<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2004-04-06</periodOfReport>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000318259</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>AMERICAN BUILDING CONTROL INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>ABCX</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001162779</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>VICTORIA &amp; EAGLE STRATEGIC FUND CAYMAN ISLAND</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>P.O. BOX 1984 G.T.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>ELIZABETHAN SQUARE</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>GRAND CAYMAN, CAYMAN ISLANDS</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState></rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode></rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription>SWITZERLAND</rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001247550</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>BIPIELLE BANK SUISSE</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>VIA NASSA 11</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>6900 LUGANO, SWITZERLAND</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState></rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode></rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription>SWITZERLAND</rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2004-04-06</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>59725</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>2.42</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>2120000</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">BIPIELLE Bank (Suisse) S.A. (the &quot;Bank&quot;), as the majority equity owner of Victoria &amp; Eagle Strategic Fund, Ltd., a Cayman Islands corporation, may be deemed to be the beneficial owner of the securities reported herein.  Pursuant to Rule 16a-1(a)(4) under the Act, this filing shall not be deemed an admission that the Bank is, for purposes of Section 16 of the Act or otherwise, the beneficial owner of any securities in which it does not have a pecuniary interest.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Fabio Conti, Director of Victoria &amp; Eagle Strategic Fund, Ltd.</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2004-04-08</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>G. Basta, Deputy General Manager of BIPIELLE Bank (Suisse) S.A.</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2004-04-08</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>M. Torti, Vice President of BIPIELLE Bank (Suisse) S.A.</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2004-04-08</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>

