A.C., Cambridge

A. That paste is a combination of paste and glue size, which was applied to the wall before the paper was hung. And you're right; water will soften it but it does resist removal, feeling very slippery when you try. So, make a super-strong solution of Spic and Span and water, which will tend to dissolve the paste and make it easier to scrape off. You may have to do it several times. And, at the beginning, if you soften the paste with water, you can scrape a lot of it off with a wide putty knife.

Even if you don't get it all off, you can leave some of it on to dry, and if it is smooth, you can paper right over it. If you plan to paint, you have to remove every trace of it. And that means washing and washing again.

As for relocating the toilet drain, it is possible but not feasible, because it would entail more work and plumbing than is worth the trouble and expense. I wouldn't bother.

Q. One of the little plastic cleats on my microwave broke off. It held a glass shelf. I can live without the shelf, but can I glue the plastic item back on?

R.W., Randolph

A. It's worth a try. Use Crazy Glue or an epoxy.

Q. How can I remove Krazy Glue from a mahogany table?

JULIA BOSLAND, Wellesley

A. The solvent for Krazy Glue is acetone, and unfortunately the acetone will also do a job on the mahogany finish. I don't think there is any other way that would not ruin the finish. So, any way you take off the Krazy Glue, you will have to refinish the top.

Q. I plan to put up a special wall finish in my basement, which requires it be nailed in many places. Will many nails in concrete hurt the foundation?

MICHAEL WATTS, Weymouth

A. No. The foundation is at least 10 inches thick and can take many, many nails without damage. If you are concerned, you can put up a different kind of wall finish: One is to nail strapping (1 x 3 boards) vertically, on the wall, fill between them with 3/4-inch Styrofoam, and finish with plasterboard. Or, put up the strapping with construction adhesive. The second way is to put up a 2 x 4 stud wall, fill that with fiberglass insulation and finish off with a vapor barrier of polyethylene and, finally, plasterboard.

Either of these techniques is OK, because you don't need heavy insulation in a room virtually underground.

Q. I am putting on a wide molding on my knotty pine plywood kitchen cabinet doors, to try to give them a little more character. Can I glue it on? The molding is 1 1/2 inches wide an 3/8 inch thick. How can I paint the cabinets after I put on the molding, and what can I do to keep the knots from bleeding through?

MONICA CONYNGHAM, Hingham

A. Glue the molding on with yellow carpenter's glue, but I would also nail the molding to help press the molding against the doors. Use panel nails, colored nails normally used for plywood paneling. Drive them flush with the molding; when you paint they won't show. You could countersink them and fill them with wood filler, but this is tricky because of the thinness of the molding.

To paint, first paint the knots with two coats of clear shellac. Then apply a latex enamel undercoater and finish with any kind of enamel or interior paint of your choice, latex or oil. There are no guarantees that the shellac will prvent the knots from bleeding, but it is the only treatment.

Q. Super Glue was spilled on a laminated plastic counter, making a clear but distinct stain that I can feel. How can I remove it? I'm afraid I will scratch the surface if I scrape it. I tried Goo-Gone and heating, without success.

DANA HILL, Peabody

A. There is a solvent for Super Glue called, amazingly enough, Duro Super Glue Remover, made by Woodhill. It is sold in hardware and building-supply stores. Try it on an obscure area of the plastic to make sure it does not affect the plastic adversely.

Q. I am redoing my son's room. I removed many posters that were put up with Elmer's glue. How can I remove the glue? Can I use lacquer thinner? Also, how can I clean a hardwood floor; it doesn't need sanding but it is pretty dingy.

M.M., Scituate

A. Use warm to hot water. Let it soak the glue so that it will dissolve or soften it. Scrape off the softened glue, carefully, with a putty knife. You may not get it all off with this method, so repeat to get the residue. Don't use lacquer thinner; it is unlikely to work and is extremely volatile, as volatile as gasoline. For the floor, wash it with paint thinner; wet a small area, let it sit there for 30 seconds or so but don't let it evaporate; scrub with the cloth you applied the thinner with, then wipe dry with a dry cloth. For stubborn spots, scrub them with a Scotch-type plastic scouring pad while they are still wet with the paint thinner.

Q. I am wrapping 3/4-inch hemp rope around some steel posts for a nautical look and to disguise the posts, which are pretty ugly. How can I end the rope at the top and bottom? I tried folding the end down a bit and continuing to wrap the post and the folded-down end, but it creates a good-sized lump. Would glue work?

JOE KENNEY, East Bridgewater

A. You just answered your own question when you thought of gluing the last 6 inches or so at the top and bottom. Use a phenolic vinyl adhesive caulk. Place a bead of this caulk (PhenoSeal or PolySeamSeal are two widely available brands) 6 inches up from the bottom of the post; place another an inch or so away, until the vertical beads complete the circle. Do the same at the top of the posts. Then just start wrapping, tightly, holding the rope against the adhesive caulk for a few minutes until it sets. Wipe off any caulk that oozes between the hemp rope lengths with a damp cloth. The trick of wrapping the end over itself works with thinner cord, but not with 3/4-inch hemp rope.

Q. A corner of my laminated-plastic countertop has lifted. I tried to reglue it, using contact cement. I coated the wood countertop with the contact cement but it didn't work. How can I glue it back?

S.M., Raynham

A. The contact cement failed because you have to coat both sides for it to work -- the counter top as well as the underside of the plastic. But instead of trying to do that (it's tough to cover all surfaces, especially if the lifted areas are hard to get to), try this: Insert an adhesive caulk. It comes in a caulking cartridge so it is easy to cover inaccessible areas. Press the plastic in place and put a weight on it overnight. It should work well.

Q. I used masking tape on a veneered floating floor; I got most of the tape off but a lot of the glue stuck. How can I remove it from the finished floor without ruining the floor?

JEAN BIRNBAUM, Chestnut Hill

A. There are a million, it seems, solvents for adhesives of all kinds, and the handyman has suggested them many times. Here are several that might work, but I think your best bet is to use oil, partly because the solvent is in your house already, and partly because it is usually effective. Any kind of oil, including cooking oil will do. Apply it liberally, and let it sit for 15 minutes to an hour to do its work. Then scrape with a wood scraper if necessary (the wood will not scratch the floor), but just as often it will come off by rubbing with a coarse cloth.

Other solvents to try are lighter fluid or charchol lighter fluids, De-Solv-It, Klean-Strip Adhesive Remover, Dow Bug & Tar remover, vinegar, rubbing alcohol, and mechanic's waterless hand soap -- the pink or yellow gel that comes in a large can. All are sold in hardware stores, which may have others that are as good or better.

Finally Goof-Off, a silly name for a material that removes latex paint and other latex-based materials without harming the finish underneath.

Q. My husband has been chipping off the hard paneling glue from an interior brick wall after he took down the paneling. It has been a long, hard job, with a hot air gun to soften the glue and then scraping. He is 3/4 the way through and it looks great. Is there an easier way?

S.G., Brookline

A. The only easy way is to pay to have it done, but since there is light at the end of the tunnel, the hot air gun and scraping is your best bet.

There are other ways: Do not use the air gun. Scrape off the glue with a chisel; you may have to use a little chemcial paint remover to get off the remaining residue. Once everything is off that brick wall should look good. You can leave it as it is or, apply a masonry sealer. The sealer will not change the color of the brick, but will make the wall a little easier to keep clean and to wash if necessry.

Q. Glue of some kind was spilled on my Formica counter, leaving a little raised area. How can I remove it? The top is white, and the stain has a grayish tone.

SHIRLEY SLATER, Brewster

A. What you can use to remove the glue depends on what the glue is. If it is Super Glue, try Super Glue Remover, sold, obviously, where Super Glue is sold. Or fingernail polish remover containing acetone. Try an obscure area first to make sure whatever you use does not affect the plastic. If it is Elmer's glue or anything similar to white or yellow glue, water should dissolve it.

A last resort is emory cloth or very fine sandpaper used with water. Go very lightly. The emory cloth or sandpaper will abrade the glue and the water will help prevent scratching. If after sanding there is a dull spot, you can polish the top with furniture polish.

Q. My old-fashioned alarm system involves wires cemented to little patches set on the windows. The system blew and I am getting rid of it, and have cut the wires leading to the windows. But I can't get the patches off the window glass, which are the size of Scrabble tiles. I tried Goof-Off without success. What will work?

M.T., Cambridge

A. Try a hair dryer to get the adhesive warm, then pry with a chisel or putty knife. Or, acetone (nail-polish remover), or typewriter cleaning fluid. Or, ordinary oil of any kind. With the acetone and oil, apply it to the top of the tile in the hopes that it will get between tile and glass and dissolve a little of the adhesive, enough so the tile can be pried off. And, the oil can sit on top of the tile for any length of time, allowing it to penetrate and soften the adhesive.

Q. Several pieces of antique china were broken during a move. I was able to put some back together with Super Glue and some with epoxy, but I found that both the Super Glue and the epoxy tend to yellow. Is there a nonyellowing glue I could use?

M.C.V., North Andover

A. The Handyman has used Duco Cement with pretty good results, both at holding and not yellowing, or at least not yellowing as much as some other glues. I don't know if that Duco Cement is the same formula as the glue we used to use to build flying model airplanes out of balsa wood and paper, but it does smell the same, and we only smelled it, not sniffed it; we were too innocent to do that back in the '40s.

Another way to go about it is to take the dishes to Trefler & Sons, which restores items made of china, porcelain and almost any other material. They are at 90 Cabot St. in Needham. Call 781-444-0659.