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We started with Georgene drawing out the shape she wanted, and we rented a sod cutter...
Next, we excavated down to a 6 inch depth, and used a "water level" to get the right slope for drainage... (Get some clear plastic tubing, fill it with water, mark the level on the stakes)
That really came out to a lot of topsoil. We had to rent a dumpster to get rid of it... The picture below was taken early in the process... In the end, I filled it about 80%. That's eight (cubic) yards......
Next, we filled in the "pit" with crushed limestone to a depth of 4", and Tamped it down
Watch out that the rental center doesn't try to rent you too heavy of a compactor. The one I got just plowed furrows into my nice smooth screeded limestone.
Then we laid out weed block fabric on the limestone and added an inch of sand. (Hint: use 3/4 inch PVC pipe; the outside diameter is an inch.)
The style of brick I used did not lend itself to use as a border course or frame, so I just started at a corner where I already had a square line out from the house, and basket weaved...
I had over estimated to make sure I didn't come up short, so I had enough extra material to build a walkway down to a second patio, about 7 foot square...
There you see it start, and here you see the end product...
