Employee Benefit Plans - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)	12 Months Ended					12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013 CompensationPlan	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2013 Third Plan Deferred Compensation Plan	Dec. 31, 2012 Third Plan Deferred Compensation Plan	Dec. 31, 2013 First plan covers all employees, other than employees of Miltec	Dec. 31, 2013 Second plan covers only the employees at the Company's Miltec	Dec. 31, 2013 Minimum	Dec. 31, 2013 Maximum	Dec. 31, 2014 Scenario, Forecast [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Number of unfunded supplemental retirement plans	3
Liability for LaBarge Deferred Compensation Plan				$ 400,000	$ 300,000
Interest on LaBarge Deferred Compensation Plan				2,000,000	2,100,000
Accumulated benefit obligations	1,100,000
Number of company sponsored 401(K) defined contribution plans	2
Contribution by employee towards defined benefit plan						25.00%	100.00%
Contribution by employer towards defined benefit plan						50.00%
Employee contribution compensation limit						6.00%	5.00%
Percent of annual compensation	3.00%							0.00%	7.00%
Provision for matching and profit sharing contribution	3,100,000	3,800,000	3,400,000
Estimated net actuarial loss for the defined benefit pension plan	685,000	720,000	270,000							400,000
Accumulated benefit obligation	10,100,000
Pension liability	3,900,000	7,500,000
Estimated employer Contribution to pension plan	$ 2,000,000