Yeah, well, my friend's dumber than your friend.

My friend had the exterior wood trim on his house stripped with a certain
well-known caustic based material, and the new paint have been efflorescing
and fesetring off ever since.....and he paid a huge extra to the contractor
to use this stuff! Keep in mind that this was after having recommended the
contractor to a friend, who was dissatisfied with the contractor for having
painted her landscaping, leaving paint can lids laying around for her cat to
step in, etc.

Can you bottom (as opposed to top) this?

Ralph (not Ralph's friend)