Select a location for the patio. Drive stakes into the corners. Tie one end of twine to a stake. Pull it around the four corner stakes and tie it off. The twine acts as a guideline when you dig out the area.
Dig out the marked off area to a depth of 8 to 10 inches. This will be the base for the patio block foundation.
Smooth out the surface of the dug out area with a bow rake. Compact the soil with a plate compactor.
Fill the dug out area with a 4-to-6 inch layer of gravel. Rake the gravel smooth with a bow rake. Compact the gravel with a place compactor.
Dump sand over the gravel to fill in the rest of the dug out area, leaving 2 inches at the top to accommodate the patio blocks.
Rake over the sand to even it out across the patio foundation. Drag the 2-by-4 board across the surface of the sand lightly, with the assistance of a helper, to smooth out the sand. Place the 2-by-96-inch side flat on the surface of the sand, hold it evenly, then pull it across.