The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 9 letter word PARQUETRY
I've seen this crossword clue in Independent
P
A
R
Q
U
E
T
R
Y
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "floor covering" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case floor covering = parquetry.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does PARQUETRY mean?
PARQUETRY noun- The technique of applying wooden tiles or veneers to create a decorative geometrical pattern on floors, furniture etc.