Quarterly Results Of Operations (Schedule of Quarterly Financial Information) (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended																12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011		Sep. 24, 2011		Jun. 25, 2011		Mar. 26, 2011		Dec. 25, 2010		Sep. 25, 2010		Jun. 26, 2010		Mar. 27, 2010		Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 25, 2010	Dec. 26, 2009
Quarterly Results Of Operations [Line Items]
Sales	$ 1,835,800,000	[1]	$ 1,774,800,000		$ 1,647,600,000	[2]	$ 1,863,000,000		$ 1,766,200,000	[3]	$ 1,813,400,000		$ 1,653,200,000	[4]	$ 1,911,700,000	[5]	$ 7,121,167,000	$ 7,150,007,000	$ 7,212,050,000
Gross Profit	449,900,000	[1]	459,700,000		425,100,000	[2]	474,500,000		446,000,000	[3]	470,400,000		427,700,000	[4]	505,500,000	[5]	1,809,180,000	1,849,652,000	1,737,598,000
Percent of sales	24.50%	[1]	25.90%		25.80%	[2]	25.50%		25.30%	[3]	25.90%		25.90%	[4]	26.40%	[5]
Operating income	12,600,000	[1]	41,300,000		4,000,000	[2]	28,600,000		28,100,000	[3]	40,900,000		28,100,000	[4]	49,400,000	[5]	86,486,000	146,466,000	(3,988,000)
Net income available to OfficeMax common shareholders	2,900,000	[1]	21,500,000		(3,000,000)	[2]	11,400,000		12,100,000	[3]	20,000,000		11,800,000	[4]	24,800,000	[5]	32,771,000	68,628,000	(2,151,000)
Basic	$ 0.03	[1],[6]	$ 0.25	[6]	$ (0.04)	[2],[6]	$ 0.13	[6]	$ 0.14	[3],[6]	$ 0.23	[6]	$ 0.14	[4],[6]	$ 0.29	[5],[6]	$ 0.38	$ 0.81	$ (0.03)
Diluted	$ 0.03	[1],[6]	$ 0.25	[6]	$ (0.04)	[2],[6]	$ 0.13	[6]	$ 0.14	[3],[6]	$ 0.23	[6]	$ 0.14	[4],[6]	$ 0.29	[5],[6]	$ 0.38	$ 0.79	$ (0.03)
Common stock dividends paid per share		[1]				[2]				[3]				[4]		[5]
Pre-tax charges for severance																	14,900,000		18,100,000
Pre-tax charge to impair fixed assets																	11,200,000	11,000,000	17,600,000
Low [Member]
Quarterly Results Of Operations [Line Items]
Common stock prices	$ 3.90	[1],[7]	$ 4.46	[7]	$ 6.05	[2],[7]	$ 12.24	[7]	$ 12.73	[3],[7]	$ 9.67	[7]	$ 14.21	[4],[7]	$ 12.60	[5],[7]
High [Member]
Quarterly Results Of Operations [Line Items]
Common stock prices	$ 5.93	[1],[7]	$ 8.82	[7]	$ 14.36	[2],[7]	$ 18.95	[7]	$ 19.20	[3],[7]	$ 15.81	[7]	$ 19.79	[4],[7]	$ 17.34	[5],[7]
Severance And Store Closures [Member]
Quarterly Results Of Operations [Line Items]
Pre-tax charges/income									2,800,000
Pre-tax charges for severance															800,000
Retail Segment [Member]
Quarterly Results Of Operations [Line Items]
Pre-tax charges for severance	6,600,000				8,300,000
Pre-tax charge to impair fixed assets	11,200,000								11,000,000
Pre-tax charge related to Retail store closures					5,600,000								1,100,000		13,400,000		5,600,000	13,100,000	31,200,000
Legacy Manufacturing Facility [Member]
Quarterly Results Of Operations [Line Items]
Pre-tax income related to adjustment of reserve					$ 3,900,000				$ 5,500,000									$ 9,400,000

[1] Includes an $11.2 million non-cash pre-tax charge to impair fixed assets associated with our Retail stores in the U.S. and $6.6 million of pre-tax charges for severance primarily related to Contract and Retail reorganizations.

[2] Includes a $5.6 million pre-tax charge related to Retail store closures in the U.S., and $8.3 million of pre-tax charges for severance related to Contract and Retail reorganizations.

[3] Includes an $11.0 million non-cash pre-tax charge to impair fixed assets associated with our Retail stores in the U.S., $2.8 million of pre-tax income related to the adjustment of previously established reserves for severance and store closures and a $5.5 million of pre-tax income related to the adjustment of a reserve associated with our legacy building materials manufacturing facility near Elma, Washington.

[4] Includes a $1.1 million pre-tax charge related to Retail store closures in the U.S., and a $3.9 million of pre-tax income related to the adjustment of a reserve associated with our legacy building materials manufacturing facility near Elma, Washington.

[5] Includes a $13.4 million pre-tax charge related to Retail store closures in the U.S., and a $0.8 million pre-tax charge for severance related to Contract reorganizations.

[6] Quarters added together may not equal full year amount because each quarter is calculated on a stand-alone basis.

[7] The Company's common stock (symbol OMX) is traded on the New York Stock Exchange.