Guarantor/Non-Guarantor Financial Information (Details 2) (USD $) In Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 24, 2011	Sep. 25, 2010	Sep. 24, 2011	Sep. 25, 2010
Condensed consolidated financial information for the company (Parent), the guarantor subsidiaries and the non-guarantor subsidiaries
Net sales	$ 672,192	$ 527,831	$ 1,908,750	$ 1,376,792
Cost of sales	504,802	395,310	1,436,885	1,014,895
Gross profit	167,390	132,521	471,865	361,897
Selling, general and administrative expenses	95,357	85,378	285,912	245,803
Operating income	72,033	47,143	185,953	116,094
Other income (expenses):
Interest expense	(7,671)	(8,487)	(26,715)	(22,878)
Interest income	3,141	1,733	6,919	3,181
Other	(1,670)	58	(776)	28
Total other income (expenses)	(6,200)	(6,696)	(20,572)	(19,669)
Earnings before income taxes and equity in earnings of nonconsolidated subsidiaries	65,833	40,447	165,381	96,425
Income tax expense (benefit):
Current	25,119	15,694	62,156	39,652
Deferred	(1,346)	(1,914)	(11,544)	(4,744)
Total income tax expense (benefit)	23,773	13,780	50,612	34,908
Earnings before equity in earnings/(losses) of nonconsolidated subsidiaries	42,060	26,667	114,769	61,517
Equity in earnings/(losses) of nonconsolidated subsidiaries	2,354	1,068	4,509	1,987
Net earnings	44,414	27,735	119,278	63,504
Less: Earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	(2,273)	(1,800)	(5,701)	(3,991)
Net earnings attributable to Valmont Industries, Inc.	42,141	25,935	113,577	59,513
Parent
Condensed consolidated financial information for the company (Parent), the guarantor subsidiaries and the non-guarantor subsidiaries
Net sales	277,350	200,302	842,493	616,823
Cost of sales	205,787	147,511	627,802	456,108
Gross profit	71,563	52,791	214,691	160,715
Selling, general and administrative expenses	37,169	31,801	115,422	113,581
Operating income	34,394	20,990	99,269	47,134
Other income (expenses):
Interest expense	(7,562)	(8,515)	(26,417)	(22,198)
Interest income	9	4	43	116
Other	(1,297)	254	(1,105)	476
Total other income (expenses)	(8,850)	(8,257)	(27,479)	(21,606)
Earnings before income taxes and equity in earnings of nonconsolidated subsidiaries	25,544	12,733	71,790	25,528
Income tax expense (benefit):
Current	12,153	4,594	31,505	15,637
Deferred	(1,397)	(183)	(5,307)	(3,101)
Total income tax expense (benefit)	10,756	4,411	26,198	12,536
Earnings before equity in earnings/(losses) of nonconsolidated subsidiaries	14,788	8,322	45,592	12,992
Equity in earnings/(losses) of nonconsolidated subsidiaries	27,353	17,613	67,985	46,521
Net earnings	42,141	25,935	113,577	59,513
Net earnings attributable to Valmont Industries, Inc.	42,141	25,935	113,577	59,513
Guarantors
Condensed consolidated financial information for the company (Parent), the guarantor subsidiaries and the non-guarantor subsidiaries
Net sales	98,619	84,440	259,733	217,203
Cost of sales	83,008	64,990	209,827	165,722
Gross profit	15,611	19,450	49,906	51,481
Selling, general and administrative expenses	11,212	11,126	33,473	33,765
Operating income	4,399	8,324	16,433	17,716
Other income (expenses):
Interest expense		187
Interest income	204	4	204	31
Other	12	428	42	(72)
Total other income (expenses)	216	619	246	(41)
Earnings before income taxes and equity in earnings of nonconsolidated subsidiaries	4,615	8,943	16,679	17,675
Income tax expense (benefit):
Current	(724)	3,081	4,552	6,441
Deferred	2,710	(91)	1,742	(376)
Total income tax expense (benefit)	1,986	2,990	6,294	6,065
Earnings before equity in earnings/(losses) of nonconsolidated subsidiaries	2,629	5,953	10,385	11,610
Equity in earnings/(losses) of nonconsolidated subsidiaries	14,705	5,751	35,042	10,077
Net earnings	17,334	11,704	45,427	21,687
Net earnings attributable to Valmont Industries, Inc.	17,334	11,704	45,427	21,687
Non-Guarantors
Condensed consolidated financial information for the company (Parent), the guarantor subsidiaries and the non-guarantor subsidiaries
Net sales	352,928	280,704	947,843	640,764
Cost of sales	272,671	220,474	740,621	491,763
Gross profit	80,257	60,230	207,222	149,001
Selling, general and administrative expenses	46,976	42,451	137,017	98,457
Operating income	33,281	17,779	70,205	50,544
Other income (expenses):
Interest expense	(109)	(159)	(298)	(680)
Interest income	2,928	1,725	6,672	3,034
Other	(385)	(624)	287	(376)
Total other income (expenses)	2,434	942	6,661	1,978
Earnings before income taxes and equity in earnings of nonconsolidated subsidiaries	35,715	18,721	76,866	52,522
Income tax expense (benefit):
Current	13,690	8,019	26,099	17,574
Deferred	(2,659)	(1,640)	(7,979)	(1,267)
Total income tax expense (benefit)	11,031	6,379	18,120	16,307
Earnings before equity in earnings/(losses) of nonconsolidated subsidiaries	24,684	12,342	58,746	36,215
Equity in earnings/(losses) of nonconsolidated subsidiaries	2,127	1,021	4,247	1,383
Net earnings	26,811	13,363	62,993	37,598
Less: Earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	(2,273)	(1,800)	(5,701)	(3,991)
Net earnings attributable to Valmont Industries, Inc.	24,538	11,563	57,292	33,607
Eliminations
Condensed consolidated financial information for the company (Parent), the guarantor subsidiaries and the non-guarantor subsidiaries
Net sales	(56,705)	(37,615)	(141,319)	(97,998)
Cost of sales	(56,664)	(37,665)	(141,365)	(98,698)
Gross profit	(41)	50	46	700
Operating income	(41)	50	46	700
Other income (expenses):
Earnings before income taxes and equity in earnings of nonconsolidated subsidiaries	(41)	50	46	700
Income tax expense (benefit):
Earnings before equity in earnings/(losses) of nonconsolidated subsidiaries	(41)	50	46	700
Equity in earnings/(losses) of nonconsolidated subsidiaries	(41,831)	(23,317)	(102,765)	(55,994)
Net earnings	(41,872)	(23,267)	(102,719)	(55,294)
Net earnings attributable to Valmont Industries, Inc.	$ (41,872)	$ (23,267)	$ (102,719)	$ (55,294)