Summarize the following:
Before painting, you'll need to remove everything from the porch. If you have important things nearby like potted plants, outdoor furniture, or grills, you should cover them with a drop cloth to protect them from the paint. Sweep your front porch with a broom to get rid of dirt and dust. Try to get as much dirt out of the cracks between the boards as possible. A high pressure garden hose or power washer works great for spraying down your porch with water. This should remove any remaining dirt and debris so you can have a clean surface on which to paint. For a concrete porch, scrub it thoroughly with a scrub brush, water, and a concrete cleaning chemical. Be sure to wear the appropriate protective gear to avoid dangerous contact with the chemical. Since wood is a porous surface, you want to wait for your porch to dry completely before attempting to paint. It can take up to 24 hours, especially in humid climates. If your porch is covered with old paint, you'll need to remove that before applying a new coat. Use an orbital sander to sand the old paint off the surface of the porch. You can also use paint scrapers to get some of the old paint off. Wear a respirator when operating the sander to protect your lungs from debris. When you're done sanding, clean up the dust and sand with a broom or vacuum so the porch is clean and smooth. Use painter's tape to cover any places where do you not want the paint to touch. This should include where your porch touches your home. Use caution and a moderate amount of paint when painting near the taped areas so as not to get the paint underneath the tape. If you're working on a concrete porch that has never been painted, you'll need to etch it with a 5-10% Muriatic acid and water solution to help the primer and the paint adhere to the concrete. Dilute the muriatic acid with water per the bottle's instructions. Use a stiff-bristled brush to scrub the Muriatic acid solution onto the porch. Let the acid sit on the concrete until it stops bubbling. Muriatic acid can cause severe burns and lung damage. Make sure you wear goggles, rubber gloves and boots, and read the safety instructions thoroughly before using this chemical. Thoroughly wash the acid solution off the concrete with a pressure washer. Once it has dried, vacuum up the remaining powder created by the acid so that the primer and paint will adhere correctly to the concrete. The finished etching should give the concrete the texture of #1 or #2 sandpaper.
Remove items from your front porch. Sweep away dust and debris. Hose down the surface. Sand and scrape your porch to remove any existing paint. Tape areas you want to keep clean. Mix a Muriatic acid solution if you're working on concrete that has never been painted. Wash the concrete and vacuum the acid powder.