Nick, Sorry you had the problems this winter. Nothing like trying to save fish in the cold winter with a collapsing pond going on. I don't really understand why you want to have a foundation under the ground unless the dirt/sand collapses before you can get the liner in and the water in the pond. Once the water is in the pond, I would think the sides would be stabalized by the water pressure. That said, if I wanted to have an under-ground foundation I'd use cement blocks or even pour cement walls. I think you are right that wood could be a problem. Good luck. I'm a northern New Yorker too. Anne

the first pond guy was facing jail so he found some poor soul who believed in him enough to lend him money to pay the lien guy and most of what he owed us if we didnt press charges.We decided since he owed so many people so much money we better grab what we could to help pay for the mess and he wouldnt be able to pay anyone anything sitting in jail. Also, we found out there is a contract you can get them to sign off on that says you won't be responsible for unpaid sub-contractors. Now we know! *******petem definately contact your utility company!******

Zenpotter, I would never try to discourage you from repairing your bathroom walls with authentic lime putty, reinforced with horsehair, and smoothed out with a wooden float. My understanding is that 100 per cent lime putty takes about one year to fully cure. Regardless of what type of finish is applied, it will be necessary to fasten some sort of lath, such as wood lath, or wire lath, or rocklath, to the structure of the house. This is generally done with nails. You might have to actually remove more of the original plaster, in some places, to get good access to a wooden beam or stud, in order to securely attach the lath as needed. If you decide to use sheetrock as your backing for finish plaster, then it will be necessary to coat the sheetrock with an adhesive, after it is installed, but before the finish coat plaster is applied. However, if wood lath or wire lath is chosen, then you can apply a modern base coat plaster, pre-mixed. The pre-mix base coat will very likely contain chopped fiberglass to improve its strength, instead of horsehair. Since chopped fiberglass is not so good to breath, you should use come care when mixing this with water, to avoid raising a cloud of dust. Base coat plaster will set up in less than an hour, and can be coated with finish plaster the same day, if necessary. There is no great skill involved in application of base coat plaster. You have to mix it with reasonable care, and press it in place with sufficient force that it penetrates the lath, and binds firmly to the wall or ceiling. It needs to be troweled reasonably flat, and should be slightly below the intended surface plane, so there is some allowance for finish coat plaster. Base-coat does not have to be perfectly flat, or free of tool marks. Finish coat plaster is made from slaked lime and gauging plaster(aka plaster of paris). High quality type S finish lime, made from dolomite limestone, is easy to work with and gives good results. Finish coat plaster application is a learned skill, and not easy to describe in detail. As soon as the plaster is mixed, it begins to set up, and will harden in less than 30 minutes. You have to work fast, and there is a limit to the size, in square feet, that can be done in one mix. If the base-coat plaster is fresh, and still damp, then no misting will be required. If the base-coat has thoroughly dried out, it will rob moisture from the finish coat plaster, and interfere with both application and cure. Misting the base coat with water, before troweling on finish coat, will prevent this problem. If you decide to teach yourself how to apply finish coat plaster, my suggestion is to start with an area around one square foot, for your first trial. With initial success, you will gain confidence, and can begin make larger mixes, and plaster larger areas. The wall doesn't care if it gets plastered in small increments or in one fell swoop.

D K and Sons / All: This stuff still hasn't fully hardened. It's clay-like still. I bought it from Home Depot: http://www.homedepot.com/p/Hercules-1-2-gal-Furnace-Stove-Cement-35515/202078154 Directions of use: "Surface to be joined or repaired should be clean and free of any old cement or debris. Clean surface and remove paint, grease, or oil before applying furnace cement. Wash cleaned area with water. Do not apply to very hot surfaces; wait until surfaces cool down. Apply thin layer of cement covering all openings. Press tightly into section or part being repaired or sealed. Apply liberal second layer of cement and smooth with trowel. If adding adjoining sections, place gently and avoid any twisting motions. Remove excess cement and smooth edges. Start heat using low temperatures for initial firing. Gradually increase the temperature allowing the cement to cure to a solid and durable mass, free from pores. Full firing may follow. Always keep container tightly covered when not in use." They talk about a "firing" and using heat. It's unclear exactly what I should do though. Doesn't say anything about how long it would take to dry. I'm confused. Thoughts? Thanks.