Floor covering consisting of hard panels, whereby these panels are provided with coupling means on at least two opposite edges made in one piece with the panels, as a result of which several of such panels can be mutually coupled to one another, whereby these coupling means provide for an interlocking in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the floor covering, as well as in a direction perpendicular to the edges concerned, and parallel to the plane of the floor covering, whereby: - the above-mentioned coupling means comprise a tongue and a groove, whereby this groove is bordered on the bottom side, the top side respectively, by a lip, hereafter called the lower lip and the upper lip respectively, whereby the distal end of the upper lip defines a vertical plane, hereafter called plane V1; - the lower lip is longer than the upper lip; - there is an interlocking part on the part of the lower lip which extends past the free end of the upper lip, with a contact surface which, when coupled, works in conjunction with a contact surface which is provided on the other panel, whereby these contact surfaces form a contact zone when coupled, whose center defines a vertical plane, hereafter called plane V2; - before the above-mentioned interlocking part, in the direction of the groove, is formed a space in the lower lip which is open on the top side; - in the coupled situation, there is a contact zone in the cross section in which the top side of the tongue makes contact with the bottom side of the upper lip, whereby the point of this contact zone which is situated most inwardly defines a first vertical plane, hereafter called plane V3, the most outwardly situated point of this contact zone defines a second vertical plane, hereafter called plane V4, and both planes V3 and V4 define a vertical plane situated right in between, hereafter called plane V5; - the top side of the interlocking part defines a horizontal level, hereafter called level N1; - the bottom side of the part upon which the tongue is provided and which extends from the tip of the tongue to the interlocking zone, defines a horizontal level, hereafter called level N2; - the levels N1 and N2 define a horizontal level situated right in between, hereafter called level N3; - the average height of the contact zone between the top side of the tongue and the bottom side of the upper lip define a horizontal level, hereafter called level N4; - the panels, and basically also the above-mentioned lips, are made of fiberboard of the type MDF or HDF; - the coupling means are made such that the panels can be assembled by pushing them towards one another; characterized in that the distance between the planes V1 and V2 is at least half of the distance between the levels N3 and N4; and in that the above-mentioned space extends to beneath the upper lip 10, such that this space is in conformity with at least one of the following two characteristics: a) that the part of this space which is situated under the level N3 extends inwardly to at least past the plane V1; b) that the part of this space which is situated under the level N1 extends inwardly to at least past the plane V5. - the above-mentioned coupling means comprise a tongue and a groove, whereby this groove is bordered on the bottom side, the top side respectively, by a lip, hereafter called the lower lip and the upper lip respectively, whereby the distal end of the upper lip defines a vertical plane, hereafter called plane V1; - the lower lip is longer than the upper lip; - there is an interlocking part on the part of the lower lip which extends past the free end of the upper lip, with a contact surface which, when coupled, works in conjunction with a contact surface which is provided on the other panel, whereby these contact surfaces form a contact zone when coupled, whose center defines a vertical plane, hereafter called plane V2; - before the above-mentioned interlocking part, in the direction of the groove, is formed a space in the lower lip which is open on the top side; - in the coupled situation, there is a contact zone in the cross section in which the top side of the tongue makes contact with the bottom side of the upper lip, whereby the point of this contact zone which is situated most inwardly defines a first vertical plane, hereafter called plane V3, the most outwardly situated point of this contact zone defines a second vertical plane, hereafter called plane V4, and both planes V3 and V4 define a vertical plane situated right in between, hereafter called plane V5; - the top side of the interlocking part defines a horizontal level, hereafter called level N1; - the bottom side of the part upon which the tongue is provided and which extends from the tip of the tongue to the interlocking zone, defines a horizontal level, hereafter called level N2; - the levels N1 and N2 define a horizontal level situated right in between, hereafter called level N3; - the average height of the contact zone between the top side of the tongue and the bottom side of the upper lip define a horizontal level, hereafter called level N4; - the panels, and basically also the above-mentioned lips, are made of fiberboard of the type MDF or HDF; - the coupling means are made such that the panels can be assembled by pushing them towards one another; a) that the part of this space which is situated under the level N3 extends inwardly to at least past the plane V1; b) that the part of this space which is situated under the level N1 extends inwardly to at least past the plane V5.