Long-Term Debt and Borrowings Under Short-Term Credit Agreements	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2014
Debt Disclosure [Abstract]
Long-Term Debt and Borrowings Under Short-Term Credit Agreements	LONG-TERM DEBT AND BORROWINGS UNDER SHORT-TERM CREDIT AGREEMENTS Revolving Credit Facility On December 31, 2013, the Company and Graybar Canada Limited, the Company's Canadian operating subsidiary (“Graybar Canada”), had an unsecured, five-year, $500,000 revolving credit agreement maturing in September 2016 with Bank of America, N.A. and other lenders named therein, which included a combined letter of credit sub-facility of up to $50,000, a U.S. swing line loan facility of up to $50,000, and a Canadian swing line loan facility of up to $20,000 (the "Credit Agreement"). The Credit Agreement also included a $100,000 sublimit (in U.S. or Canadian dollars) for borrowings by Graybar Canada and contained an accordion feature, which allowed the Company to request increases in the aggregate borrowing commitments of up to $200,000. On June 6, 2014, the Company and Graybar Canada amended and extended their five-year revolving credit facility to, among other things, increase the availability from $500,000 to $550,000, which includes a combined letter of credit sub-facility of up to $50,000, a U.S. swing-line loan facility of up to $50,000, and a Canadian swing-line loan facility of up to $20,000, pursuant to the terms and conditions of a Second Amendment to Credit Agreement, dated as of June 6, 2014 (the “Amended Credit Agreement”), by and among Graybar, as parent borrower, Graybar Canada Limited, as a borrower, the lenders party thereto, Bank of America, N.A. as Domestic Administrative Agent, Domestic Swing Line Lender and Domestic L/C Issuer and Bank of America, N.A., acting through its Canada branch, as Canadian Administrative Agent, Canadian Swing Line Lender and Canadian L/C Issuer. The Amended Credit Agreement includes a $100,000 sublimit (in U.S. or Canadian dollars) for borrowings by Graybar Canada and contains an accordion feature, which allows Graybar to request increases to the aggregate borrowing commitments of up to $300,000. The Amended Credit Agreement matures in June 2019. Borrowings of Graybar Canada may be in U.S. Dollars or Canadian Dollars. The obligations of Graybar Canada are secured by the guaranty of Graybar and any material domestic subsidiaries of Graybar (as defined in the Amended Credit Agreement). Under no circumstances will Graybar Canada use its borrowings to benefit Graybar or its operations, including without limitation to repay any of Graybar’s obligations under the facility. Interest on the Company’s borrowings under the Amended Credit Agreement are based on, at the borrower’s election, either (A) (i) the base rate (as defined in the Amended Credit Agreement), or (ii) LIBOR (in the case of Graybar as borrower) or (B) (i) the base rate (as defined in the agreement) or (ii) CDOR (in the case of Graybar Canada as borrower), in each case plus an applicable margin, as determined by the pricing grid set forth in the Amended Credit Agreement. In connection with such a borrowing, the applicable borrower also selects the term of the loan, up to six months. Swing line loans, which are daily loans, bear interest at a rate based on, at the borrower’s election, either (i) the base rate or (ii) the daily floating Eurodollar rate (or CDOR, in the case of Graybar Canada). In addition to interest payments, there are also certain fees and obligations associated with borrowings, swing-line loans, letters of credit and other administrative matters. The Amended Credit Agreement provides for a quarterly commitment fee ranging from 0.25% to 0.40% per annum, subject to adjustment based upon the consolidated leverage ratio for a fiscal quarter, and letter of credit fees ranging from 1.00% to 1.60% per annum payable quarterly, subject to such adjustment. Borrowings can be either base rate loans plus a margin ranging from 0.00% to 0.60% or LIBOR loans plus a margin ranging from 1.00% to 1.60%, subject to adjustment based upon the Company's consolidated leverage ratio. Availability under the Amended Credit Agreement is subject to the accuracy of representations and warranties and absence of a default and, in the case of Canadian borrowings denominated in Canadian dollars, the absence of a material adverse change in the national or international financial markets, which would make it impracticable to lend Canadian dollars. The Amended Credit Agreement contains customary affirmative and negative covenants for credit facilities of this type, including limitations on Graybar and its subsidiaries with respect to indebtedness, liens, changes in the nature of our business, investments, mergers and acquisitions, issuance of equity securities, dispositions of assets and dissolution of certain subsidiaries, transactions with affiliates, restricted payments (subject to incurrence tests, with certain exceptions), as well as securitizations, factoring transactions, and transactions with sanctioned parties or in violation of certain U.S. or Canadian anti-corruption laws. There are also maximum leverage ratio and minimum interest coverage ratio financial covenants that the Company is subject to during the term of the Amended Credit Agreement. The Company was in compliance with all these covenants as of September 30, 2014 and December 31, 2013. The Amended Credit Agreement also provides for customary events of default, including a failure to pay principal, interest or fees when due, the fact that any representation or warranty made by any of the credit parties is materially incorrect, failure to comply with covenants, the occurrence of an event of default under certain other indebtedness of Graybar and its subsidiaries, the commencement of certain insolvency or receivership events affecting any of the credit parties, certain actions under Employee Retirement Income Security Act ("ERISA") and the occurrence of a change in control of any of the credit parties (subject to certain permitted transactions as described in the Amended Credit Agreement). Upon the occurrence of an event of default, the commitments of the lenders may be terminated and all outstanding obligations of the credit parties under the Amended Credit Agreement may be declared immediately due and payable. At September 30, 2014, the Company had total letters of credit of $6,081 outstanding, of which $356 were issued under the $550,000 revolving credit facility. At December 31, 2013, the Company had total letters of credit of $6,886 outstanding, of which $711 were issued under the $500,000 revolving credit facility. The letters of credit are used primarily to support certain workers' compensation insurance policies. There were $73,682 and $82,442 in short-term borrowings outstanding under the revolving credit facility at September 30, 2014 and December 31, 2013, respectively. Private Placement Shelf Agreement On September 22, 2014, the Company entered into an uncommitted $100,000 private placement shelf agreement with Prudential Investment Management, Inc. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth below, the facility is expected to allow the Company to issue senior promissory notes to affiliates of Prudential at fixed rate economic terms to be agreed upon at the time of any issuance during a three year issuance period ending in September 2017. At September 30, 2014, no notes had been issued under the shelf agreement. The term of each note issuance will be selected by the Company and will not exceed 12 years and will have such other particular terms as shall be set forth, in the case of any series of notes, in the Confirmation of Acceptance with respect to such series. Any notes issued under the shelf agreement will be guaranteed by the Company’s material domestic subsidiaries, if any, as described in the shelf agreement. Any future proceeds of any issuance under the facilities will be used for general corporate purposes, including working capital and capital expenditures, to refinance existing indebtedness and/or to fund potential acquisitions. The shelf agreement contains customary representations and warranties of the Company and Prudential. The shelf agreement also contains customary events of default, including: a failure to pay principal, interest or fees when due; a failure to comply with covenants; the fact that any representation or warranty made by any of the credit parties is incorrect when given; the occurrence of an event of default under the Amended Credit Agreement or certain other indebtedness of Graybar and its subsidiaries; the commencement of certain insolvency or receivership events affecting any of the credit parties; certain actions under ERISA; and the occurrence of a change in control of Graybar (subject to certain permitted transactions as described in the Amended Credit Agreement). Upon the occurrence of an event of default, all outstanding obligations of Graybar under the shelf agreement may be declared immediately due and payable. The shelf agreement contains customary affirmative and negative covenants for facilities of this type, including limitations on Graybar and its subsidiaries with respect to indebtedness, liens, changes in the nature of our business, investments, mergers and acquisitions, issuance of equity securities, dispositions of assets and dissolution of certain subsidiaries, transactions with affiliates, restricted payments (subject to incurrence tests, with certain exceptions), as well as securitizations, factoring transactions, and transactions with sanctioned parties or in violation of certain U.S. or Canadian anti-terrorism laws. There are also maximum leverage ratio and minimum interest coverage ratio financial covenants that the Company is subject to during the term of the shelf agreement. In addition, the Company has agreed to a most favored lender clause which is designed to ensure that any notes issued under the shelf agreement in the future shall continue to be of equal ranking with the Company’s indebtedness under the Amended Credit Agreement.

LONG-TERM DEBT AND BORROWINGS UNDER SHORT-TERM CREDIT AGREEMENTS

Revolving Credit Facility

On December 31, 2013, the Company and Graybar Canada Limited, the Company's Canadian operating subsidiary (“Graybar Canada”), had an unsecured, five-year, $500,000 revolving credit agreement maturing in September 2016 with Bank of America, N.A. and other lenders named therein, which included a combined letter of credit sub-facility of up to $50,000, a U.S. swing line loan facility of up to $50,000, and a Canadian swing line loan facility of up to $20,000 (the "Credit Agreement"). The Credit Agreement also included a $100,000 sublimit (in U.S. or Canadian dollars) for borrowings by Graybar Canada and contained an accordion feature, which allowed the Company to request increases in the aggregate borrowing commitments of up to $200,000.

On June 6, 2014, the Company and Graybar Canada amended and extended their five-year revolving credit facility to, among other things, increase the availability from $500,000 to $550,000, which includes a combined letter of credit sub-facility of up to $50,000, a U.S. swing-line loan facility of up to $50,000, and a Canadian swing-line loan facility of up to $20,000, pursuant to the terms and conditions of a Second Amendment to Credit Agreement, dated as of June 6, 2014 (the “Amended Credit Agreement”), by and among Graybar, as parent borrower, Graybar Canada Limited, as a borrower, the lenders party thereto, Bank of America, N.A. as Domestic Administrative Agent, Domestic Swing Line Lender and Domestic L/C Issuer and Bank of America, N.A., acting through its Canada branch, as Canadian Administrative Agent, Canadian Swing Line Lender and Canadian L/C Issuer. The Amended Credit Agreement includes a $100,000 sublimit (in U.S. or Canadian dollars) for borrowings by Graybar Canada and contains an accordion feature, which allows Graybar to request increases to the aggregate borrowing commitments of up to $300,000. The Amended Credit Agreement matures in June 2019.

Borrowings of Graybar Canada may be in U.S. Dollars or Canadian Dollars. The obligations of Graybar Canada are secured by the guaranty of Graybar and any material domestic subsidiaries of Graybar (as defined in the Amended Credit Agreement). Under no circumstances will Graybar Canada use its borrowings to benefit Graybar or its operations, including without limitation to repay any of Graybar’s obligations under the facility.

Interest on the Company’s borrowings under the Amended Credit Agreement are based on, at the borrower’s election, either (A) (i) the base rate (as defined in the Amended Credit Agreement), or (ii) LIBOR (in the case of Graybar as borrower) or (B) (i) the base rate (as defined in the agreement) or (ii) CDOR (in the case of Graybar Canada as borrower), in each case plus an applicable margin, as determined by the pricing grid set forth in the Amended Credit Agreement. In connection with such a borrowing, the applicable borrower also selects the term of the loan, up to six months. Swing line loans, which are daily loans, bear interest at a rate based on, at the borrower’s election, either (i) the base rate or (ii) the daily floating Eurodollar rate (or CDOR, in the case of Graybar Canada). In addition to interest payments, there are also certain fees and obligations associated with borrowings, swing-line loans, letters of credit and other administrative matters.

The Amended Credit Agreement provides for a quarterly commitment fee ranging from 0.25% to 0.40% per annum, subject to adjustment based upon the consolidated leverage ratio for a fiscal quarter, and letter of credit fees ranging from 1.00% to 1.60% per annum payable quarterly, subject to such adjustment. Borrowings can be either base rate loans plus a margin ranging from 0.00% to 0.60% or LIBOR loans plus a margin ranging from 1.00% to 1.60%, subject to adjustment based upon the Company's consolidated leverage ratio. Availability under the Amended Credit Agreement is subject to the accuracy of representations and warranties and absence of a default and, in the case of Canadian borrowings denominated in Canadian dollars, the absence of a material adverse change in the national or international financial markets, which would make it impracticable to lend Canadian dollars.

The Amended Credit Agreement contains customary affirmative and negative covenants for credit facilities of this type, including limitations on Graybar and its subsidiaries with respect to indebtedness, liens, changes in the nature of our business, investments, mergers and acquisitions, issuance of equity securities, dispositions of assets and dissolution of certain subsidiaries, transactions with affiliates, restricted payments (subject to incurrence tests, with certain exceptions), as well as securitizations, factoring transactions, and transactions with sanctioned parties or in violation of certain U.S. or Canadian anti-corruption laws. There are also maximum leverage ratio and minimum interest coverage ratio financial covenants that the Company is subject to during the term of the Amended Credit Agreement. The Company was in compliance with all these covenants as of September 30, 2014 and December 31, 2013.

The Amended Credit Agreement also provides for customary events of default, including a failure to pay principal, interest or fees when due, the fact that any representation or warranty made by any of the credit parties is materially incorrect, failure to comply with covenants, the occurrence of an event of default under certain other indebtedness of Graybar and its subsidiaries, the commencement of certain insolvency or receivership events affecting any of the credit parties, certain actions under Employee Retirement Income Security Act ("ERISA") and the occurrence of a change in control of any of the credit parties (subject to certain permitted transactions as described in the Amended Credit Agreement). Upon the occurrence of an event of default, the commitments of the lenders may be terminated and all outstanding obligations of the credit parties under the Amended Credit Agreement may be declared immediately due and payable.

At September 30, 2014, the Company had total letters of credit of $6,081 outstanding, of which $356 were issued under the $550,000 revolving credit facility. At December 31, 2013, the Company had total letters of credit of $6,886 outstanding, of which $711 were issued under the $500,000 revolving credit facility. The letters of credit are used primarily to support certain workers' compensation insurance policies.

There were $73,682 and $82,442 in short-term borrowings outstanding under the revolving credit facility at September 30, 2014 and December 31, 2013, respectively.

Private Placement Shelf Agreement

On September 22, 2014, the Company entered into an uncommitted $100,000 private placement shelf agreement with Prudential Investment Management, Inc. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth below, the facility is expected to allow the Company to issue senior promissory notes to affiliates of Prudential at fixed rate economic terms to be agreed upon at the time of any issuance during a three year issuance period ending in September 2017. At September 30, 2014, no notes had been issued under the shelf agreement.

The term of each note issuance will be selected by the Company and will not exceed 12 years and will have such other particular terms as shall be set forth, in the case of any series of notes, in the Confirmation of Acceptance with respect to such series. Any notes issued under the shelf agreement will be guaranteed by the Company’s material domestic subsidiaries, if any, as described in the shelf agreement. Any future proceeds of any issuance under the facilities will be used for general corporate purposes, including working capital and capital expenditures, to refinance existing indebtedness and/or to fund potential acquisitions.

The shelf agreement contains customary representations and warranties of the Company and Prudential. The shelf agreement also contains customary events of default, including: a failure to pay principal, interest or fees when due; a failure to comply with covenants; the fact that any representation or warranty made by any of the credit parties is incorrect when given; the occurrence of an event of default under the Amended Credit Agreement or certain other indebtedness of Graybar and its subsidiaries; the commencement of certain insolvency or receivership events affecting any of the credit parties; certain actions under ERISA; and the occurrence of a change in control of Graybar (subject to certain permitted transactions as described in the Amended Credit Agreement). Upon the occurrence of an event of default, all outstanding obligations of Graybar under the shelf agreement may be declared immediately due and payable.

The shelf agreement contains customary affirmative and negative covenants for facilities of this type, including limitations on Graybar and its subsidiaries with respect to indebtedness, liens, changes in the nature of our business, investments, mergers and acquisitions, issuance of equity securities, dispositions of assets and dissolution of certain subsidiaries, transactions with affiliates, restricted payments (subject to incurrence tests, with certain exceptions), as well as securitizations, factoring transactions, and transactions with sanctioned parties or in violation of certain U.S. or Canadian anti-terrorism laws. There are also maximum leverage ratio and minimum interest coverage ratio financial covenants that the Company is subject to during the term of the shelf agreement. In addition, the Company has agreed to a most favored lender clause which is designed to ensure that any notes issued under the shelf agreement in the future shall continue to be of equal ranking with the Company’s indebtedness under the Amended Credit Agreement.