EMPLOYEE RETIREMENT PLANS (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended							1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009	Dec. 31, 2009 Closure of manufacturing facility in Sarnia, Ontario	Dec. 31, 2011 Pension Benefits	Dec. 31, 2010 Pension Benefits	Dec. 31, 2009 Pension Benefits	Feb. 28, 2011 Pension Benefits Closure of manufacturing facility in Sarnia, Ontario	Dec. 31, 2009 Postretirement health care plan Closure of manufacturing facility in Sarnia, Ontario	Dec. 31, 2009 Georgia Gulf Corporation Retirement Plan	Dec. 31, 2011 U.S defined contribution plan	Dec. 31, 2010 U.S defined contribution plan	Dec. 31, 2009 U.S defined contribution plan	Dec. 31, 2011 Canadian defined contribution plan
EMPLOYEE RETIREMENT PLANS
Expense (credit) incurred for employee retirement plans	$ 8,000,000	$ 2,300,000	$ (1,300,000)
Employee retirement plans
Expense related to the defined contribution plans											3,700,000	1,300,000	1,800,000	2,100,000
Curtailment gain				1,400,000			5,690,000		800,000	4,300,000
Contribution to the pension plan								800,000
Benefit income recognized									2,500,000
Settlement gains									1,700,000
Reconciliation of the beginning and ending balances of the projected benefit obligation for defined benefit plans
Benefit obligation, beginning of year					143,133,000	133,229,000
Interest cost					7,397,000	7,747,000	7,803,000
Actuarial loss					10,226,000	6,378,000
Foreign currency exchange rate changes					58,000	390,000
Gross benefits paid					(13,524,000)	(4,721,000)
Plan amendments						110,000
Benefit obligation, end of year					147,290,000	143,133,000	133,229,000
Accumulated benefit obligation, end of year					147,290,000	143,133,000
Reconciliation of the beginning and ending balances of the fair value of the plans' assets
Fair value of plan assets, beginning of year					122,509,000	115,613,000
Actual return on plan assets					(2,401,000)	9,704,000
Foreign currency exchange rate changes					60,000	397,000
Employer contribution					1,094,000	1,516,000
Gross benefits paid					(13,524,000)	(4,721,000)
Fair value of plan assets, end of year	$ 107,738,000				$ 107,738,000	$ 122,509,000	$ 115,613,000