2.4.0.82432402 - Disclosure - Earnings (Loss) per Share (Reconciliations Between Basic and Diluted Loss Per Share) (Details)truefalseIn Millions, except Share data, unless otherwise specifiedfalse1false USDfalsefalse$D2013Q2QTDhttp://www.sec.gov/CIK0001216596duration2013-03-31T00:00:002013-06-29T00:00:00sharesStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancesharesxbrli0usdPerShareDividehttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso4217http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancesharesxbrli0usdStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170USDUSD$2false USDfalsefalse$D2012Q2QTDhttp://www.sec.gov/CIK0001216596duration2012-04-01T00:00:002012-06-30T00:00:00sharesStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancesharesxbrli0usdPerShareDividehttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso4217http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancesharesxbrli0usdStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170USDUSD$3false USDfalsefalse$D2013Q2YTDhttp://www.sec.gov/CIK0001216596duration2013-01-01T00:00:002013-06-29T00:00:00sharesStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancesharesxbrli0usdPerShareDividehttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso4217http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancesharesxbrli0usdStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170USDUSD$4false USDfalsefalse$D2012Q2YTDhttp://www.sec.gov/CIK0001216596duration2012-01-01T00:00:002012-06-30T00:00:00sharesStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancesharesxbrli0usdPerShareDividehttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso4217http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancesharesxbrli0usdStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170USDUSD$1true 1us-gaap_EarningsPerShareAbstractus-gaap_truenadurationfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalse1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalse3falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalse4falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsexbrli:stringItemTypestringfalse0Earnings Per Share [Abstract]2false 2us-gaap_ProfitLossus-gaap_truecreditdurationfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterseLabel1truefalsefalse1150000011.5USD$falsetruefalse2truefalsefalse1850000018.5USD$falsetruefalse3truefalsefalse-3600000-3.6USD$falsetruefalse4truefalsefalse1730000017.3USD$falsetruefalsexbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryThe consolidated profit or loss for the period, net of income taxes, including the portion attributable to the noncontrolling interest.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 810 -SubTopic 10 -Section 55 -Paragraph 4K -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=31814832&loc=SL4591552-111686 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 810 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 19 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=7656940&loc=SL4569616-111683 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 810 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1A -Subparagraph (a),(c) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=18733093&loc=SL4573702-111684 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 810 -SubTopic 10 -Section 55 -Paragraph 4J -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=31814832&loc=SL4591551-111686 false2Net (loss) earnings3false 2us-gaap_WeightedAverageNumberOfSharesOutstandingBasicus-gaap_truenadurationfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboseLabel1truefalsefalse1536467915364679falsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse1513369915133699falsefalsefalse3truefalsefalse1534822815348228falsefalsefalse4truefalsefalse1513198615131986falsefalsefalsexbrli:sharesItemTypesharesNumber of [basic] shares or units, after adjustment for contingently issuable shares or units and other shares or units not deemed outstanding, determined by relating the portion of time within a reporting period that common shares or units have been outstanding to the total time in that period.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 260 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (a) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6371337&loc=d3e3550-109257 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 260 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 10 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=7655603&loc=d3e1448-109256 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Glossary Weighted-Average Number of Common Shares Outstanding -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6528421 false1Weighted average common shares outstanding (in shares)4false 2us-gaap_WeightedAverageNumberDilutedSharesOutstandingAdjustmentus-gaap_truenadurationfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterseLabel1truefalsefalse485188485188falsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse388942388942falsefalsefalse3truefalsefalse00falsefalsefalse4truefalsefalse316397316397falsefalsefalsexbrli:sharesItemTypesharesThe sum of dilutive potential common shares or units used in the calculation of the diluted per-share or per-unit computation.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 260 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (a) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6371337&loc=d3e3550-109257 false1Dilutive effect of common share equivalents (in shares)5false 2us-gaap_WeightedAverageNumberOfDilutedSharesOutstandingus-gaap_truenadurationfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsetotalLabel1truefalsefalse1584986715849867falsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse1552264115522641falsefalsefalse3truefalsefalse1534822815348228falsefalsefalse4truefalsefalse1544838315448383falsefalsefalsexbrli:sharesItemTypesharesThe average number of shares or units issued and outstanding that are used in calculating diluted EPS or earnings per unit (EPU), determined based on the timing of issuance of shares or units in the period.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 260 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (a) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6371337&loc=d3e3550-109257 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 260 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 16 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=7655603&loc=d3e1505-109256 true1Dilutive shares outstanding (in shares)6false 2us-gaap_EarningsPerShareBasicus-gaap_truenadurationfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterseLabel1truefalsefalse0.750.75USD$falsetruefalse2truefalsefalse1.221.22USD$falsetruefalse3truefalsefalse-0.23-0.23USD$falsetruefalse4truefalsefalse1.141.14USD$falsetruefalsenum:perShareItemTypedecimalThe amount of net income (loss) for the period per each share of common stock or unit outstanding during the reporting period.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 260 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6371337&loc=d3e3550-109257 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 260 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 2 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=7655603&loc=d3e1252-109256 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 260 -SubTopic 10 -Section 55 -Paragraph 52 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=32703322&loc=d3e4984-109258 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 225 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.21) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26872669&loc=d3e20235-122688 Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 944 -SubTopic 225 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.7-04.19) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879464&loc=d3e573970-122913 Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 942 -SubTopic 225 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.9-04.23) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879574&loc=d3e536633-122882 Reference 7: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 04 -Paragraph 18 -Article 7 Reference 8: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 03 -Paragraph 20 -Article 5 Reference 9: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 04 -Paragraph 21 -Article 9 false3Basic earnings (loss) per share7false 2us-gaap_EarningsPerShareDilutedus-gaap_truenadurationfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterseLabel1truefalsefalse0.730.73USD$falsetruefalse2truefalsefalse1.191.19USD$falsetruefalse3truefalsefalse-0.23-0.23USD$falsetruefalse4truefalsefalse1.121.12USD$falsetruefalsenum:perShareItemTypedecimalThe amount of net income (loss) for the period available to each share of common stock or common unit outstanding during the reporting period and to each share or unit that would have been outstanding assuming the issuance of common shares or units for all dilutive potential common shares or units outstanding during the reporting period.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 260 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 2 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=7655603&loc=d3e1252-109256 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 225 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.21) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26872669&loc=d3e20235-122688 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 04 -Paragraph 18 -Article 7 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 03 -Paragraph 20 -Article 5 Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 04 -Paragraph 21 -Article 9 false3Diluted earnings (loss) per sharefalseEarnings (Loss) per Share (Reconciliations Between Basic and Diluted Loss Per Share) (Details) (USD $)HundredThousandsNoRoundingNoRoundingUnKnowntruefalsefalseSheethttp://www.nortek-inc.com/role/EarningsLossPerShareReconciliationsBetweenBasicAndDilutedLossPerShareDetails47