GUARANTOR FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - Condensed Consolidating Statement of Operations and Comprehensive Income (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013	Sep. 28, 2013	Jun. 29, 2013	Mar. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Sep. 29, 2012	Jun. 30, 2012	Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net Sales	$ 548.9	$ 589.2	$ 630.7	$ 519.1	$ 505.4	$ 557.4	$ 615.7	$ 522.8	$ 2,287.9	$ 2,201.3	$ 2,140.5
Cost of products sold									1,627.4	1,560.9	1,567.8
Gross profit	154.8	175.1	189.1	141.5	152.2	158.4	183.8	146.0	660.5	640.4	572.7
Selling, general and administrative expense, net	131.2	129.4	135.1	125.6	125.7	113.6	119.1	110.1	521.3	468.5	464.8
Amortization of intangible assets									51.3	44.3	44.8
Operating earnings	10.4	32.5	40.4	4.6	15.2	33.8	53.7	24.9	87.9	127.6	63.1
Interest expense									(99.4)	(96.5)	(105.6)
Loss from debt retirement									0	(6.4)	(33.8)
Investment income									0.1	0.1	0.1
(Loss) income before charges and allocations to subsidiaries and equity in subsidiaries' (loss) earnings before income taxes									(11.4)	24.8	(76.2)
Charges and allocations to subsidiaries and equity in subsidiaries' (loss) earnings before income taxes									0	0	0
(Loss) earnings before (benefit) provision for income taxes									(11.4)	24.8	(76.2)
(Benefit) provision for income taxes									(3.1)	15.3	(20.3)
Net (loss) earnings	(8.9)	4.2	11.5	(15.1)	(12.5)	4.7	18.5	(1.2)	(8.3)	9.5	(55.9)
Comprehensive (loss) income									(2.3)	8.0	(77.5)
Nortek [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net Sales									0	0	0
Cost of products sold									0	0	0
Gross profit									0	0	0
Selling, general and administrative expense, net									60.3	44.7	40.4
Amortization of intangible assets									0	0	0
Operating earnings									(60.3)	(44.7)	(40.4)
Interest expense									(96.2)	(93.9)	(102.6)
Loss from debt retirement										(6.4)	(33.8)
Investment income									0	0	0
(Loss) income before charges and allocations to subsidiaries and equity in subsidiaries' (loss) earnings before income taxes									(156.5)	(145.0)	(176.8)
Charges and allocations to subsidiaries and equity in subsidiaries' (loss) earnings before income taxes									145.1	169.8	100.6
(Loss) earnings before (benefit) provision for income taxes									(11.4)	24.8	(76.2)
(Benefit) provision for income taxes									(3.1)	15.3	(20.3)
Net (loss) earnings									(8.3)	9.5	(55.9)
Comprehensive (loss) income									(2.3)	8.0	(77.5)
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net Sales									1,938.4	1,809.5	1,736.9
Cost of products sold									1,389.4	1,277.1	1,245.5
Gross profit									549.0	532.4	491.4
Selling, general and administrative expense, net									370.0	338.6	335.2
Amortization of intangible assets									49.2	41.9	42.3
Operating earnings									129.8	151.9	113.9
Interest expense									(3.0)	(2.2)	(1.9)
Loss from debt retirement										0	0
Investment income									0	0	0
(Loss) income before charges and allocations to subsidiaries and equity in subsidiaries' (loss) earnings before income taxes									126.8	149.7	112.0
Charges and allocations to subsidiaries and equity in subsidiaries' (loss) earnings before income taxes									(67.8)	(59.3)	(72.2)
(Loss) earnings before (benefit) provision for income taxes									59.0	90.4	39.8
(Benefit) provision for income taxes									23.9	34.2	14.6
Net (loss) earnings									35.1	56.2	25.2
Comprehensive (loss) income									38.1	56.6	20.3
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net Sales									729.4	711.4	693.4
Cost of products sold									618.2	601.8	612.0
Gross profit									111.2	109.6	81.4
Selling, general and administrative expense, net									91.0	85.2	89.2
Amortization of intangible assets									2.9	2.8	2.5
Operating earnings									17.3	21.6	(10.3)
Interest expense									(0.2)	(0.4)	(1.1)
Loss from debt retirement										0	0
Investment income									0.1	0.1	0.1
(Loss) income before charges and allocations to subsidiaries and equity in subsidiaries' (loss) earnings before income taxes									17.2	21.3	(11.3)
Charges and allocations to subsidiaries and equity in subsidiaries' (loss) earnings before income taxes									1.2	12.4	0.3
(Loss) earnings before (benefit) provision for income taxes									18.4	33.7	(11.0)
(Benefit) provision for income taxes									6.6	7.6	6.1
Net (loss) earnings									11.8	26.1	(17.1)
Comprehensive (loss) income									7.8	25.2	(21.6)
Eliminations [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net Sales									(379.9)	(319.6)	(289.8)
Cost of products sold									(380.2)	(318.0)	(289.7)
Gross profit									0.3	(1.6)	(0.1)
Selling, general and administrative expense, net									0	0	0
Amortization of intangible assets									(0.8)	(0.4)	0
Operating earnings									1.1	(1.2)	(0.1)
Interest expense									0	0	0
Loss from debt retirement										0	0
Investment income									0	0	0
(Loss) income before charges and allocations to subsidiaries and equity in subsidiaries' (loss) earnings before income taxes									1.1	(1.2)	(0.1)
Charges and allocations to subsidiaries and equity in subsidiaries' (loss) earnings before income taxes									(78.5)	(122.9)	(28.7)
(Loss) earnings before (benefit) provision for income taxes									(77.4)	(124.1)	(28.8)
(Benefit) provision for income taxes									(30.5)	(41.8)	(20.7)
Net (loss) earnings									(46.9)	(82.3)	(8.1)
Comprehensive (loss) income									$ (45.9)	$ (81.8)	$ 1.3