Trade Receivable Securitization Program	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2011
Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements [Abstract]
Trade Receivable Securitization Program	Trade Receivable Securitization Program At September 30, 2011 and December 31, 2010, the Company had a $100,000 trade receivable securitization program that expired in accordance with its terms on October 7, 2011. The trade receivable securitization program provided for the sale of certain of the Company’s trade receivables on a revolving basis to Graybar Commerce Corporation (“GCC”), a wholly-owned, bankruptcy-remote, special-purpose subsidiary. GCC then sold an undivided interest in the trade receivables to an unrelated multi-seller commercial paper conduit. Prior to its expiration, the Company accounted for the securitization as an on-balance sheet financing arrangement because the Company had maintained effective control of the trade receivables through a call option that gave GCC the unilateral right to repurchase the undivided interest. Accordingly, the trade receivables and related debt are included in the accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheets as of September 30, 2011 and December 31, 2010. There were no borrowings outstanding under the trade receivable securitization program at September 30, 2011 and December 31, 2010. As a result of the expiration of the trade receivable securitization program, the security interest in the trade receivables granted by GCC to the commercial paper conduit was terminated.

Trade Receivable Securitization Program

At September 30, 2011 and December 31, 2010, the Company had a $100,000 trade receivable securitization program that expired in accordance with its terms on October 7, 2011. The trade receivable securitization program provided for the sale of certain of the Company’s trade receivables on a revolving basis to Graybar Commerce Corporation (“GCC”), a wholly-owned, bankruptcy-remote, special-purpose subsidiary. GCC then sold an undivided interest in the trade receivables to an unrelated multi-seller commercial paper conduit.

Prior to its expiration, the Company accounted for the securitization as an on-balance sheet financing arrangement because the Company had maintained effective control of the trade receivables through a call option that gave GCC the unilateral right to repurchase the undivided interest. Accordingly, the trade receivables and related debt are included in the accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheets as of September 30, 2011 and December 31, 2010. There were no borrowings outstanding under the trade receivable securitization program at September 30, 2011 and December 31, 2010.

As a result of the expiration of the trade receivable securitization program, the security interest in the trade receivables granted by GCC to the commercial paper conduit was terminated.