Guarantor/Non-Guarantor Financial Information (Details 2) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 25, 2010	Dec. 26, 2009
Condensed consolidated financial information for the Company (Parent), the guarantor subsidiaries and the non-guarantor subsidiaries
Net sales	$ 2,661,480	$ 1,975,505	$ 1,786,601
Cost of sales	1,994,670	1,455,931	1,254,587
Gross profit	666,810	519,574	532,014
Selling, general and administrative expenses	403,500	341,161	294,020
Operating income	263,310	178,413	237,994
Other income (expenses):
Interest expense	(36,175)	(30,947)	(15,760)
Interest income	9,265	4,840	1,510
Other	(2,643)	676	2,340
Total other income (expenses)	(29,553)	(25,431)	(11,910)
Earnings before income taxes and equity in earnings of nonconsolidated subsidiaries	233,757	152,982	226,084
Income tax expense (benefit):
Current	89,552	49,991	65,519
Deferred	(84,962)	5,017	7,375
Total Income tax expense (benefit)	4,590	55,008	72,894
Earnings before equity in earnings/(losses) of nonconsolidated subsidiaries	229,167	97,974	153,190
Equity in earnings/(losses) of nonconsolidated subsidiaries	8,059	2,439	751
Net earnings	237,226	100,413	153,941
Less: Earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	(8,918)	(6,034)	(3,379)
Net earnings attributable to Valmont Industries, Inc.	228,308	94,379	150,562
Parent
Condensed consolidated financial information for the Company (Parent), the guarantor subsidiaries and the non-guarantor subsidiaries
Net sales	1,164,400	847,396	920,501
Cost of sales	863,269	622,018	659,714
Gross profit	301,131	225,378	260,787
Selling, general and administrative expenses	166,964	147,054	152,862
Operating income	134,167	78,324	107,925
Other income (expenses):
Interest expense	(35,456)	(30,282)	(14,508)
Interest income	59	127	75
Other	(311)	995	3,148
Total other income (expenses)	(35,708)	(29,160)	(11,285)
Earnings before income taxes and equity in earnings of nonconsolidated subsidiaries	98,459	49,164	96,640
Income tax expense (benefit):
Current	48,243	19,525	26,067
Deferred	(4,787)	722	8,338
Total Income tax expense (benefit)	43,456	20,247	34,405
Earnings before equity in earnings/(losses) of nonconsolidated subsidiaries	55,003	28,917	62,235
Equity in earnings/(losses) of nonconsolidated subsidiaries	173,305	65,462	88,327
Net earnings	228,308	94,379	150,562
Net earnings attributable to Valmont Industries, Inc.	228,308	94,379	150,562
Guarantors
Condensed consolidated financial information for the Company (Parent), the guarantor subsidiaries and the non-guarantor subsidiaries
Net sales	401,443	304,309	441,794
Cost of sales	323,812	231,696	323,049
Gross profit	77,631	72,613	118,745
Selling, general and administrative expenses	50,783	47,688	53,198
Operating income	26,848	24,925	65,547
Other income (expenses):
Interest expense		(1)	(14)
Interest income	331	31	1
Other	59	(48)	173
Total other income (expenses)	390	(18)	160
Earnings before income taxes and equity in earnings of nonconsolidated subsidiaries	27,238	24,907	65,707
Income tax expense (benefit):
Current	10,571	5,039	23,426
Deferred	(964)	4,984	1,657
Total Income tax expense (benefit)	9,607	10,023	25,083
Earnings before equity in earnings/(losses) of nonconsolidated subsidiaries	17,631	14,884	40,624
Equity in earnings/(losses) of nonconsolidated subsidiaries	125,269	25,264
Net earnings	142,900	40,148	40,624
Net earnings attributable to Valmont Industries, Inc.	142,900	40,148	40,624
Non-Guarantors
Condensed consolidated financial information for the Company (Parent), the guarantor subsidiaries and the non-guarantor subsidiaries
Net sales	1,305,424	956,023	570,244
Cost of sales	1,016,305	735,195	419,872
Gross profit	289,119	220,828	150,372
Selling, general and administrative expenses	185,753	146,419	87,960
Operating income	103,366	74,409	62,412
Other income (expenses):
Interest expense	(719)	(664)	(1,238)
Interest income	8,875	4,682	1,434
Other	(2,391)	(271)	(981)
Total other income (expenses)	5,765	3,747	(785)
Earnings before income taxes and equity in earnings of nonconsolidated subsidiaries	109,131	78,156	61,627
Income tax expense (benefit):
Current	30,738	25,427	16,026
Deferred	(79,211)	(689)	(2,620)
Total Income tax expense (benefit)	(48,473)	24,738	13,406
Earnings before equity in earnings/(losses) of nonconsolidated subsidiaries	157,604	53,418	48,221
Equity in earnings/(losses) of nonconsolidated subsidiaries	6,818	1,525	95
Net earnings	164,422	54,943	48,316
Less: Earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	(8,918)	(6,034)	(3,379)
Net earnings attributable to Valmont Industries, Inc.	155,504	48,909	44,937
Eliminations
Condensed consolidated financial information for the Company (Parent), the guarantor subsidiaries and the non-guarantor subsidiaries
Net sales	(209,787)	(132,223)	(145,938)
Cost of sales	(208,716)	(132,978)	(148,048)
Gross profit	(1,071)	755	2,110
Operating income	(1,071)	755	2,110
Other income (expenses):
Earnings before income taxes and equity in earnings of nonconsolidated subsidiaries	(1,071)	755	2,110
Income tax expense (benefit):
Earnings before equity in earnings/(losses) of nonconsolidated subsidiaries	(1,071)	755	2,110
Equity in earnings/(losses) of nonconsolidated subsidiaries	(297,333)	(89,812)	(87,671)
Net earnings	(298,404)	(89,057)	(85,561)
Net earnings attributable to Valmont Industries, Inc.	$ (298,404)	$ (89,057)	$ (85,561)