How to Install Crown Roof Shingles

Lay a shingle flat on a work surface. Place the square on the shingle with one leg aligned with the bottom edge of the shingle, and the other leg aligned with the edge of a tab, or notch in the shingle. Cut the shingle with the utility knife. Align the square with the other side of the notch and make a second cut to remove the waste material. Each full shingle produces three crown shingles.

Lay a crown shingle on the roof peak at the roof end that faces away from the prevailing wind with the exposed half aligned with the roof edge. Center the shingle over the peak and nail in place with four nails in the tail (the part that is normally covered by another shingle). Place the nails 1 inch from the shingle sides, two along the tail's back edge and two 5 1/2 inches from the leading edge of the exposure half.

Lay another shingle on top of the first with the exposure edge 5 inches from exposed edge of the shingle underneath it. Nail the shingle in place with four nails as shown in the previous step. Continue adding crown shingles until the opposite end of the roof is reached.

Trim the tail of the last crown shingle off flush with the shingles on the roof deck. Lay a bead of roofing caulk on the tail, about 1 inch from the three edges at the roof edge, and the two sides below the peak.

Lay the last shingle on the tail of the previous shingle. Nail it in place with four nails, but you are nailing through the exposure half, not the tail half. Apply roofing caulk on top of the four nails to seal the holes.