Guarantor Financial Statements (Condensed Consolidating Balance Sheet) (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Jun. 29, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Jun. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Current Assets:
Unrestricted cash and cash equivalents	$ 48.8	$ 144.7	$ 60.5	$ 58.2
Restricted cash	0.2	0.2
Accounts receivable, less allowances	339.6	257.4
Intercompany receivables	0	0
Inventories, net	293.7	258.4
Prepaid expenses	21.2	14.4
Other current assets	16.2	20.0
Prepaid income taxes	29.8	29.3
Total current assets	749.5	724.4
Property and Equipment, at Cost:
Total property and equipment, net	201.8	199.5
Other Long-term Assets:
Investment in subsidiaries and long-term receivable from (to) subsidiaries	0	0
Goodwill	374.1	307.6
Intangible assets, less accumulated amortization	680.8	614.9
Deferred tax asset	0	0
Other assets	38.6	41.7
Total other long-term assets	1,093.5	964.2
Total Assets	2,044.8	1,888.1
Current Liabilities:
Short-term bank obligations	0.7	0.7
Current maturities of long-term debt	12.6	2.4
Accounts payable	228.0	174.4
Accrued expenses and taxes, net	223.7	198.9
Current deferred taxes	0	0
Intercompany payables	0	0
Total current liabilities	465.0	376.4
Other Liabilities:
Deferred income taxes	163.6	132.7
Other	178.6	186.9
Long-term intercompany payables	0	0
Total other liabilities	342.2	319.6
Notes, Mortgage Notes and Obligations Payable, Less Current Maturities	1,145.9	1,097.9
Stockholders' investment (deficit)	91.7	94.2
Total Liabilities and Stockholders' Investment (Deficit)	2,044.8	1,888.1
Nortek [Member]
Current Assets:
Unrestricted cash and cash equivalents	12.0	94.9	12.2	17.8
Restricted cash	0.1	0
Accounts receivable, less allowances	0	0
Intercompany receivables	1.1	1.0
Inventories, net	0	0
Prepaid expenses	4.9	1.2
Other current assets	0	0
Prepaid income taxes	16.8	18.3
Total current assets	34.9	115.4
Property and Equipment, at Cost:
Total property and equipment, net	5.9	3.0
Other Long-term Assets:
Investment in subsidiaries and long-term receivable from (to) subsidiaries	1,246.7	1,107.8
Goodwill	0	0
Intangible assets, less accumulated amortization	0	0
Deferred tax asset	10.4	10.9
Other assets	21.4	25.4
Total other long-term assets	1,278.5	1,144.1
Total Assets	1,319.3	1,262.5
Current Liabilities:
Short-term bank obligations	0	0
Current maturities of long-term debt	10.3	0.3
Accounts payable	3.7	4.1
Accrued expenses and taxes, net	36.2	31.1
Current deferred taxes	0	0
Intercompany payables	0	0
Total current liabilities	50.2	35.5
Other Liabilities:
Deferred income taxes	0	0
Other	43.4	47.7
Long-term intercompany payables	0	0
Total other liabilities	43.4	47.7
Notes, Mortgage Notes and Obligations Payable, Less Current Maturities	1,134.0	1,085.1
Stockholders' investment (deficit)	91.7	94.2
Total Liabilities and Stockholders' Investment (Deficit)	1,319.3	1,262.5
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Current Assets:
Unrestricted cash and cash equivalents	10.2	13.1	12.4	9.3
Restricted cash	0	0
Accounts receivable, less allowances	281.9	191.7
Intercompany receivables	0	0
Inventories, net	222.8	192.4
Prepaid expenses	11.1	8.7
Other current assets	6.0	10.7
Prepaid income taxes	14.6	12.6
Total current assets	546.6	429.2
Property and Equipment, at Cost:
Total property and equipment, net	129.1	128.7
Other Long-term Assets:
Investment in subsidiaries and long-term receivable from (to) subsidiaries	354.8	321.2
Goodwill	357.8	292.7
Intangible assets, less accumulated amortization	658.5	591.6
Deferred tax asset	0	0
Other assets	16.4	15.7
Total other long-term assets	1,387.5	1,221.2
Total Assets	2,063.2	1,779.1
Current Liabilities:
Short-term bank obligations	0	0
Current maturities of long-term debt	2.3	2.1
Accounts payable	121.0	76.7
Accrued expenses and taxes, net	145.2	119.4
Current deferred taxes	0	0
Intercompany payables	54.1	43.3
Total current liabilities	322.6	241.5
Other Liabilities:
Deferred income taxes	168.5	137.3
Other	110.3	110.3
Long-term intercompany payables	0	0
Total other liabilities	278.8	247.6
Notes, Mortgage Notes and Obligations Payable, Less Current Maturities	11.8	12.8
Stockholders' investment (deficit)	1,450.0	1,277.2
Total Liabilities and Stockholders' Investment (Deficit)	2,063.2	1,779.1
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Current Assets:
Unrestricted cash and cash equivalents	26.6	36.7	35.9	31.1
Restricted cash	0.1	0.2
Accounts receivable, less allowances	57.7	65.7
Intercompany receivables	53.0	42.3
Inventories, net	79.4	71.6
Prepaid expenses	5.2	4.5
Other current assets	10.2	10.4
Prepaid income taxes	0	0
Total current assets	232.2	231.4
Property and Equipment, at Cost:
Total property and equipment, net	66.8	67.8
Other Long-term Assets:
Investment in subsidiaries and long-term receivable from (to) subsidiaries	0	0
Goodwill	16.3	14.9
Intangible assets, less accumulated amortization	33.1	34.5
Deferred tax asset	0	0
Other assets	0.8	0.6
Total other long-term assets	50.2	50.0
Total Assets	349.2	349.2
Current Liabilities:
Short-term bank obligations	0.7	0.7
Current maturities of long-term debt	0	0
Accounts payable	103.3	93.6
Accrued expenses and taxes, net	42.3	48.8
Current deferred taxes	1.6	1.6
Intercompany payables	0	0
Total current liabilities	147.9	144.7
Other Liabilities:
Deferred income taxes	8.8	8.7
Other	24.9	28.9
Long-term intercompany payables	44.6	44.0
Total other liabilities	78.3	81.6
Notes, Mortgage Notes and Obligations Payable, Less Current Maturities	0.1	0
Stockholders' investment (deficit)	122.9	122.9
Total Liabilities and Stockholders' Investment (Deficit)	349.2	349.2
Eliminations [Member]
Current Assets:
Unrestricted cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Restricted cash	0	0
Accounts receivable, less allowances	0	0
Intercompany receivables	(54.1)	(43.3)
Inventories, net	(8.5)	(5.6)
Prepaid expenses	0	0
Other current assets	0	(1.1)
Prepaid income taxes	(1.6)	(1.6)
Total current assets	(64.2)	(51.6)
Property and Equipment, at Cost:
Total property and equipment, net	0	0
Other Long-term Assets:
Investment in subsidiaries and long-term receivable from (to) subsidiaries	(1,601.5)	(1,429.0)
Goodwill	0	0
Intangible assets, less accumulated amortization	(10.8)	(11.2)
Deferred tax asset	(10.4)	(10.9)
Other assets	0	0
Total other long-term assets	(1,622.7)	(1,451.1)
Total Assets	(1,686.9)	(1,502.7)
Current Liabilities:
Short-term bank obligations	0	0
Current maturities of long-term debt	0	0
Accounts payable	0	0
Accrued expenses and taxes, net	0	(0.4)
Current deferred taxes	(1.6)	(1.6)
Intercompany payables	(54.1)	(43.3)
Total current liabilities	(55.7)	(45.3)
Other Liabilities:
Deferred income taxes	(13.7)	(13.3)
Other	0	0
Long-term intercompany payables	(44.6)	(44.0)
Total other liabilities	(58.3)	(57.3)
Notes, Mortgage Notes and Obligations Payable, Less Current Maturities	0	0
Stockholders' investment (deficit)	(1,572.9)	(1,400.1)
Total Liabilities and Stockholders' Investment (Deficit)	$ (1,686.9)	$ (1,502.7)