GUARANTOR/NON-GUARANTOR FINANCIAL INFORMATION (Details 2) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2012	Mar. 26, 2011
Condensed consolidated financial information for the Company (Parent), the guarantor subsidiaries and the non-guarantor subsidiaries
Net sales	$ 717,350	$ 567,949
Cost of sales	531,036	431,456
Gross profit	186,314	136,493
Selling, general and administrative expenses	103,496	91,192
Operating income	82,818	45,301
Other income (expenses):
Interest expense	(7,807)	(8,271)
Interest income	2,078	1,787
Other	1,577	390
Total other income (expenses)	(4,152)	(6,094)
Earnings before income taxes and equity in earnings of nonconsolidated subsidiaries	78,666	39,207
Income tax expense:
Current	27,029	12,504
Deferred	737	784
Total income tax expense (benefit)	27,766	13,288
Earnings before equity in earnings/(losses) of nonconsolidated subsidiaries	50,900	25,919
Equity in earnings/(losses) of nonconsolidated subsidiaries	1,688	954
Net earnings	52,588	26,873
Other comprehensive income	31,533	23,482
Comprehensive income	84,121	50,355
Less: Comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(5,014)	(3,242)
Comprehensive income attributable to Valmont Industries, Inc.	79,107	47,113
Parent
Condensed consolidated financial information for the Company (Parent), the guarantor subsidiaries and the non-guarantor subsidiaries
Net sales	364,840	262,646
Cost of sales	267,512	198,303
Gross profit	97,328	64,343
Selling, general and administrative expenses	43,272	37,109
Operating income	54,056	27,234
Other income (expenses):
Interest expense	(7,682)	(8,189)
Interest income	9	5
Other	1,459	371
Total other income (expenses)	(6,214)	(7,813)
Earnings before income taxes and equity in earnings of nonconsolidated subsidiaries	47,842	19,421
Income tax expense:
Current	17,185	6,489
Deferred	194	60
Total income tax expense (benefit)	17,379	6,549
Earnings before equity in earnings/(losses) of nonconsolidated subsidiaries	30,463	12,872
Equity in earnings/(losses) of nonconsolidated subsidiaries	21,862	12,737
Net earnings	52,325	25,609
Other comprehensive income	26,782	21,504
Comprehensive income	79,107	47,113
Comprehensive income attributable to Valmont Industries, Inc.	79,107	47,113
Guarantors
Condensed consolidated financial information for the Company (Parent), the guarantor subsidiaries and the non-guarantor subsidiaries
Net sales	128,712	73,841
Cost of sales	103,642	58,306
Gross profit	25,070	15,535
Selling, general and administrative expenses	13,788	10,751
Operating income	11,282	4,784
Other income (expenses):
Interest expense	(12,257)
Interest income	194
Other	14	11
Total other income (expenses)	(12,049)	11
Earnings before income taxes and equity in earnings of nonconsolidated subsidiaries	(767)	4,795
Income tax expense:
Current	(901)	2,104
Deferred	1,170	(261)
Total income tax expense (benefit)	269	1,843
Earnings before equity in earnings/(losses) of nonconsolidated subsidiaries	(1,036)	2,952
Equity in earnings/(losses) of nonconsolidated subsidiaries	23,108	6,367
Net earnings	22,072	9,319
Other comprehensive income	(16,367)
Comprehensive income	5,705	9,319
Comprehensive income attributable to Valmont Industries, Inc.	5,705	9,319
Non-Guarantors
Condensed consolidated financial information for the Company (Parent), the guarantor subsidiaries and the non-guarantor subsidiaries
Net sales	293,942	270,069
Cost of sales	229,923	213,385
Gross profit	64,019	56,684
Selling, general and administrative expenses	46,436	43,332
Operating income	17,583	13,352
Other income (expenses):
Interest expense	(125)	(82)
Interest income	14,132	1,782
Other	104	8
Total other income (expenses)	14,111	1,708
Earnings before income taxes and equity in earnings of nonconsolidated subsidiaries	31,694	15,060
Income tax expense:
Current	10,745	3,911
Deferred	(627)	985
Total income tax expense (benefit)	10,118	4,896
Earnings before equity in earnings/(losses) of nonconsolidated subsidiaries	21,576	10,164
Equity in earnings/(losses) of nonconsolidated subsidiaries	1,656	886
Net earnings	23,232	11,050
Other comprehensive income	47,800	23,482
Comprehensive income	71,032	34,532
Less: Comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(5,014)	(3,242)
Comprehensive income attributable to Valmont Industries, Inc.	66,018	31,290
Eliminations
Condensed consolidated financial information for the Company (Parent), the guarantor subsidiaries and the non-guarantor subsidiaries
Net sales	(70,144)	(38,607)
Cost of sales	(70,041)	(38,538)
Gross profit	(103)	(69)
Operating income	(103)	(69)
Other income (expenses):
Interest expense	12,257
Interest income	(12,257)
Earnings before income taxes and equity in earnings of nonconsolidated subsidiaries	(103)	(69)
Income tax expense:
Earnings before equity in earnings/(losses) of nonconsolidated subsidiaries	(103)	(69)
Equity in earnings/(losses) of nonconsolidated subsidiaries	(44,938)	(19,036)
Net earnings	(45,041)	(19,105)
Other comprehensive income	(26,682)	(21,504)
Comprehensive income	(71,723)	(40,609)
Comprehensive income attributable to Valmont Industries, Inc.	$ (71,723)	$ (40,609)