An improved method and apparatus for urging a flooring strip into close or tight engagement with the adjacent flooring strip, which has already been fixed into position, and holding the flooring strip securely in position for nailing or otherwise fixing the flooring strip. The invented device has a base plate with having holes therein for attachment to a floor (subfloor), a rack and pinion gear arrangement where the rack has an angle iron style pusher-puller ram pusher at the end of the rack, the end of the base plate having a removable shoe, and a rack housing situated on the base plate with an associated pinion gear engaging the rack and operated by a levering handle for urging the flooring strip into position for installation.