CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	Common stock	Capital in excess of par value	Retained earnings (accumulated deficit)	Treasury stock	Total
Balances at Sep. 30, 2013	$ 73	$ 720,828	$ (635,972)	$ (519)	$ 84,410
Balances (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2013	73,149
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity
Issuance of common stock pursuant to employee stock purchase plan	$ 1	758			759
Issuance of common stock pursuant to employee stock purchase plan (in shares)	78
Issuance of restricted stock, net of cancellations	$ 0				0
Issuance of restricted stock, net of cancellations (in shares)	150
Exercise of stock appreciation rights and restricted stock units	$ 0				0
Exercise of stock appreciation rights and restricted stock units (in shares)	133
Stock-based compensation		2,165			2,165
Net (4), 22, and 22 share increase (decrease) in treasury stock held for deferred compensation plan obligations, at cost for the years ended 2014, 2015, and 2016 respectively		73		(73)	0
Adjustment of estimated redemption value of non-controlling interest in consolidated subsidiary		(176)			(176)
Net income attributable to Headwaters Incorporated			15,284		15,284
Balances at Sep. 30, 2014	$ 74	723,648	(620,688)	(592)	102,442
Balances (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2014	73,510
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity
Issuance of common stock pursuant to employee stock purchase plan	$ 0	804			804
Issuance of common stock pursuant to employee stock purchase plan (in shares)	58
Issuance of restricted stock, net of cancellations	$ 0				0
Issuance of restricted stock, net of cancellations (in shares)	112
Exercise of stock appreciation rights and restricted stock units	$ 0				0
Exercise of stock appreciation rights and restricted stock units (in shares)	216
Tax benefit from exercise of stock appreciation rights and vesting of restricted stock		980			980
Stock-based compensation		2,826			2,826
Net (4), 22, and 22 share increase (decrease) in treasury stock held for deferred compensation plan obligations, at cost for the years ended 2014, 2015, and 2016 respectively		409		(409)	0
Net income attributable to Headwaters Incorporated			130,799		130,799
Balances at Sep. 30, 2015	$ 74	728,667	(489,889)	(1,001)	$ 237,851
Balances (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2015	73,896				73,896
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity
Issuance of common stock pursuant to employee stock purchase plan	$ 0	873			$ 873
Issuance of common stock pursuant to employee stock purchase plan (in shares)	55
Issuance of restricted stock, net of cancellations	$ 0				0
Issuance of restricted stock, net of cancellations (in shares)	90
Exercise of stock appreciation rights	$ 0				0
Exercise of stock appreciation rights (in shares)	112
Tax benefit from exercise of stock appreciation rights and vesting of restricted stock		(14)			(14)
Stock-based compensation		3,181			3,181
Net (4), 22, and 22 share increase (decrease) in treasury stock held for deferred compensation plan obligations, at cost for the years ended 2014, 2015, and 2016 respectively		410		(410)	0
Net income attributable to Headwaters Incorporated			48,096		48,096
Balances at Sep. 30, 2016	$ 74	$ 733,117	$ (441,793)	$ (1,411)	$ 289,987
Balances (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2016	74,153				74,153