Hardscape project

I'm about to dive into a sunken patio paving block project in my back yard where the pool used to be. The final dimensions will be about 28 X 18. The bordering wall will be about 16 inches, give or take an inch. The gravel used to fill in the hole has been left alone for 3 years to let it settle. I've pulled out well over 400 rocks that would have interfered in the bedding. Still have more to toss aside. I've scraped it all down and leveled it with a laser level to about .5 inches or less. I'm open to suggestions on what to do next. So far I've been told to wet it down and run a compactor over it, mix some Portland cement with sand and spread that around and let it get rained on, dump and spread rock dust, put a pea gravel bed in first, and.... So lets hear it, what do I need to do next? And after that? Tips on keeping it all level?

[Steve]

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Do you have any pictures of what the project looks like now?

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[NickN]

First,forget the portland cement.
Compact what you have.
Install fabric over your rock and lay down some crusher run(rock dust).Don't forget drainage.You'll need to grade your crusher so that water will run off.Compact your crusher in 2-3" intervals.
INstall more fabric over your crusher run and then lay down a 1" bed of sand for the pavers to sit on.(Use a 1" OD pipe to go by for the sand)
Lay pavers to desired pattern.Compact pavers.
Sweep polymeric sand into joints and compact again.Add sand as needed while lightly watering in.
Use your laser,after the wall is installed,to get an idea of what you're working with.Set it to desired heigth for crusher run base at night.Then you can install grade stakes or rebar and mark the depth as a gauge.I like to use zip ties because I can move them up and down the stakes if needed..

Thanks for the info NickN. *Does the local climate, southern Maine, make any difference in site prep as you described?

It gets well into the 90's in the summer to well below zero in the winter. *Not unusual for the frost line to go 3 to 4 ft below the surface.

At least the fill drains quite well as I've never had a standing water issue, even with a 9 inch rain fall.

I'll take some pictures of the progress...