GUARANTOR/NON-GUARANTOR FINANCIAL INFORMATION (Details 2) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2012	Jun. 25, 2011	Jun. 30, 2012	Jun. 25, 2011
Condensed consolidated financial information for the Company (Parent), the guarantor subsidiaries and the non-guarantor subsidiaries
Net sales	$ 767,315	$ 668,609	$ 1,484,665	$ 1,236,558
Cost of sales	567,920	500,627	1,098,956	932,083
Gross profit	199,395	167,982	385,709	304,475
Selling, general and administrative expenses	102,043	99,363	205,539	190,555
Operating income	97,352	68,619	180,170	113,920
Other income (expenses):
Interest expense	(7,421)	(10,783)	(15,228)	(19,044)
Interest income	1,910	2,001	3,988	3,778
Other	(1,977)	504	(400)	894
Total other income (expenses)	(7,488)	(8,278)	(11,640)	(14,372)
Earnings before income taxes and equity in earnings of nonconsolidated subsidiaries	89,864	60,341	168,530	99,548
Income tax expense (benefit):
Current	35,985	24,533	63,014	37,037
Deferred	(5,193)	(10,982)	(4,456)	(10,198)
Total income tax expense (benefit)	30,792	13,551	58,558	26,839
Earnings (loss) before equity in earnings of nonconsolidated subsidiaries	59,072	46,790	109,972	72,709
Equity in earnings/(losses) of nonconsolidated subsidiaries	2,087	1,201	3,775	2,155
Net earnings	61,159	47,991	113,747	74,864
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(31,959)	6,992	(426)	30,474
Comprehensive income	29,200	54,983	113,321	105,338
Less: Comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interests	2,533	(3,046)	(2,481)	(6,288)
Comprehensive income attributable to Valmont Industries, Inc.	31,733	51,937	110,840	99,050
Parent
Condensed consolidated financial information for the Company (Parent), the guarantor subsidiaries and the non-guarantor subsidiaries
Net sales	347,643	302,497	712,483	565,143
Cost of sales	249,557	223,712	517,069	422,015
Gross profit	98,086	78,785	195,414	143,128
Selling, general and administrative expenses	43,762	41,144	87,034	78,253
Operating income	54,324	37,641	108,380	64,875
Other income (expenses):
Interest expense	(7,573)	(10,676)	(15,255)	(18,855)
Interest income	5	39	14	34
Other	(454)	(179)	1,005	192
Total other income (expenses)	(8,022)	(10,816)	(14,236)	(18,629)
Earnings before income taxes and equity in earnings of nonconsolidated subsidiaries	46,302	26,825	94,144	46,246
Income tax expense (benefit):
Current	19,363	12,863	36,548	19,352
Deferred	(2,963)	(3,970)	(2,769)	(3,910)
Total income tax expense (benefit)	16,400	8,893	33,779	15,442
Earnings (loss) before equity in earnings of nonconsolidated subsidiaries	29,902	17,932	60,365	30,804
Equity in earnings/(losses) of nonconsolidated subsidiaries	30,078	27,895	51,940	40,632
Net earnings	59,980	45,827	112,305	71,436
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(28,247)	6,110	(1,465)	27,614
Comprehensive income	31,733	51,937	110,840	99,050
Comprehensive income attributable to Valmont Industries, Inc.	31,733	51,937	110,840	99,050
Guarantors
Condensed consolidated financial information for the Company (Parent), the guarantor subsidiaries and the non-guarantor subsidiaries
Net sales	152,159	87,273	280,871	161,114
Cost of sales	121,658	68,513	225,300	126,819
Gross profit	30,501	18,760	55,571	34,295
Selling, general and administrative expenses	13,177	11,510	26,965	22,261
Operating income	17,324	7,250	28,606	12,034
Other income (expenses):
Interest expense	(12,244)		(24,501)
Interest income	129		323
Other	11	19	25	30
Total other income (expenses)	(12,104)	19	(24,153)	30
Earnings before income taxes and equity in earnings of nonconsolidated subsidiaries	5,220	7,269	4,453	12,064
Income tax expense (benefit):
Current	6,197	3,172	5,296	5,276
Deferred	(1,031)	(707)	139	(968)
Total income tax expense (benefit)	5,166	2,465	5,435	4,308
Earnings (loss) before equity in earnings of nonconsolidated subsidiaries	54	4,804	(982)	7,756
Equity in earnings/(losses) of nonconsolidated subsidiaries	23,253	13,970	46,361	20,337
Net earnings	23,307	18,774	45,379	28,093
Other comprehensive income (loss)	14,123		(2,244)
Comprehensive income	37,430	18,774	43,135	28,093
Comprehensive income attributable to Valmont Industries, Inc.	37,430	18,774	43,135	28,093
Non-Guarantors
Condensed consolidated financial information for the Company (Parent), the guarantor subsidiaries and the non-guarantor subsidiaries
Net sales	333,171	324,846	627,113	594,915
Cost of sales	261,374	254,565	491,297	467,950
Gross profit	71,797	70,281	135,816	126,965
Selling, general and administrative expenses	45,104	46,709	91,540	90,041
Operating income	26,693	23,572	44,276	36,924
Other income (expenses):
Interest expense	152	(107)	27	(189)
Interest income	14,020	1,962	28,152	3,744
Other	(1,534)	664	(1,430)	672
Total other income (expenses)	12,638	2,519	26,749	4,227
Earnings before income taxes and equity in earnings of nonconsolidated subsidiaries	39,331	26,091	71,025	41,151
Income tax expense (benefit):
Current	10,425	8,498	21,170	12,409
Deferred	(1,199)	(6,305)	(1,826)	(5,320)
Total income tax expense (benefit)	9,226	2,193	19,344	7,089
Earnings (loss) before equity in earnings of nonconsolidated subsidiaries	30,105	23,898	51,681	34,062
Equity in earnings/(losses) of nonconsolidated subsidiaries	2,276	1,234	3,932	2,120
Net earnings	32,381	25,132	55,613	36,182
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(39,671)	10,274	8,129	33,756
Comprehensive income	(7,290)	35,406	63,742	69,938
Less: Comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interests	2,533	(3,046)	(2,481)	(6,288)
Comprehensive income attributable to Valmont Industries, Inc.	(4,757)	32,360	61,261	63,650
Eliminations
Condensed consolidated financial information for the Company (Parent), the guarantor subsidiaries and the non-guarantor subsidiaries
Net sales	(65,658)	(46,007)	(135,802)	(84,614)
Cost of sales	(64,669)	(46,163)	(134,710)	(84,701)
Gross profit	(989)	156	(1,092)	87
Operating income	(989)	156	(1,092)	87
Other income (expenses):
Interest expense	12,244		24,501
Interest income	(12,244)		(24,501)
Earnings before income taxes and equity in earnings of nonconsolidated subsidiaries	(989)	156	(1,092)	87
Income tax expense (benefit):
Earnings (loss) before equity in earnings of nonconsolidated subsidiaries	(989)	156	(1,092)	87
Equity in earnings/(losses) of nonconsolidated subsidiaries	(53,520)	(41,898)	(98,458)	(60,934)
Net earnings	(54,509)	(41,742)	(99,550)	(60,847)
Other comprehensive income (loss)	21,836	(9,392)	(4,846)	(30,896)
Comprehensive income	(32,673)	(51,134)	(104,396)	(91,743)
Comprehensive income attributable to Valmont Industries, Inc.	$ (32,673)	$ (51,134)	$ (104,396)	$ (91,743)