2.4.0.82433403 - Disclosure - Pension, Profit Sharing & Other Post-Retirement Benefits (Details)truefalseIn Millions, unless otherwise specifiedfalse1false USDfalsefalse$D2013Q2QTD_us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis_us-gaap_PensionPlansDefinedBenefitMemberhttp://www.sec.gov/CIK0001216596duration2013-03-31T00:00:002013-06-29T00:00:00usdStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170USDUSD$2false USDfalsefalse$D2012Q2QTD_us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis_us-gaap_PensionPlansDefinedBenefitMemberhttp://www.sec.gov/CIK0001216596duration2012-04-01T00:00:002012-06-30T00:00:00usdStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170USDUSD$3false USDfalsefalse$D2013Q2YTD_us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis_us-gaap_PensionPlansDefinedBenefitMemberhttp://www.sec.gov/CIK0001216596duration2013-01-01T00:00:002013-06-29T00:00:00usdStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170USDUSD$4false USDfalsefalse$D2012Q2YTD_us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis_us-gaap_PensionPlansDefinedBenefitMemberhttp://www.sec.gov/CIK0001216596duration2012-01-01T00:00:002012-06-30T00:00:00usdStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170USDUSD$1false 0truefalsetruefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalse1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalse3falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalse4falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalse1false USDtruefalse$D2013Q2QTD_us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis_us-gaap_PensionPlansDefinedBenefitMemberhttp://www.sec.gov/CIK0001216596duration2013-03-31T00:00:002013-06-29T00:00:00falsefalsePension Plans, Defined Benefit [Member]us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxisxbrldihttp://xbrl.org/2006/xbrldius-gaap_PensionPlansDefinedBenefitMemberus-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxisexplicitMemberusdStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170USDUSD$nanafalse0Pension Plans, Defined Benefit [Member]2true 3us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanDisclosureLineItemsus-gaap_truenadurationfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterseLabel1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalse3falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalse4falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsexbrli:stringItemTypestringfalse0Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]3false 4us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanServiceCostus-gaap_truedebitdurationfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterseLabel1truefalsefalse1000000.1USD$falsetruefalse2truefalsefalse1000000.1USD$falsetruefalse3truefalsefalse2000000.2USD$falsetruefalse4truefalsefalse2000000.2USD$falsetruefalsexbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryThe actuarial present value of benefits attributed by the pension benefit formula to services rendered by employees during the period. The portion of the expected postretirement benefit obligation attributed to employee service during the period. The service cost component is a portion of the benefit obligation and is unaffected by the funded status of the plan.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 715 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (h)(1) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=28361610&loc=d3e1928-114920 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Glossary Service Cost (Component of Net Periodic Pension Cost) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6525008 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 715 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (a)(1) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=28361610&loc=d3e1928-114920 false2Service cost4false 4us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanInterestCostus-gaap_truedebitdurationfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterseLabel1truefalsefalse17000001.7USD$falsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse18000001.8USD$falsefalsefalse3truefalsefalse34000003.4USD$falsefalsefalse4truefalsefalse37000003.7USD$falsefalsefalsexbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryThe increase in a defined benefit pension plan's projected benefit obligation or a defined benefit postretirement plan's accumulated postretirement benefit obligation due to the passage of time.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 715 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (h)(2) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=28361610&loc=d3e1928-114920 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 715 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (a)(2) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=28361610&loc=d3e1928-114920 false2Interest cost5false 4us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanExpectedReturnOnPlanAssetsus-gaap_truecreditdurationfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsetruenegatedTerseLabel1truefalsefalse-1700000-1.7USD$falsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse-1700000-1.7USD$falsefalsefalse3truefalsefalse-3400000-3.4USD$falsefalsefalse4truefalsefalse-3500000-3.5USD$falsefalsefalsexbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryAn amount calculated as a basis for determining the extent of delayed recognition of the effects of changes in the fair value of assets. The expected return on plan assets is determined based on the expected long-term rate of return on plan assets and the market-related value of plan assets.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 715 -SubTopic 30 -Glossary Expected Return on Plan Assets -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6512136 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 715 -SubTopic 60 -Glossary Expected Return on Plan Assets -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6512171 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 715 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (h)(3) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=28361610&loc=d3e1928-114920 false2Expected return on plan assets6false 4us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAmortizationOfGainsLossesus-gaap_truecreditdurationfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsetruenegatedTerseLabel1truefalsefalse3000000.3USD$falsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse2000000.2USD$falsefalsefalse3truefalsefalse5000000.5USD$falsefalsefalse4truefalsefalse4000000.4USD$falsefalsefalsexbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryThe amount of gains or losses recognized in net periodic benefit cost.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 715 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (h)(4) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=28361610&loc=d3e1928-114920 false2Net amortization of actuarial loss7false 4us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanNetPeriodicBenefitCostus-gaap_truedebitdurationfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsetotalLabel1truefalsefalse4000000.4USD$falsetruefalse2truefalsefalse4000000.4USD$falsetruefalse3truefalsefalse7000000.7USD$falsetruefalse4truefalsefalse8000000.8USD$falsetruefalsexbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryThe total amount of net periodic benefit cost for defined benefit plans for the period. Periodic benefit costs include the following components: service cost, interest cost, expected return on plan assets, gain (loss), prior service cost or credit, transition asset or obligation, and gain (loss) due to settlements or curtailments.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 715 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (h) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=28361610&loc=d3e1928-114920 true2Net periodic benefit costfalsePension, Profit Sharing & Other Post-Retirement Benefits (Details) (Pension Plans, Defined Benefit [Member], USD $)HundredThousandsUnKnownUnKnownUnKnowntruefalsefalseSheethttp://www.nortek-inc.com/role/PensionProfitSharingOtherPostRetirementBenefitsDetails47