Amount of write-down of assets recognized in the income statement. Includes, but is not limited to, losses from tangible assets, intangible assets and goodwill.

Name:	us-gaap_AssetImpairmentCharges
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of gain (loss) from deconsolidation of subsidiary and derecognition of group of assets constituting transfer of business or nonprofit activity, excluding conveyance of oil and gas mineral rights and transfer of good or service in contract with customer.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 810
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1B
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109239629&loc=SL4582445-111684

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DeconsolidationGainOrLossAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount before tax of gain (loss) not previously recognized resulting from the disposal of a discontinued operation.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 205
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109222650&loc=d3e1361-107760

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 205
-SubTopic 20
-Section 45
-Paragraph 3
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109222160&loc=d3e957-107759

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 205
-SubTopic 20
-Section 45
-Paragraph 3B
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109222160&loc=SL51721525-107759

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DiscontinuedOperationGainLossFromDisposalOfDiscontinuedOperationBeforeIncomeTax
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of distribution received from equity method investee for return on investment, classified as operating activities. Excludes distribution for return of investment, classified as investing activities.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 28
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118932676&loc=d3e3602-108585

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 220
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-04(10))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=116637232&loc=SL114874131-224263

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 220
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03(12))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=116634182&loc=SL114868664-224227

Reference 4: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 21D
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118932676&loc=SL94080555-108585

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentDividendsOrDistributions
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The percentage of ownership of common stock or equity participation in the investee accounted for under the equity method of accounting.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 323
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (a)(1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=114001798&loc=d3e33918-111571

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentOwnershipPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

This item represents the carrying amount on the entity's balance sheet of its investment in common stock of an equity method investee. This is not an indicator of the fair value of the investment, rather it is the initial cost adjusted for the entity's share of earnings and losses of the investee, adjusted for any distributions (dividends) and other than temporary impairment (OTTI) losses recognized.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 323
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109237563&loc=d3e33749-111570

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 280
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 25
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=115929826&loc=d3e8813-108599

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.12)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestments
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_InvestmentsInAndAdvancesToAffiliatesLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Cumulative distributions from an equity method investee in excess of the entity's investment balance in the investee.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	wor_DistributionsInExcessOfInvestmentInUnconsolidatedAffiliates
Namespace Prefix:	wor_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Equity method investment ownership percentage agreed to be transferred.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	wor_EquityMethodInvestmentOwnershipPercentageAgreedToBeTransferred
Namespace Prefix:	wor_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	srt_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis=wor_ArtiFlexMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis=wor_ClarkDietrichMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis=wor_SamuelSteelPicklingCompanyMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis=wor_ServiaceroPlanosSDeCVMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis=wor_WorthingtonArmstrongVentureMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis=wor_ZhejiangNisshinWorthingtonPrecisionSpecialtySteelCoMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_SubsequentEventTypeAxis=us-gaap_SubsequentEventMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis=wor_CabsJointVentureMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Investments in Unconsolidated Affiliates - Additional Information (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands				3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 19, 2019	Nov. 01, 2019	Sep. 30, 2019	Aug. 31, 2019	Nov. 30, 2019	May 31, 2019
Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items]
Investments in unconsolidated affiliates					$ 225,791	$ 214,930
Distributions from unconsolidated affiliates					57,316
Distributions in excess of investment in unconsolidated affiliate					$ 97,243	121,948
ArtiFlex
Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items]
Percent of ownership interest held in unconsolidated affiliates					50.00%
Investments in unconsolidated affiliates					$ 54,566
ClarkDietrich
Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items]
Percent of ownership interest held in unconsolidated affiliates					25.00%
Samuel Steel Pickling Company
Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items]
Percent of ownership interest held in unconsolidated affiliates					31.25%
Serviacero Worthington
Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items]
Percent of ownership interest held in unconsolidated affiliates					50.00%
WAVE
Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items]
Percent of ownership interest held in unconsolidated affiliates					50.00%
Distributions in excess of investment in unconsolidated affiliate					$ 97,243
Pre-tax gain realized from the transaction			$ 23,119
Pre-tax gain realized on deconsolidation of net-assets			$ 46,238
Nisshin
Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items]
Percent of ownership interest held in unconsolidated affiliates					10.00%
Impairment charge				$ 4,236		$ 4,017
Nisshin \| Subsequent Event
Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items]
Ownership interest in unconsolidated affiliates agreed to be transferred	10.00%
Cabs Joint Venture
Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items]
Percent of ownership interest held in unconsolidated affiliates		20.00%			20.00%
Pre-tax gain realized on deconsolidation of net-assets		$ 229