Segment Information - Segment Information (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 29, 2012	Jul. 01, 2011	Jun. 29, 2012 segments	Jul. 01, 2011
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Third party, net sales	$ 223,792	$ 256,858	$ 422,475	$ 467,237
Intersegment, net sales	0	0	0	0
Total net sales	223,792	256,858	422,475	467,237
Income (loss) from operations	8,065	8,569	7,779	9,381
Depreciation and amortization	8,633	9,509	17,314	18,746
Capital expenditures	1,221	2,714	2,647	5,990
Segment Reporting, Disclosure of Other Information about Entity's Reportable Segments [Abstract]
Number of reportable segments			4
U.S. Residential Products
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Third party, net sales	76,550	82,928	137,196	143,112
Intersegment, net sales	311	261	583	515
Total net sales	76,861	83,189	137,779	143,627
Income (loss) from operations	7,484	7,238	10,786	10,132
Depreciation and amortization	2,644	2,841	5,287	5,686
Capital expenditures	289	121	740	435
U.S. Commercial Products
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Third party, net sales	78,778	78,073	142,933	144,895
Intersegment, net sales	39	66	129	70
Total net sales	78,817	78,139	143,062	144,965
Income (loss) from operations	1,511	2,203	(1,542)	(37)
Depreciation and amortization	2,026	2,071	4,074	4,171
Capital expenditures	200	1,074	395	2,035
European Roll Coated Aluminum
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Third party, net sales	49,324	72,543	103,472	132,989
Intersegment, net sales	107	230	265	396
Total net sales	49,431	72,773	103,737	133,385
Income (loss) from operations	3,291	4,631	5,884	9,437
Depreciation and amortization	2,358	2,792	4,755	5,435
Capital expenditures	273	367	750	763
European Engineered Products
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Third party, net sales	19,140	23,314	38,874	46,241
Intersegment, net sales	0	0	0	0
Total net sales	19,140	23,314	38,874	46,241
Income (loss) from operations	(463)	(32)	(843)	543
Depreciation and amortization	631	848	1,253	1,628
Capital expenditures	149	516	452	1,182
Other Non-Allocated
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Third party, net sales	0	0	0	0
Intersegment, net sales	0	0	0	0
Total net sales	0	0	0	0
Income (loss) from operations	(3,758)	(5,471)	(6,506)	(10,694)
Depreciation and amortization	974	957	1,945	1,826
Capital expenditures	310	636	310	1,575
Eliminations
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Third party, net sales	0	0	0	0
Intersegment, net sales	(457)	(557)	(977)	(981)
Total net sales	(457)	(557)	(977)	(981)
Income (loss) from operations	0	0	0	0
Depreciation and amortization	0	0	0	0
Capital expenditures	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0
U.S.
Segment Reporting, Disclosure of Other Information about Entity's Reportable Segments [Abstract]
Number of legal entities into which US operating companies are organized			1
Number of reportable segments			2