Supplemental Financial Information (Condensed Consolidating Statements Of Cash Flows) (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities of continuing operations	$ 60,304,000	$ 50,232,000	$ 49,828,000
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities of discontinued operations	(9,000)	(151,000)	(3,133,000)
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities	60,295,000	50,081,000	46,695,000
Purchases of property, plant, and equipment	(14,940,000)	(11,351,000)	(11,552,000)
Purchase of other investment			(250,000)
Cash paid for acquisitions, net of cash acquired	(5,536,000)	(45,071,000)	(109,248,000)
Net proceeds from sale of property and equipment	12,610,000	659,000	1,226,000
Net proceeds from sale of businesses			67,529,000
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities for continuing operations	(7,866,000)	(55,763,000)	(52,295,000)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities of discontinued operations			2,089,000
Net cash used in investing activities	(7,866,000)	(55,763,000)	(50,206,000)
Proceeds from long-term debt	210,000,000		73,849,000
Long-term debt payments	(205,094,000)	(473,000)	(74,262,000)
Purchase of treasury stock at market prices	(714,000)	(970,000)	(826,000)
Payment of deferred financing fees	(3,899,000)	(18,000)	(1,570,000)
Payment of note redemption fees	(3,702,000)
Tax benefit from equity/ stock compensation	72,000	10,000
Net proceeds from issuance of common stock	648,000	278,000	34,000
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(2,689,000)	(1,173,000)	(2,775,000)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	(729,000)	766,000	(463,000)
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents	49,011,000	(6,089,000)	(6,749,000)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year	48,028,000	54,117,000	60,866,000
Cash and cash equivalents at end of year	97,039,000	48,028,000	54,117,000
Gibraltar Industries, Inc. [Member]
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities of continuing operations	(9,023,000)	(16,435,000)	(15,876,000)
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities	(9,023,000)	(16,435,000)	(15,876,000)
Proceeds from long-term debt	210,000,000
Long-term debt payments	(204,000,000)
Purchase of treasury stock at market prices	(714,000)	(970,000)	(826,000)
Payment of deferred financing fees	(3,858,000)
Payment of note redemption fees	(3,702,000)
Intercompany financing	10,577,000	17,116,000	16,668,000
Tax benefit from equity/ stock compensation	72,000	11,000
Net proceeds from issuance of common stock	648,000	278,000	34,000
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	9,023,000	16,435,000	15,876,000
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities of continuing operations	64,994,000	58,628,000	56,841,000
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities of discontinued operations	(9,000)	(151,000)	(3,181,000)
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities	64,985,000	58,477,000	53,660,000
Purchases of property, plant, and equipment	(11,719,000)	(9,868,000)	(11,033,000)
Purchase of other investment			(250,000)
Cash paid for acquisitions, net of cash acquired	(5,536,000)	(42,366,000)	(109,248,000)
Net proceeds from sale of property and equipment	12,592,000	311,000	1,085,000
Net proceeds from sale of businesses			67,529,000
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities for continuing operations			(51,917,000)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities of discontinued operations			2,089,000
Net cash used in investing activities	(4,663,000)	(51,923,000)	(49,828,000)
Proceeds from long-term debt			73,849,000
Long-term debt payments	(1,094,000)	(473,000)	(74,262,000)
Payment of deferred financing fees	(41,000)	(18,000)	(1,570,000)
Intercompany financing	(9,494,000)	(14,590,000)	(13,507,000)
Tax benefit from equity/ stock compensation		(1,000)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(10,629,000)	(15,082,000)	(15,490,000)
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents	49,693,000	(8,528,000)	(11,658,000)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year	26,163,000	34,691,000	46,349,000
Cash and cash equivalents at end of year	75,856,000	26,163,000	34,691,000
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities of continuing operations	4,333,000	8,039,000	8,863,000
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities of discontinued operations			48,000
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities	4,333,000	8,039,000	8,911,000
Purchases of property, plant, and equipment	(3,221,000)	(1,483,000)	(519,000)
Cash paid for acquisitions, net of cash acquired		(2,705,000)
Net proceeds from sale of property and equipment	18,000	348,000	141,000
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities for continuing operations			(378,000)
Net cash used in investing activities	(3,203,000)	(3,840,000)	(378,000)
Intercompany financing	(1,083,000)	(2,526,000)	(3,161,000)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(1,083,000)	(2,526,000)	(3,161,000)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	(729,000)	766,000	(463,000)
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents	(682,000)	2,439,000	4,909,000
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year	21,865,000	19,426,000	14,517,000
Cash and cash equivalents at end of year	21,183,000	21,865,000	19,426,000
Eliminations [Member]
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities of continuing operations
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities of discontinued operations
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities
Purchases of property, plant, and equipment
Purchase of other investment
Cash paid for acquisitions, net of cash acquired
Net proceeds from sale of property and equipment
Net proceeds from sale of businesses
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities for continuing operations
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities of discontinued operations
Net cash used in investing activities
Proceeds from long-term debt
Long-term debt payments
Purchase of treasury stock at market prices
Payment of deferred financing fees
Intercompany financing
Tax benefit from equity/ stock compensation
Net proceeds from issuance of common stock
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year
Cash and cash equivalents at end of year