I am currently in process of doing something similar to what your asking. TimberTech Radiance Rail with IPE as a top rail. I'm trying to determine what would be the best way to connect the IPE to the rest of the railing, the only contact the top rail makes is the posts. I'm thinking of just screwing down the top rail into the 4x4 PT posts and plugging. What were you thinking of doing? P.S. I'm using a 5 3/8 IPE railcap and found that when you set the railcap over the radiance rail post slips, it doesn't completely cover them - you have approx 1/16-1/8 of the post slip edge showing (on either side). The overall width of rail cap is actually wider then the post slip, but the profile of the rail cap cuts in making the bottom side a little just a little too narrow to completely cover the rail. I can take a picture and show you if you don't already have the prdocut to test with.

Wondering what you decided for the railings? We are in the same spot. Just finished TREX for the floor/decking but plan to use pressure treated for railings and keep posts pressuretreated. We tried the BEHR solid stain that is marketed to match the TREX colors. Hate it! The stain looks like dirty brown paint. Now looking into semi-transparent stains to let some of the wood grain show through but do not want to compromise on the protection factors. Read about Ben Moore and their Abercoat clear finish (?) maybe apply that over a watered down BEHR for the color? Very confused and disappointed right now.

Have him replace it, it is just going to get worse. Prime the new board with oil based primer on all sides before install then put your finish coat on after it is on.

A curio cabinet wall with three equal sections, each with a solid glass front facing the downstairs and solid wood cabinet doors on the back to access the place where you can store and display family treasures -- lockable if the family treasures are valuable. -- A curio cabinet there would be easily accessible so that what is displayed can be changed with the seasons or your mood and enclosed so you don't have to dust each piece. You could even add drawers (top and/or bottom) for things that fit in them that you keep but don't want to display. (Maybe that small foreign coin collection from your travels or the state quarters or the inherited jewelry that you never wear but that you keep for the memories.