Guarantor Financial Statements - Condensed Consolidating Balance Sheet (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 29, 2014		Dec. 31, 2013		Mar. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Current Assets:
Unrestricted cash and cash equivalents	$ 51.1		$ 80.9		$ 201.4	$ 144.7
Restricted cash	1.0		2.9
Accounts receivable, less allowances	329.4		276.4
Intercompany receivables	0		0
Inventories, net	332.7		270.5
Prepaid expenses	18.5		20.2
Other current assets	16.8		19.4
Deferred tax assets	33.4		29.7
Total current assets	782.9		700.0
Property and Equipment, at Cost:
Total property and equipment, net	227.6		232.4
Other Long-term Assets:
Investment in subsidiaries and long-term receivable from (to) subsidiaries	0		0
Goodwill	373.5	[1]	373.5	[1]
Intangible assets, less accumulated amortization	635.3		648.9
Deferred tax asset	0		0
Other assets	35.6		36.1
Total other long-term assets	1,044.4		1,058.5
Total Assets	2,054.9		1,990.9
Current Liabilities:
Short-term bank obligations	0.6		0.7
Current maturities of long-term debt	2.9		2.8
Accounts payable	271.0		214.7
Accrued expenses and taxes, net	220.4		231.5
Current deferred taxes	0		0
Intercompany payables	0		0
Total current liabilities	494.9		449.7
Other Liabilities:
Deferred income taxes	157.2		159.1
Other long-term liabilities	189.2		188.9
Long-term intercompany payables	0		0
Total other long-term liabilities	346.4		348.0
Notes, Mortgage Notes and Obligations Payable, Less Current Maturities	1,127.1		1,093.3
Stockholders' investment (deficit)	86.5		99.9
Total Liabilities and Stockholders' Investment	2,054.9		1,990.9
Nortek [Member]
Current Assets:
Unrestricted cash and cash equivalents	14.0		23.2		166.0	94.9
Restricted cash	0.9		2.7
Accounts receivable, less allowances	0		0.1
Intercompany receivables	0.3		1.4
Inventories, net	0		0
Prepaid expenses	2.6		3.2
Other current assets	0		0.1
Deferred tax assets	8.3		4.8
Total current assets	26.1		35.5
Property and Equipment, at Cost:
Total property and equipment, net	8.2		7.0
Other Long-term Assets:
Investment in subsidiaries and long-term receivable from (to) subsidiaries	1,231.0		1,180.7
Goodwill	0		0
Intangible assets, less accumulated amortization	0		0
Deferred tax asset	10.4		10.2
Other assets	19.9		20.3
Total other long-term assets	1,261.3		1,211.2
Total Assets	1,295.6		1,253.7
Current Liabilities:
Short-term bank obligations	0		0
Current maturities of long-term debt	0.3		0.3
Accounts payable	2.3		2.3
Accrued expenses and taxes, net	56.9		36.2
Current deferred taxes	0		0
Intercompany payables	0		0
Total current liabilities	59.5		38.8
Other Liabilities:
Deferred income taxes	0		0
Other long-term liabilities	31.7		31.7
Long-term intercompany payables	0		0
Total other long-term liabilities	31.7		31.7
Notes, Mortgage Notes and Obligations Payable, Less Current Maturities	1,117.9		1,083.3
Stockholders' investment (deficit)	86.5		99.9
Total Liabilities and Stockholders' Investment	1,295.6		1,253.7
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Current Assets:
Unrestricted cash and cash equivalents	7.6		20.0		5.9	13.1
Restricted cash	0		0.1
Accounts receivable, less allowances	266.4		219.2
Intercompany receivables	0		0
Inventories, net	257.6		204.5
Prepaid expenses	11.0		11.0
Other current assets	6.2		6.5
Deferred tax assets	26.5		26.3
Total current assets	575.3		487.6
Property and Equipment, at Cost:
Total property and equipment, net	154.0		157.4
Other Long-term Assets:
Investment in subsidiaries and long-term receivable from (to) subsidiaries	371.1		418.6
Goodwill	357.8		357.8
Intangible assets, less accumulated amortization	614.0		627.1
Deferred tax asset	0		0
Other assets	14.6		14.6
Total other long-term assets	1,357.5		1,418.1
Total Assets	2,086.8		2,063.1
Current Liabilities:
Short-term bank obligations	0		0
Current maturities of long-term debt	2.6		2.5
Accounts payable	153.3		103.7
Accrued expenses and taxes, net	128.5		152.4
Current deferred taxes	0		0
Intercompany payables	56.1		61.9
Total current liabilities	340.5		320.5
Other Liabilities:
Deferred income taxes	162.7		163.8
Other long-term liabilities	136.3		135.6
Long-term intercompany payables	0		0
Total other long-term liabilities	299.0		299.4
Notes, Mortgage Notes and Obligations Payable, Less Current Maturities	9.1		10.0
Stockholders' investment (deficit)	1,438.2		1,433.2
Total Liabilities and Stockholders' Investment	2,086.8		2,063.1
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Current Assets:
Unrestricted cash and cash equivalents	29.5		37.7		29.5	36.7
Restricted cash	0.1		0.1
Accounts receivable, less allowances	63.0		57.1
Intercompany receivables	55.8		60.5
Inventories, net	82.8		72.0
Prepaid expenses	4.9		6.0
Other current assets	10.6		12.8
Deferred tax assets	0		0
Total current assets	246.7		246.2
Property and Equipment, at Cost:
Total property and equipment, net	65.4		68.0
Other Long-term Assets:
Investment in subsidiaries and long-term receivable from (to) subsidiaries	0		0
Goodwill	15.7		15.7
Intangible assets, less accumulated amortization	31.5		32.2
Deferred tax asset	0		0
Other assets	1.1		1.2
Total other long-term assets	48.3		49.1
Total Assets	360.4		363.3
Current Liabilities:
Short-term bank obligations	0.6		0.7
Current maturities of long-term debt	0		0
Accounts payable	115.4		108.7
Accrued expenses and taxes, net	35.0		42.9
Current deferred taxes	1.4		1.4
Intercompany payables	0		0
Total current liabilities	152.4		153.7
Other Liabilities:
Deferred income taxes	7.9		7.7
Other long-term liabilities	21.2		21.6
Long-term intercompany payables	50.4		49.4
Total other long-term liabilities	79.5		78.7
Notes, Mortgage Notes and Obligations Payable, Less Current Maturities	0.1		0
Stockholders' investment (deficit)	128.4		130.9
Total Liabilities and Stockholders' Investment	360.4		363.3
Eliminations [Member]
Current Assets:
Unrestricted cash and cash equivalents	0		0
Restricted cash	0		0
Accounts receivable, less allowances	0		0
Intercompany receivables	(56.1)		(61.9)
Inventories, net	(7.7)		(6.0)
Prepaid expenses	0		0
Other current assets	0		0
Deferred tax assets	(1.4)		(1.4)
Total current assets	(65.2)		(69.3)
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	(1,602.1)		(1,599.3)
Goodwill	0		0
Intangible assets, less accumulated amortization	(10.2)		(10.4)
Deferred tax asset	(10.4)		(10.2)
Other assets	0		0
Total other long-term assets	(1,622.7)		(1,619.9)
Total Assets	(1,687.9)		(1,689.2)
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
Current deferred taxes	(1.4)		(1.4)
Intercompany payables	(56.1)		(61.9)
Total current liabilities	(57.5)		(63.3)
Other Liabilities:
Deferred income taxes	(13.4)		(12.4)
Other long-term liabilities	0		0
Long-term intercompany payables	(50.4)		(49.4)
Total other long-term liabilities	(63.8)		(61.8)
Notes, Mortgage Notes and Obligations Payable, Less Current Maturities	0		0
Stockholders' investment (deficit)	(1,566.6)		(1,564.1)
Total Liabilities and Stockholders' Investment	$ (1,687.9)		$ (1,689.2)

[1] (1)The RHC and Custom & Engineered Solutions ("CES") reporting units did not have goodwill in any period presented.