Guarantor/Non-Guarantor Financial Information (Details 2) (USD $) In Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 25, 2011	Jun. 26, 2010	Jun. 25, 2011	Jun. 26, 2010
Condensed consolidated financial information for the company (Parent), the guarantor subsidiaries and the non-guarantor subsidiaries
Net sales	$ 668,609	$ 481,559	$ 1,236,558	$ 848,961
Cost of sales	500,627	352,913	932,083	619,585
Gross profit	167,982	128,646	304,475	229,376
Selling, general and administrative expenses	99,363	91,345	190,555	160,425
Operating income	68,619	37,301	113,920	68,951
Other income (expenses):
Interest expense	(10,783)	(8,429)	(19,044)	(14,391)
Interest income	2,001	1,092	3,778	1,448
Other	504	47	894	(30)
Total other income (expenses)	(8,278)	(7,290)	(14,372)	(12,973)
Earnings before income taxes and equity in earnings of nonconsolidated subsidiaries	60,341	30,011	99,548	55,978
Income tax expense (benefit):
Current	24,533	17,252	37,037	23,958
Deferred	(10,982)	(5,570)	(10,198)	(2,830)
Total Income tax expense (benefit)	13,551	11,682	26,839	21,128
Earnings before equity in earnings/(losses) of nonconsolidated subsidiaries	46,790	18,329	72,709	34,850
Equity in earnings/(losses) of nonconsolidated subsidiaries	1,201	805	2,155	919
Net earnings	47,991	19,134	74,864	35,769
Less: Earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	(2,164)	(2,019)	(3,428)	(2,191)
Net earnings attributable to Valmont Industries, Inc.	45,827	17,115	71,436	33,578
Parent
Condensed consolidated financial information for the company (Parent), the guarantor subsidiaries and the non-guarantor subsidiaries
Net sales	302,497	217,433	565,143	416,521
Cost of sales	223,712	161,324	422,015	308,597
Gross profit	78,785	56,109	143,128	107,924
Selling, general and administrative expenses	41,144	46,088	78,253	81,780
Operating income	37,641	10,021	64,875	26,144
Other income (expenses):
Interest expense	(10,676)	(7,929)	(18,855)	(13,683)
Interest income	39	101	34	112
Other	(179)	64	192	222
Total other income (expenses)	(10,816)	(7,764)	(18,629)	(13,349)
Earnings before income taxes and equity in earnings of nonconsolidated subsidiaries	26,825	2,257	46,246	12,795
Income tax expense (benefit):
Current	12,863	8,240	19,352	11,043
Deferred	(3,970)	(4,503)	(3,910)	(2,918)
Total Income tax expense (benefit)	8,893	3,737	15,442	8,125
Earnings before equity in earnings/(losses) of nonconsolidated subsidiaries	17,932	(1,480)	30,804	4,670
Equity in earnings/(losses) of nonconsolidated subsidiaries	27,895	18,595	40,632	28,908
Net earnings	45,827	17,115	71,436	33,578
Net earnings attributable to Valmont Industries, Inc.	45,827	17,115	71,436	33,578
Guarantors
Condensed consolidated financial information for the company (Parent), the guarantor subsidiaries and the non-guarantor subsidiaries
Net sales	87,273	68,299	161,114	132,763
Cost of sales	68,513	51,803	126,819	100,732
Gross profit	18,760	16,496	34,295	32,031
Selling, general and administrative expenses	11,510	11,206	22,261	22,639
Operating income	7,250	5,290	12,034	9,392
Other income (expenses):
Interest expense		(187)		(187)
Interest income		27		27
Other	19	(525)	30	(500)
Total other income (expenses)	19	(685)	30	(660)
Earnings before income taxes and equity in earnings of nonconsolidated subsidiaries	7,269	4,605	12,064	8,732
Income tax expense (benefit):
Current	3,172	1,766	5,276	3,360
Deferred	(707)	(256)	(968)	(285)
Total Income tax expense (benefit)	2,465	1,510	4,308	3,075
Earnings before equity in earnings/(losses) of nonconsolidated subsidiaries	4,804	3,095	7,756	5,657
Equity in earnings/(losses) of nonconsolidated subsidiaries	13,970	4,326	20,337	4,326
Net earnings	18,774	7,421	28,093	9,983
Net earnings attributable to Valmont Industries, Inc.	18,774	7,421	28,093	9,983
Non-Guarantors
Condensed consolidated financial information for the company (Parent), the guarantor subsidiaries and the non-guarantor subsidiaries
Net sales	324,846	228,568	594,915	360,060
Cost of sales	254,565	172,746	467,950	271,289
Gross profit	70,281	55,822	126,965	88,771
Selling, general and administrative expenses	46,709	34,051	90,041	56,006
Operating income	23,572	21,771	36,924	32,765
Other income (expenses):
Interest expense	(107)	(313)	(189)	(521)
Interest income	1,962	964	3,744	1,309
Other	664	508	672	248
Total other income (expenses)	2,519	1,159	4,227	1,036
Earnings before income taxes and equity in earnings of nonconsolidated subsidiaries	26,091	22,930	41,151	33,801
Income tax expense (benefit):
Current	8,498	7,246	12,409	9,555
Deferred	(6,305)	(811)	(5,320)	373
Total Income tax expense (benefit)	2,193	6,435	7,089	9,928
Earnings before equity in earnings/(losses) of nonconsolidated subsidiaries	23,898	16,495	34,062	23,873
Equity in earnings/(losses) of nonconsolidated subsidiaries	1,234	362	2,120	362
Net earnings	25,132	16,857	36,182	24,235
Less: Earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	(2,164)	(2,019)	(3,428)	(2,191)
Net earnings attributable to Valmont Industries, Inc.	22,968	14,838	32,754	22,044
Eliminations
Condensed consolidated financial information for the company (Parent), the guarantor subsidiaries and the non-guarantor subsidiaries
Net sales	(46,007)	(32,741)	(84,614)	(60,383)
Cost of sales	(46,163)	(32,960)	(84,701)	(61,033)
Gross profit	156	219	87	650
Operating income	156	219	87	650
Other income (expenses):
Earnings before income taxes and equity in earnings of nonconsolidated subsidiaries	156	219	87	650
Income tax expense (benefit):
Earnings before equity in earnings/(losses) of nonconsolidated subsidiaries	156	219	87	650
Equity in earnings/(losses) of nonconsolidated subsidiaries	(41,898)	(22,478)	(60,934)	(32,677)
Net earnings	(41,742)	(22,259)	(60,847)	(32,027)
Net earnings attributable to Valmont Industries, Inc.	$ (41,742)	$ (22,259)	$ (60,847)	$ (32,027)