Shuttering for concrete base - what to do next?

[valve90210]

Hi all

Yesterday I put together some shuttering for a concrete base I want to make for a bbq etc. Now, because my lawn is so all over the place, to get it level with an existng concrete base, by the time I'd taken the turf off to go else where, some of the ground is lower than the level of the shuttering. what is the best course of action? Should fill the bottom and under the shuttering up with soil before I put down the hardcore and the base?

A couple of pics which illustrate the gaps...






Any thoughts would be much welcomed, I'm sure it's simple but I can't get my very tired brain round it today.

[Someone-Else]

I would have though the soil will wash / move away. I would put down more hardcore, then compress it. Others may have differing ideas

[Job and Knock]

You certainly need to ensure that there are no gaps beneath the shutterings, othgerwise it will all flow out

[valve90210]

I would have though the soil will wash / move away. I would put down more hardcore, then compress it. Others may have differing ideas

Yeah, could be right re the soil

You certainly need to ensure that there are no gaps beneath the shutterings, othgerwise it will all flow out

That's what I figured.

What if I was to fill in the shuttered area with soil and compact it down as best I can so the bottom is level with the shuttering, would that work?

[Timllfixit]

A few bags of gravel should fill those gaps, and the edge of the grass will stop it moving outwards.

[pfb5]

You can shove anything (rigid) you like down there - bits of hardboard - just enough to prevent the concrete flowing out, while it sets. Or cardboard, backed up with soil on the grass side, the cardboard will deteriorate over time.

Excess concrete is cheap. If it's deeper on the lawn side, you're not going to see it.

[valve90210]

Cheers guys, that gives me something to go on, I think I have a bit of a plan now, I have some hardboard knocking about somewhere.