Lippings are used to cover up an unattractive substrate which could be of MDF, ply or solid wood of a different type so that the joints between the core and veneer are not visible. You can create your own lipping, but commercially produced grade comes with a wide variety of choices and are ready to use. Lipping strips are available in various widths and are edged with black or boxwood strings. They are often made from a side-grain section of colored woods which are glued together and sliced to 1mm thickness.