GUARANTOR/NON-GUARANTOR FINANCIAL INFORMATION (Details 5) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 28, 2013	Dec. 29, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 25, 2010
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 613,706	$ 414,129	$ 362,894	$ 346,904
Receivables, net	515,440	515,902
Inventories	380,000	412,384
Prepaid expenses	22,997	25,144
Refundable and deferred income taxes	65,697	58,381
Total current assets	1,597,840	1,425,940
Property, plant and equipment, at cost	1,017,126	994,774
Less accumulated depreciation and amortization	482,916	482,162
Net property, plant and equipment	534,210	512,612
Goodwill	349,632	330,791	314,662
Other intangible assets	170,917	172,270
Other assets	123,895	126,938
Total assets	2,776,494	2,568,551	2,306,076
Current liabilities:
Current installments of long-term debt	202	224
Notes payable to banks	19,024	13,375
Accounts payable	216,121	212,424
Accrued employee compensation and benefits	122,967	101,905
Accrued expenses	71,560	78,503
Dividends payable	6,706	6,002
Total current liabilities	436,580	412,433
Deferred income taxes	78,924	88,300
Long-term debt, excluding current installments	470,907	472,593
Defined benefit pension liability	154,397	112,043
Deferred compensation	39,109	31,920
Other noncurrent liabilities	51,731	44,252
Commitments and contingencies
Shareholders' equity:
Common stock of $1 par value	27,900	27,900
Retained earnings	1,562,670	1,300,529
Accumulated other comprehensive income	(47,685)	43,938
Treasury stock	(20,860)	(22,455)
Total Valmont Industries, Inc. shareholders' equity	1,522,025	1,349,912
Noncontrolling interest in consolidated subsidiaries	22,821	57,098
Total shareholders' equity	1,544,846	1,407,010	1,197,911	1,010,127
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	2,776,494	2,568,551
Parent
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	215,576	40,926	27,545	8,015
Receivables, net	139,179	144,161
Inventories	132,953	146,619
Prepaid expenses	4,735	7,153
Refundable and deferred income taxes	41,167	29,359
Total current assets	533,610	368,218
Property, plant and equipment, at cost	522,734	456,497
Less accumulated depreciation and amortization	300,066	288,226
Net property, plant and equipment	222,668	168,271
Goodwill	20,108	20,108
Other intangible assets	346	499
Investment in subsidiaries and intercompany accounts	1,417,425	1,456,159
Other assets	30,759	32,511
Total assets	2,224,916	2,045,766
Current liabilities:
Current installments of long-term debt	188	189
Accounts payable	62,153	72,610
Accrued employee compensation and benefits	76,370	61,572
Accrued expenses	28,362	30,641
Dividends payable	6,706	6,002
Total current liabilities	173,779	171,014
Deferred income taxes	18,983	23,305
Long-term debt, excluding current installments	470,175	471,828
Deferred compensation	32,339	25,200
Other noncurrent liabilities	7,615	4,507
Shareholders' equity:
Common stock of $1 par value	27,900	27,900
Retained earnings	1,562,670	1,300,529
Accumulated other comprehensive income	(47,685)	43,938
Treasury stock	(20,860)	(22,455)
Total Valmont Industries, Inc. shareholders' equity	1,522,025	1,349,912
Total shareholders' equity	1,522,025	1,349,912
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	2,224,916	2,045,766
Guarantors
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	49,053	83,203	18,257	619
Receivables, net	108,646	86,403
Inventories	70,231	71,988
Prepaid expenses	932	1,029
Refundable and deferred income taxes	8,351	6,904
Total current assets	237,213	249,527
Property, plant and equipment, at cost	125,764	122,937
Less accumulated depreciation and amortization	61,520	55,239
Net property, plant and equipment	64,244	67,698
Goodwill	107,542	107,542
Other intangible assets	48,461	53,517
Investment in subsidiaries and intercompany accounts	1,367,308	1,246,777
Total assets	1,824,768	1,725,061
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	20,365	22,006
Accrued employee compensation and benefits	13,713	10,530
Accrued expenses	7,315	4,674
Income taxes payable		31
Total current liabilities	41,393	37,241
Deferred income taxes	29,279	27,851
Long-term debt, excluding current installments	514,223	599,873
Shareholders' equity:
Common stock of $1 par value	457,950	457,950
Additional paid-in capital	150,286	150,286
Retained earnings	565,193	467,240
Accumulated other comprehensive income	66,444	(15,380)
Total Valmont Industries, Inc. shareholders' equity	1,239,873	1,060,096
Total shareholders' equity	1,239,873	1,060,096
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	1,824,768	1,725,061
Non-Guarantors
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	349,077	290,000	317,092	338,270
Receivables, net	267,615	285,338
Inventories	176,816	193,777
Prepaid expenses	17,330	16,962
Refundable and deferred income taxes	16,179	22,118
Total current assets	827,017	808,195
Property, plant and equipment, at cost	368,628	415,340
Less accumulated depreciation and amortization	121,330	138,697
Net property, plant and equipment	247,298	276,643
Goodwill	221,982	203,141
Other intangible assets	122,110	118,254
Investment in subsidiaries and intercompany accounts	518,059	615,152
Other assets	93,136	94,427
Total assets	2,029,602	2,115,812
Current liabilities:
Current installments of long-term debt	14	35
Notes payable to banks	19,024	13,375
Accounts payable	133,603	117,808
Accrued employee compensation and benefits	32,884	29,803
Accrued expenses	35,883	43,188
Income taxes payable		669
Total current liabilities	221,408	204,878
Deferred income taxes	30,662	37,144
Long-term debt, excluding current installments	732	765
Defined benefit pension liability	154,397	112,043
Deferred compensation	6,770	6,720
Other noncurrent liabilities	44,116	39,745
Shareholders' equity:
Common stock of $1 par value	254,982	254,982
Additional paid-in capital	891,236	893,274
Retained earnings	517,703	443,337
Accumulated other comprehensive income	(115,225)	65,826
Total Valmont Industries, Inc. shareholders' equity	1,548,696	1,657,419
Noncontrolling interest in consolidated subsidiaries	22,821	57,098
Total shareholders' equity	1,571,517	1,714,517
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	2,029,602	2,115,812
Eliminations
Current assets:
Investment in subsidiaries and intercompany accounts	(3,302,792)	(3,318,088)
Total assets	(3,302,792)	(3,318,088)
Current liabilities:
Income taxes payable		(700)
Total current liabilities		(700)
Long-term debt, excluding current installments	(514,223)	(599,873)
Shareholders' equity:
Common stock of $1 par value	(712,932)	(712,932)
Additional paid-in capital	(1,041,522)	(1,043,560)
Retained earnings	(1,082,896)	(910,577)
Accumulated other comprehensive income	48,781	(50,446)
Total Valmont Industries, Inc. shareholders' equity	(2,788,569)	(2,717,515)
Total shareholders' equity	(2,788,569)	(2,717,515)
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	$ (3,302,792)	$ (3,318,088)