Using concrete nails to nail boards into concrete slabs can be an inexpensive project when you do it manually. With just a hammer drill, masonry bit, concrete nails, and a hammer, you can accomplish roughly the same feat as you would by using a gun-style power nailer.

Concrete nailing is one of those projects that occasionally comes up when you are remodeling a home. One typical use is when you need to nail down a base plate into concrete for an interior wall. Nailing wood to concrete when refinishing your basement or for above-grade slabs are other common applications.   

If you expect to be doing a lot of concrete nailing, you may want to consider investing in a powder-actuated nailer. This tool works like a short rifle and which uses .22 caliber shells to drive special nails into concrete. But if you have only a few nails to drive, driving them with a hammer is much more cost-effective.