Flooring is the material that covers the bottom surface of a room where people walk. When you look down in your house, school, or a store, you're looking at the flooring: it might be wood, tile, carpet, vinyl, or another material chosen for that space.

Different types of flooring serve different purposes. Gyms often have rubber or wood flooring that cushions falls and allows athletes to pivot without slipping. Bathrooms typically use tile flooring because it resists water damage. Libraries and offices might have carpet to muffle the sound of footsteps, while kitchens often have vinyl or tile that's easy to clean when someone spills juice or drops food.

The word can also mean the act of installing a floor. A construction crew might spend days flooring a new building, measuring and fitting each board or tile precisely so the surface is level and durable.

People sometimes use “flooring it” as slang for pressing a car's gas pedal all the way down to accelerate as quickly as possible, though this has nothing to do with the material you walk on.