiles with that. I then mixed white with blue to make a medium color, and sponged it three times, twice with blue and once with white. I get comments such as ``Did you redo the bathroom completely?''

``The sponge paint has a high gloss, and it really does look nice,'' said Goldman. A bonus is the Perma-White paint, which claims to be mildew proof or mildew resistant. Good point, Leanne Goldman, and thanks.

Q. I sanded an old piece of slate from a laboratory to clean it up and plan to use it as a coffee table top. How is it best finished?

M.C., Franklin

A. Finish it with oil and paint thinner. Use mineral oil, which is less toxic than linseed oil, and mix it half and half with paint thinner. Apply this liberally to the slate, let it sit there for 15 minutes, then rub with your hands. Then wipe it all off, or all that will come off, with a dry cloth. Dispose of oily cloths carefully by burning them. After wiping the top dry, rub with your hands. The more rubbing, the more oil will get into the slate. The slate will be dark, but will continue to be handsome. You can treat with the oil any time you please.

If that slate came from a lab top or sink, it might be soapstone; if it is, treat it the same way you treated the slate. The oiled soapstone may come out a very handsome dark green.

Q. I cleaned and polished my bureaus and dressers with some sort of formula, using fine steel wool. Darned if I can't find that formula. Do you have one?

PAUL BRENNAN, Arlington

A. Yes, in fact several that I have saved over the years. I think the one you're looking for is this: 4 ounces paint thinner, 4 ounces vinegar, 1 ounce alcohol, 4 ounces boiled linseed oil. Apply with fine steel wool. Here's another, from Cynthia Hotton Rampone, my big sister (really): 1 gallon warm water, 1 cup vinegar, 1/2 cup ammonia, 1/4 cup baking soda. This will clean and polish, and give the furniture a shine. Still another: 1 tablespoon turpentine, 3 tablespoons boiled linseed oil, one quart hot water. Keep hot in a double boiler and rub on with a cloth wet with solution; polish with a dry cloth.

Q. My nephew found an iron-shaped mark on an oak table he's refinishing. How can he remove that mark? There's a crack in one of the legs, half as long as the leg, but not through it. How can he treat that crack?

ELLEN MURRAY, Newton Centre

A. That black mark is charred, and only sanding will take it out. If the char is very deep, you run the risk of sanding a depression in the top. In that case, you have to sand the entire top to make sure it stays even. The only other repair is stain the top very dark brown, which will disguise the mark. Then finish off.

As for the leg, if you cannot glue the crack and clamp it closed (unlikely because the crack does not go all the way through the leg), you can fill it with wood filler.

To do this, stain the table (after the char has been fixed), and apply one coat of polyurethane varnish. Now, buy a colored putty or wood filler to match the finish, fill the crack, and smooth off. Sand with very fine sandpaper to smooth it off, then apply a second coat of varnish. The reason you do it this way is to prevent the colored putty from staining bare wood. The one coat of varnish prevents this.

Q. I'm having the ivory key covers taken off my piano and plastic ones substituted, mainly because I want a consistent feel to the keys. Some of the ivory ones are very stubborn, refusing to come off. How can I loosen them for removal?

G.S., Haverhill

A. Try heat from a hair dryer to soften the glue enough so the covers can be pried off. Don't use water; it can get between the keys and swell the wood, and you know what sticky keys will do to your performance!

Q. How can I clean a marble table top? It is white, with a few rust spots, and not smooth to the touch.

JOAN WALKER, Arlington

A. For the rust spots, try a solution of 1 part liquid chlorine bleach and 3 parts water. Or, try one of the Whink products: Whink Rust Stain Remover or Whink Rust & Iron Stain Remover. They are sold in hardware stores and supermarkets. Another good rust remover is called Magic Rust Stain Remover, sold in supermarkets. Don't try these products on smooth, polished marble.

To clean the whole surface: wet with hydrogen peroxide, add 2 or 3 drops ammonia, when bubbling stops, wash and rinse thoroughly. Or, wet with hydrogen peroxide, sprinkle cream of tartar on generously, leave for an hour, scrub and rinse.

Q. My aluminum lounge chair is 15 years old and still in good shape, with the plastic strapping intact. The only problem is that the heavy-duty aluminum frame is badly pitted and peeling. Can I paint it?

ANNE LAWRENCE, Waltham

A. Ah yes, pitted aluminum. Yes, you can paint it. The pitting of the aluminum indicates that it is not anodized, and will take a beating from the weather. The peeling indicates that it has been painted at least once. Whether it has or not, here is what to do: Sand with medium to fine sandpaper to remove the peeling and to try to smooth out the pitting. Wash thoroughly with paint thinner. Apply an exterior oil primer. You have a choice of finish coats: An oil-based enamel or latex house paint. I suggest using oil-based enamel in a spray can. Krylon makes an oil-based spray in many colors. Apply two thin coats and you should be in good shape for another 15 years. The most important thing to consider when painting is to apply thin coats.

Q. Somehow, magnified sunlight caused two burn marks on a vinyl upholstered chair. They are the size of a nickel. How can I remove them? The vinyl is smooth but not shiny.

EDITH BURMAN, Needham

A. First, try any leather care product, sold in hardware stores; one such type is called Leather Care, and is designed to take the place of saddle soap. Another is Apple Leather Care, made by Apple Polishers at (800) 322-6569. But, because the spots are burns, these products probably won't work. So, try rubbing with very fine sandpaper; what this does is abrade off the very top of the vinyl, and the scorch mark with it. Because the vinyl is the same color through its thickness, this might work. However, don't get carried away; and the handyman offers no guarantees. If all else fails, you might be able to touch up the marks with a flexible paint; one brand is Fabspray. Naturally, you will want to get as close a color match as possible.

If the handyman doesn't know something -- horrors! -- it pays to advertise; that is, put the question to the readers.

And that is what happened when Ken Bondeson of Burlington called to ask where he could get blank shade rollers (rollers without the shades) to attach maps to.

Lo and behold, the handyman received two answers to pass onto Bondeson: Vera Gropper of Somerville and Ron Margolis of Cambridge said blank rollers can be bought at Mohawk Shade, 2096 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, telephone (617) 868-6000.

The handyman and Ken Bondeson thank you both.

Q. I stripped the outside of a hope chest, and I want to refinish it the same color as it was. What do you recommend for refinishing? And how can I apply stain without lapmarks?

IRENE DODD, Waltham

A. You can take a color chart of interior stains home and make comparisons, choose a stain a bit darker than the original. Generally, stains lighten as they dry; that is why it is better to err on the dark side than the light side. On the other hand, if you choose a slightly lighter stain, and find it's too light, you can always apply a second coat of stain.

Otherwise it is a matter of buying a certain color, applying it, and varnishing to see if it works. Not a practical method.

As for lapmarks, the people who call me about their projects say they have had good luck with a foam applicator. For me, the stain-on-cloth is best, but sloppy. The technique is: Dip a folded cloth in the stain and squeeze out. Rub it on, in long sweeps but moving all the time, adding stain to a wet area, not dry. Finish with two coats of a satin polyurethane varnish. Your technique will dictate how well you apply the varnish. Again, some people have had good luck with a cloth or lamb's-wool applicator or foam brush. If you use a regular brush, use an expensive one.

Q. My chrome-tube chairs are in good shape, with the bottom of the U-shaped tubing holding little plastic buttons sitting on the floor. Everything is fine except the buttons are coming off; the little round plastic tabs on those buttons, which are inserted in the tube, are breaking off. I had some replacements, but ran out of them, and I can't find any more. Is there any place to find them?

HAROLD ROSE, Milford

A. As a matter of fact, yes. After our conversation, I was scanning the new Woodworkers' Store catalog that arrived at home, and what do you know, I ran across a whole page of glides. Included is a tap-in glide for metal chair frames. These glides have little round plastic tabs which are driven into the tube. It's even illustrated. The item is 88593, 8 for $2.79. There are other glides listed, which may also work. Call 1 (800) 279-4441. Or visit the store in Cambridge (617) 479-1126.

Q. Dad made a beautiful mahogany table, and I was told to use boiled linseed oil on it. Is this a good finish for a table? And how do I apply it?

M.T., Somerville

A. Oil is a good finish for anything except maybe floors. It is a soft finish, and may feel strange on a table top, but if done right, is durable, resistant to some stains and is easily touched up without refinishing. Mix the boiled linseed oil (it is already boiled, chemically, so you don't have to boil it) half-and-half with paint thinner, and apply this to the table, heavily. Let it sit there for 15 minutes, then wipe it all up -- or at least all that is going to come up -- with a dry cloth. Then rub with your hands; the more you rub the more of a gloss (not much) you will create. Dispose of those oily cloths carefully by burning them. If you don't remove all oil that is removable, it will stay sticky forever. Some people say you can put the oil on straight, without cutting it with paint thinner. This is so, but the thinner-oil mix will penetrate better into the wood and be less likely to be sticky.

You can repeat this process any time you please. In fact, for a quality finish, it is recommended to do this once a day for a week, once a week for a month, and once a month for a year; then once a year to Doom's Day.

One drawback. If it gets dirty, you can clean it with paint thinner; but it more likely will need to be sanded to the bare wood and re-oiled.

Q. I had a dining table refinished. When it was returned there was a warp at the edge where the top opens for a leaf. Can I straighten out that warp? If so I shall take steps to see that the refinisher rectifies the damage.

A.M., Ocala, Fla.

A. Sometimes refinishing a table top can cause a warp, especially if the piece was dipped in a stripping solution. By the same token the warp might have been there before the refinishing, or it might not be a warp so much as a raised piece of veneer. Most table tops are made of a veneer of quality wood on a core of lesser quality wood. This is not a cheap way of building furniture, but is done to resist warping. If the top is solid wood, warping is more likely.

If it is a bit of veneer that has lifted (it can happen in the refinishing process), it can be reglued. If it is a true warp, it sometimes can be straightened out. This is how: Make sure the top is properly secured on its frame, or apron. Set the top face down on a flat surface, protecting it with a bed sheet. Apply weights heavy enough to straighten the warp. Sprinkling a little water on the underside of the top might hasten the straightening. Avoid excessive wetting. Leave the weights on for several days, weeks if necessary. If the top straightens out, all well and good, but there is no guarantee that it will stay straight.

Q. A sliver of veneer came off the edge of my dining room table. It's only an inch wide and 1/8 inch deep, but it's an eyesore. I put putty in, but it fell out. What can I do?

VICTORIA W., Abington

A. I think it's best to buy a piece of veneer to match the wood and just glue it in place. You may have to cut the veneer on the table just a little so you can get a decent-sized piece in place. Use ordinary carpenter's glue, and if you get a good fit, it will be fine. If the fit isn't too hot, you can fill the seams with a little wood filler. Stain the veneer to match the finish, and wipe on a couple of coats of satin varnish. It won't disappear, but it will look a lot better than what you have now.

Call in your questions on (617) 929-2930. Globe Handyman Peter Hotton is available on Tuesdays from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. to answer telephone questions on house repair and fixing up.

Q. How can I get a stain caused by wet glasses off my black marble coffee table? Would pumice work? Could I varnish the marble?

K.S., Lincoln

A. You can try a marble polish and much hard rubbing, but I am not convinced that you will get it all off. The Handyman tried this once on a wonderful old red marble commode top, and all he did was dull the finish. So the red marble remains half dull and half shiny. Some day he'll try something else.

I think pumice is a little harsh for use on marble. Try rottenstone instead. Sold in paint and hardware stores, rottenstone is much less abrasive than pumice. Ordinarily rottenstone is used with oil as a lubricant, but marble is notoriously absorbent, so use water instead.

Whenever marble is involved, the Handyman may offer hints but adds this warning: try anything at your own risk. I think in the long run you may have to have the marble repolished by a professional monument person.

If you do get the marble back to its original appearance, seal it with a marble sealer, also sold in building supply centers.

Q. When I was transporting a pool table, one of the slates broke right in two. It is a big piece of slate, 3/4 inch by 31 inches wide and somewhat longer than 31 inches. The slate is one of three that are set in a frame and covered with heavy felt. I am replacing the felt, but how can I glue that broken slate back together?

FRANK JILLET, Saugus

A. If the three pieces of slate are set in a frame, loosely, perhaps the broken one will stay put, too, especially if you give it extra support.

But to glue it, use epoxy adhesive, the kind that you mix two parts together to activate the adhesive. The slate is too heavy even for the epoxy, so you cannot suspend that glued piece, but it will hold together set flat and securely in the frame, even if you have to add some extra supports to the frame holding that broken slate.

Q. I bought a nice antique bed with double-thick rails (about 1 1/2 inches) but to my surprise the box spring does not fit between the rails. The box spring is as wide as the distance from one rail to the other. What can I do? I can't put the box spring on top of the rails; this would make the mattress way too high.

M.J., Massachusetts

A. For every 5,000 antique beds out there, there are 4,900 different sizes, it seems. You could have a box spring made to fit but it would be expensive.

Here's a way to fix everything, and have the box spring left over to put on another bed frame. Make your own box spring to fit, except it is not a spring at all but a plywood frame.

This frame can be an open box made of 3/4-inch pine boards with a 1/2-inch plywood top. Put in crossbars for extra strength if the bed frame is more than 40 inches wide. You want to make the frame as thick as the depth of the rails, so that the top is flush with the tops of the rails; that way the mattress will go on top of the frame and come to the outer edges of the rails.

Such an arrangement, with a quality mattress, sounds a little firmer than you might like, but you may find it quite comfortable. The handyman did just this on two beds, and its occupants have not complained yet. Would they dare?

Q. My husband reupholstered kitchen chairs by covering the movable seats with vinyl. They are OK, but they squeak when someone moves on them, and I am embarrassed. What can I do to silence them?

E.S., Winchester

A. Sounds like a Whoopee Cushion or Larry Bird's sneakers on the old Garden parquet. If the vinyl is really smooth and glossy, I think there's the problem.

You could reupholster with Naugahyde, a leather-look vinyl that is not only not shiny but also is embossed a little to look like real leather, which might reduce or eliminate the squeak. The handyman has some Naugahyde-covered chair seats and does not recall enough squeaking to be embarrassing. Or, use tapestry or other kind of cloth cover, which will not make a sound. If neither of these works, you have one helluva conversation piece.

Q. A maple dining set has a bad case of mold after sitting in a damp cellar this summer. Is there any way to remove it without harming the finish? Or is it necessary to have all pieces refinished professionally. I would like to clean it myself.

ELLIE CRONIN, Melrose

A. There is no need for refinishing, professionally or by you. Indeed you can remove the mold or mildew yourself without harming the finish. Make a mix of 1 part bleach and 3 parts water, and paint this on the areas where you see or suspect mold. The solution will kill the mold and remove it. And it would not hurt the furniture to apply the solution to all finished and unfinished surfaces.

After this treatment, get the pieces out of the cellar, or ventilate the cellar by opening windows. You want to keep the furniture dry; as it is, water vapor is condensing on the furniture and growing mold.

Another thing you might try is Lysol disinfectant spray, which claims to fight mildew and also tends to be a drying agent, reducing moisture on which mildew thrives. I'm going to check that out, but I think the contents are mostly alcohol, which is a drying agent. Alcohol also might kill mildew, but that's something I'm going to find out for myself.

Q. I have some old wood furniture that is musty smelling. How can I get rid of that odor?

L.C., Winthrop

A. A number of people have called on the same issue, most of them frustrated by the mustiness, especially on furniture stored in the basement.

So, for those several callers, here is what to do: Let the furniture dry out; it has gotten damp; such a surface is the ideal growth medium for mildew. Take the furniture out of the basement, if possible, and store in a dry, warm space. This may be all that is needed, but when the furniture is returned to the house, the odor returns.

OK, then you make a mix of one part bleach and three parts water and paint this on all surfaces of the furniture, especially unvarnished or unpainted surfaces, such as the inside and outside of all drawers and all surfaces inside bureaus. This solution, lightly applied, will not hurt painted or varnished surfaces, either. If this treatment doesn't work, then rinse the bleached areas and sand them lightly. Then apply one or two coats of oil-based polyurethane varnish. This is designed to seal in the musty smell.

Upholstery is another matter. You can try treating it with a milder solution of one part bleach and five or more parts water, but you have to test a small area first to make sure the upholstery does not bleach out. If that cannot be done, then the upholstery should be ripped out and new installed.

Always wear skin and eye protection when working with bleach.

One more thing: The makers of Lysol Disinfectant Spray say that the routine application of the spray on hard surfaces associated with moisture significantly reduced the presence of mold and mildew and suppressed regrowth for up to six weeks.

If this works, all the better. The Handyman might try some himself.

Q. I bought a new kitchen set including a farm table, which I was told is wood, but I can't wash it, and every little mark and spill shows. The man at the store suggested I polish it, but I really don't want to get into that habit if I can help it. How can I keep it looking new and free of blemishes, marks, and spills?

MARGARET CARROLL, Winthrop

A. It's unusual that it could be unfinished wood, unless it is designed to be finished by the owner. If it is bare wood, then it cannot be polished; that makes no sense. So, if it indeed is not finished, you can sand off the blemishes and varnish it or apply a stain of the color of your choice, then varnish it with two coats of an oil-based polyurethane varnish. This will make it resistant to spills and marks and blemishes, and easy to clean. Then you can put a piece of plate glass ( 1/4-inch thick) on the top. A glass company can cut a piece with slightly rounded corners and beveled edges. Also, buy some self-adhesive rubber bumpers and put one in each corner of the glass, plus two in the middle, to keep the glass away from the table.

If the blemishes are not too severe and the top looks OK now, you can wash the top with paint thinner, then go ahead with the glass.

Q. This past spring I put a white wicker sofa on our front porch. After a hot, dry summer, when I took a good look at it I was amazed to see how weatherbeaten it was. My wife wants me to paint it, but no one here in Florida can tell me how to do it or what to use. It is a lovely piece but now rather dried out. What if anything can I do to restore this piece?

WALTER POMAROLE, Ocala, Fla.

A. I think the best thing you can do for your wicker sofa is to paint it. And, I don't think there is any harm in the sofa's seeming too dry. Wood is supposed to be dry, and stay dry.

First, dry scrub it to remove loose dirt, then wash with a strong solution of Spic and Span and water and let dry. Treat with a mild bleach/water solution if there is any mildew present. Rinse and let dry. Rinsing is important if you use bleach, because bleach and any finish -- varnish, paint, stain -- are incompatible.

Apply a latex enamel undercoater, also called primer sealer. Use a cheap brush; any brush will be worth throwing away after painting wicker. Remove or cover upholstery or cushions, of course.

Now here comes the best part. Paint with a spray enamel; Krylon makes an aerosol spray enamel that works wonders; it is not too shiny and not too dull, and spraying is the best way to do wicker. It will also make the wicker a little more water resistant. I have done it and am very happy with the results. Spray outdoors on an calm day, if possible. You should be able to find the undercoater or primer-sealer and the Krylon at any paint store.

Wicker does not belong outdoors, even under a roof. Keep it in the house or in a sunroom, or where it is protected from the elements.

Q. I'm replacing kitchen chair seat covers, or rather, I am recovering them. The old seats have buttons that are quite deep; can I remove then so the new cover will not have buttons?

MYRTLE AUCELLA, Wakefield

A. Sure. You might be able to cut them off, with a knife or scissors slipped under each button. They may have wires instead of cords, but cutting is still possible. Or, remove the old cover and take out the buttons; leave the padding and apply the new cover.

Q. The metal casters on my kitchen chairsripped the sheet vinyl floor. Can I put one of those clear plastic office chair mats on the floor to protect it? I can't put nylon glides on the chair legs.

HELENE FISHER, Stoughton

A. Yes, but a carpet would look better and give equal protection. Or, check the caster to make sure they move well enough to roll rather than plow up the vinyl. Or, install new casters that work; you could also get rubber ones that would be much gentler.

Q. A light fixture fell and dented a walnut table. I've heard that the dent can be steamed out, but wouldn't that ruin the finish?

PAUL KRENSKY, Lexington

A. If you do that, the whole top would have to be refinished. To steam it out, put a wet cloth over the dent and run a hot iron over it; the steam will swell the wood and reduce or eliminate the dent if it is not too deep.

If the dent is deep, you could try this: Fill dent with wood filler the color of the walnut finish, sand smooth and touch up the spot with varnish. That will show.