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Summary of Significant Accounting Policies - Additional Information (Detail)	12 Months Ended
	May 31, 2016 USD ($) State Country Facility JointVentures Customer	May 31, 2015 USD ($)	May 31, 2014 USD ($)	Jul. 31, 2013
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Lower of cost or market adjustment		$ 1,716,000
Number of manufacturing facilities operated \| Facility	82
Number of States operated \| State	24
Number of Countries operated \| Country	11
Number of joint ventures \| JointVentures	12
Returns and allowances increase (decrease)	$ (341,000)
Returns and Allowances	6,052,000
Allowance for doubtful accounts increase (decrease)	1,494,000
Receivables, allowances	4,579,000	3,085,000
Depreciation Expenses	68,886,000	64,666,000	$ 62,344,000
Advertising Expenses	13,970,000	11,153,000	6,788,000
Provision (benefit) for income taxes	58,987,000	$ 25,772,000	$ 57,349,000
Adjustments for New Accounting Pronouncement
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Provision (benefit) for income taxes	$ (3,178,000)
Amended accounting guidance, description	Income Tax Accounting – The amended accounting guidance requires all excess tax benefits and tax deficiencies to be recognized as an income tax benefit or expense on a prospective basis in the period of adoption. The adoption of this provision of the amended accounting guidance resulted in the recognition of excess tax benefits of $3,178,000 in income tax expense, rather than in paid-in capital, during fiscal 2016. As the adoption was on a prospective basis, prior periods have not been restated.
Building and Improvements \| Minimum
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Property, plant and equipment, estimated useful life	10 years
Building and Improvements \| Maximum
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Property, plant and equipment, estimated useful life	40 years
Machinery and Equipment \| Minimum
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Property, plant and equipment, estimated useful life	3 years
Machinery and Equipment \| Maximum
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Property, plant and equipment, estimated useful life	20 years
Net Sales \| Product Concentration Risk
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Concentration risk percentage	43.00%	38.00%	36.00%
Net Sales \| Foreign Operations
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Concentration risk percentage	8.00%	6.00%	7.00%
Net Earnings \| Foreign Operations
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Concentration risk percentage	10.00%	(2.00%)	(2.00%)
Net Assets, Segment \| Foreign Operations
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Concentration risk percentage	14.00%	14.00%
Workforce Subject to Collective Bargaining Arrangements \| Labor Force Concentration Risk [Member]
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Concentration risk percentage	8.00%
Largest Customer
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Number of customers \| Customer	10
Largest Customer \| Net Sales \| Customer Concentration Risk
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Concentration risk percentage	8.00%
Ten Largest Customers \| Net Sales \| Customer Concentration Risk
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Concentration risk percentage	34.00%
WRC
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Number of manufacturing facilities operated \| Facility	31
Consolidated Entities
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Number of joint ventures \| JointVentures	6
DHybrid Systems LLC \| Joint Venture Transactions
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Percent of controlling interest by the Company	79.59%
Spartan \| Joint Venture Transactions
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Percent of controlling interest by the Company	52.00%
TWB \| Joint Venture Transactions
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Percent of controlling interest by the Company	55.00%			55.00%
Worthington Aritas \| Joint Venture Transactions
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Percent of controlling interest by the Company	75.00%
WEI \| Joint Venture Transactions
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Percent of controlling interest by the Company	75.00%
Worthington Specialty Processing \| Joint Venture Transactions
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Percent of controlling interest by the Company	51.00%