A web page rendering mechanism for generating a web page based on a rendering priority of three or more tiers of rendering instructions. A control object associated with a web page definition representing a second or middle tier of rendering instructions is generated. Next, a rendering priority mechanism is applied. The rendering priority mechanism causes properties associated with the control object found in the first or higher tier of rendering instructions to always be applied to the control object. Properties associated with the control object in the second tier of rendering instructions are applied to the control object if they do not conflict with the properties in the first tier. In like manner, properties associated with the control object in third or lower tier of rendering instructions are applied to the control object if they do not conflict with the properties in the first and second tiers of rendering instructions.