Supplemental Financial Information (Consolidating Statements Of Operations) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011	Sep. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2011	Mar. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Sep. 30, 2010	Jun. 30, 2010	Mar. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009
Net sales	$ 174,141	$ 220,096	$ 208,807	$ 163,563	$ 144,115	$ 169,741	$ 176,924	$ 146,674	$ 766,607	$ 637,454	$ 639,076
Cost of sales									621,492	533,586	519,348
Gross profit	26,679	42,963	45,428	30,045	15,932	27,498	33,981	26,457	145,115	103,868	119,728
Selling, general, and administrative expense									108,957	99,546	96,691
Intangible asset impairment					77,141			(177)		76,964	60,098
(Loss) income from operations	(6,815)	18,361	17,390	7,222	(88,500)	4,236	9,437	2,185	36,158	(72,642)	(37,061)
Interest expense (income)	5,042	4,869	4,998	4,454	4,363	4,429	4,352	6,570	19,363	19,714	21,433
Other income									(90)	(77)	(311)
(Loss) income before taxes									16,885	(92,279)	(58,183)
(Benefit of) provision for income taxes									7,669	(16,923)	(18,611)
(Loss) income from continuing operations	(6,854)	7,383	7,246	1,441	(76,338)	781	2,593	(2,392)	9,216	(75,356)	(39,572)
Income (loss) before taxes									13,840	(27,125)	(20,181)
(Benefit of) provision for income taxes									6,533	(11,413)	(7,728)
Income (loss) from discontinued operations	249	(469)	559	6,968	1,823	416	888	(18,839)	7,307	(15,712)	(12,453)
Net income (loss)	(6,605)	6,914	7,805	8,409	(74,515)	1,197	3,481	(21,231)	16,523	(91,068)	(52,025)
Gibraltar Industries, Inc. [Member]
Selling, general, and administrative expense									75	331	(85)
(Loss) income from operations									(75)	(331)	85
Interest expense (income)									16,874	16,111	15,840
(Loss) income before taxes									(16,949)	(16,442)	(15,755)
(Benefit of) provision for income taxes									(6,339)	(6,592)	(6,132)
(Loss) income from continuing operations									(10,610)	(9,850)	(9,623)
Equity in earnings from subsidiaries									28,392	(81,045)	(41,321)
Net income (loss)									17,782	(90,895)	(50,944)
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Net sales									683,614	564,312	574,067
Cost of sales									551,641	471,280	462,544
Gross profit									131,973	93,032	111,523
Selling, general, and administrative expense									99,090	90,433	87,925
Intangible asset impairment										76,964	60,098
(Loss) income from operations									32,883	(74,365)	(36,500)
Interest expense (income)									2,569	3,615	5,617
Other income									(90)	(50)	(296)
(Loss) income before taxes									30,404	(77,930)	(41,821)
(Benefit of) provision for income taxes									13,180	(10,642)	(12,148)
(Loss) income from continuing operations									17,224	(67,288)	(29,673)
Income (loss) before taxes									13,621	(27,912)	(19,653)
(Benefit of) provision for income taxes									6,432	(11,646)	(7,560)
Income (loss) from discontinued operations									7,189	(16,266)	(12,093)
Equity in earnings from subsidiaries									3,979	2,509	445
Net income (loss)									28,392	(81,045)	(41,321)
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Net sales									104,077	91,721	78,902
Cost of sales									89,676	80,712	69,616
Gross profit									14,401	11,009	9,286
Selling, general, and administrative expense									9,792	8,782	8,851
(Loss) income from operations									4,609	2,227	435
Interest expense (income)									(80)	(12)	(24)
Other income										(27)	(15)
(Loss) income before taxes									4,689	2,266	474
(Benefit of) provision for income taxes									828	311	(331)
(Loss) income from continuing operations									3,861	1,955	805
Income (loss) before taxes									219	787	(528)
(Benefit of) provision for income taxes									101	233	(168)
Income (loss) from discontinued operations									118	554	(360)
Net income (loss)									3,979	2,509	445
Eliminations [Member]
Net sales									(21,084)	(18,579)	(13,893)
Cost of sales									(19,825)	(18,406)	(12,812)
Gross profit									(1,259)	(173)	(1,081)
(Loss) income from operations									(1,259)	(173)	(1,081)
(Loss) income before taxes									(1,259)	(173)	(1,081)
(Loss) income from continuing operations									(1,259)	(173)	(1,081)
Equity in earnings from subsidiaries									(32,371)	78,536	40,876
Net income (loss)									$ (33,630)	$ 78,363	$ 39,795