1.0.0.3 false Statement Of Financial Position Classified (USD $) In Thousands false 1 $ false false Shares Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance shares 0 USD Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 0 false 2 $ false false USD Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 0 6 Current assets: 4 us-gaap_AssetsCurrentAbstract us-gaap true na duration string No definition available. false false false false false true false false false 1 false false 0 0 false false 2 false false 0 0 false false No definition available. false 7 Cash and cash equivalents 5 us-gaap_CashAndCashEquivalentsAtCarryingValue us-gaap true debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 true true 2060203000 2060203 false false 2 true true 2355130000 2355130 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 8 Short-term investments 5 us-gaap_ShortTermInvestments us-gaap true debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 136389000 136389 false false 2 false true 0 0 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 9 Accounts receivable, net 5 us-gaap_AccountsReceivableNetCurrent us-gaap true debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 960226000 960226 false false 2 false true 1228807000 1228807 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 10 Inventories 5 us-gaap_InventoryNet us-gaap true debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 1268200000 1268200 false false 2 false true 2408157000 2408157 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 11 Other current assets 5 us-gaap_OtherAssetsCurrent us-gaap true debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 502810000 502810 false false 2 false true 405392000 405392 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 12 Total current assets 5 us-gaap_AssetsCurrent us-gaap true debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 4927828000 4927828 false false 2 false true 6397486000 6397486 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 13 Property, plant and equipment, net 4 us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet us-gaap true debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 4117542000 4117542 false false 2 false true 4131861000 4131861 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 14 Goodwill 4 us-gaap_Goodwill us-gaap true debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 1776207000 1776207 false false 2 false true 1732045000 1732045 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 15 Other intangible assets, net 4 us-gaap_IntangibleAssetsNetExcludingGoodwill us-gaap true debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 922340000 922340 false false 2 false true 946545000 946545 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 16 Other assets 4 us-gaap_OtherAssetsNoncurrent us-gaap true debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 667130000 667130 false false 2 false true 666506000 666506 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 17 Total assets 4 us-gaap_Assets us-gaap true debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 12411047000 12411047 false false 2 false true 13874443000 13874443 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 19 Current liabilities: 4 us-gaap_LiabilitiesCurrentAbstract us-gaap true na duration string No definition available. false false false false false true false false false 1 false false 0 0 false false 2 false false 0 0 false false No definition available. false 20 Short-term debt 5 us-gaap_ShortTermBorrowings us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 5942000 5942 false false 2 false true 8622000 8622 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 21 Long-term debt due within one year 5 us-gaap_LongTermDebtCurrent us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 5400000 5400 false false 2 false true 180400000 180400 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 22 Accounts payable 5 us-gaap_AccountsPayable us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 413347000 413347 false false 2 false true 534161000 534161 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 23 Federal income taxes payable 5 us-gaap_AccruedIncomeTaxesPayable us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 0 0 false false 2 false true 199044000 199044 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 24 Salaries, wages and related accruals 5 us-gaap_EmployeeRelatedLiabilities us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 181006000 181006 false false 2 false true 580090000 580090 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 25 Accrued expenses and other current liabilities 5 us-gaap_AccruedLiabilities us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 343492000 343492 false false 2 false true 351875000 351875 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 26 Total current liabilities 5 us-gaap_LiabilitiesCurrent us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 949187000 949187 false false 2 false true 1854192000 1854192 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 27 Long-term debt due after one year 4 us-gaap_LongTermDebtNoncurrent us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 3086200000 3086200 false false 2 false true 3086200000 3086200 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 28 Deferred credits and other liabilities 4 nue_DeferredIncomeTaxAndOtherLiabilitiesNoncurrent nue false credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 671416000 671416 false false 2 false true 677370000 677370 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 29 Total liabilities 4 us-gaap_Liabilities us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 4706803000 4706803 false false 2 false true 5617762000 5617762 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 31 Nucor stockholders' equity: 4 us-gaap_StockholdersEquityAbstract us-gaap true na duration string No definition available. false false false false false true false false false 1 false false 0 0 false false 2 false false 0 0 false false No definition available. false 32 Common stock 5 us-gaap_CommonStockValue us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 149810000 149810 false false 2 false true 149628000 149628 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 33 Additional paid-in capital 5 us-gaap_AdditionalPaidInCapitalCommonStock us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 1655252000 1655252 false false 2 false true 1629981000 1629981 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 34 Retained earnings 5 us-gaap_RetainedEarningsAccumulatedDeficit us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 7316054000 7316054 false false 2 false true 7860629000 7860629 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 35 Accumulated other comprehensive loss, net of income taxes 5 us-gaap_AccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeLossNetOfTax us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true -151203000 -151203 false false 2 false true -190262000 -190262 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 36 Treasury stock 5 us-gaap_TreasuryStockValue us-gaap true debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true -1514695000 -1514695 false false 2 false true -1520772000 -1520772 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 37 Stockholders' Equity, Total 5 us-gaap_StockholdersEquity us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 7455218000 7455218 false false 2 false true 7929204000 7929204 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 38 Noncontrolling interests 4 us-gaap_MinorityInterest us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 249026000 249026 false false 2 false true 327477000 327477 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 39 Total equity 4 nue_StockholdersEquityIncludingPortionAttributableToNoncontrollingInterest nue false credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 7704244000 7704244 false false 2 false true 8256681000 8256681 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 40 Total liabilities and equity 3 us-gaap_LiabilitiesAndStockholdersEquity us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 true true 12411047000 12411047 false false 2 true true 13874443000 13874443 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true false 2 33 false Thousands UnKnown UnKnown false true