Our front porch is concrete and it’s shedding its skin, what to do?

Before you can do anything else, you are going to have to get up that bad finish they put down...maybe rent an electric scraper they use on tile?

Then check to see if the porch has a slant to it. If the slant is away from the front wall, no problem. If it is toward the wall, you may want to investigate various options before you do anything to make sure your foundation is not being compromised!

My first idea would be to remove remaining paint and acid stain concrete.

Saw this on The Family Handyman just this morning. If not the solution to your issue, it may get you started in the right direction.

Epoxy Over Paint

You can apply epoxy over a garage floor or over another coat of epoxy without removing it, but you have to prep the surface. Start by renting a floor buffer with a 60-grit sanding screen. Get extra screens and return the unused ones for credit. Run the buffer over the floor to remove loose paint and scuff the surface to create a texture for the epoxy to stick to. Sweep the floor clean. Then, just as important, clean the floor with a cleaner/degreaser, available at home centers. The cleaner/degreaser will break the molecular bond of the grease so it'll come off the floor. Epoxy won't stick to oil- or grease-contaminated floors. Let the floor dry for a full day, then apply the coat of epoxy. If your garage needs a new floor, here's a collection of options.

Get the water running the right way FIRST.

Since most of us are not concrete experts, but know existing slabs are tricky to work with, I would suggest you do a great deal of thinking and investigating before you move forward.

One thing I almost mentioned before that is explained in one of the suggestions in the attached link, is that you need to grind down into the aggregate to get things to bond with existing concrete. If you have driven through highway construction, you have seen how they "score" the existing concrete before they put asphalt over it. This is done to provide bonding of the surfaces.

Also, in one of the posts on this link mentions be cautious of side affects of putting concrete onto existing finishes on your porch such as siding. Since your photo shows brick, you should have no trouble.

Once you get the current "topping" off, consult with a concrete company about how to proceed to make sure whatever you do "bonds" with the existing porch.

AND keep in mind that not all tile or other products are for outside uses. I know because I picked out some tile and wanted it laid on a concrete porch. My tile man used a meter that measures moisture and my porch held too much moisture for the moisture rating on the tile I wanted.

And I would be cautious about hiring just anyone to fix this!!

If you have a good slope away from the house and water sitting on the porch is only the results of rain blowing in, your biggest concern is picking the right materials and proper preparation.

Here is a link with a lot of good advice...

https://www.google.com/search?q=how+do+you+fix+a+concrete+porch+with+a+slant+toward+the+house&rlz=1C1GGRV_enUS751US751&oq=how+do+you+fix+a+concrete+porch+with+a+slant+toward+the+house+++++&aqs=chrome..69i57j35i39.17070j1j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

You will need to remove the concrete that is coming off. Then you can resurface it with a polymer resufacing cement compound making sure it's pitched away from the house. Then you can pain, tile, or stain.

https://www.quikrete.com/athome/video-resurfacing-concrete-slabs.asp

https://www.sakrete.com/projects/resurface-old-worn-or-damaged-concrete

muriatic acid works well on concrete and on many masonry projects because it neutralizes alkalinity. The surface becomes “etched” and clean, which allows for the proper adhesion of a new coating.