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BUSINESS SEGMENTS (Details) - Summary of Reconciliation of Segment Profit Before Taxes and Operations (USD $)	3 Months Ended			6 Months Ended		1 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014	Jan. 31, 2013	Sep. 30, 2014
Home & Building Products:
Revenue	$ 500,020,000us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet	$ 507,687,000us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet		$ 1,002,180,000us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet	$ 961,145,000us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet
Segment operating profit:
Segment operating profit	20,809,000us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss	19,673,000us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss		44,902,000us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss	36,654,000us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss
Net interest expense	(11,857,000)us-gaap_InterestIncomeExpenseNet	(12,361,000)us-gaap_InterestIncomeExpenseNet		(23,494,000)us-gaap_InterestIncomeExpenseNet	(25,462,000)us-gaap_InterestIncomeExpenseNet
Unallocated amounts	(7,580,000)	(8,391,000)		(15,844,000)	(16,374,000)
Income before taxes	8,195,000	(30,795,000)		20,200,000	(26,009,000)
Segment adjusted EBITDA:
Segment adjusted EBITDA	44,710,000	45,875,000		93,763,000	90,081,000
Net interest expense	(11,857,000)us-gaap_InterestIncomeExpenseNet	(12,361,000)us-gaap_InterestIncomeExpenseNet		(23,494,000)us-gaap_InterestIncomeExpenseNet	(25,462,000)us-gaap_InterestIncomeExpenseNet
Consolidated depreciation and amortization	17,193,000	16,439,000		34,453,000	33,232,000
Unallocated amounts	(7,580,000)	(8,391,000)		(15,844,000)	(16,374,000)
Restructuring charges	0us-gaap_RestructuringCharges	(692,000)us-gaap_RestructuringCharges	(842,000)us-gaap_RestructuringCharges	0us-gaap_RestructuringCharges	(1,534,000)us-gaap_RestructuringCharges
Acquisition costs	0us-gaap_AcquisitionCosts	0us-gaap_AcquisitionCosts		0us-gaap_AcquisitionCosts	(798,000)us-gaap_AcquisitionCosts
Segment:
Capital expenditures	20,792,000	16,929,000		39,713,000	34,845,000
Ames True Temper Inc [Member]
Home & Building Products:
Revenue	159,092,000	160,705,000		292,202,000	257,313,000
Segment adjusted EBITDA:
Restructuring charges						(7,941,000)
Clopay Building Products [Member]
Home & Building Products:
Revenue	104,513,000	90,838,000		243,113,000	212,680,000
Home And Building Products [Member]
Home & Building Products:
Revenue	263,605,000	251,543,000		535,315,000	469,993,000
Segment operating profit:
Segment operating profit	8,651,000	8,818,000		25,020,000	18,211,000
Segment adjusted EBITDA:
Segment adjusted EBITDA	17,330,000	17,124,000		41,800,000	36,191,000
Consolidated depreciation and amortization	8,679,000	7,614,000		16,780,000	15,648,000
Restructuring charges		(692,000)			(1,534,000)
Segment:
Capital expenditures	11,114,000	6,722,000		21,375,000	15,190,000
Telephonics [Member]
Home & Building Products:
Revenue	98,687,000	104,185,000		189,345,000	200,210,000
Segment operating profit:
Segment operating profit	9,114,000	10,677,000		16,631,000	21,329,000
Segment adjusted EBITDA:
Segment adjusted EBITDA	11,616,000	12,535,000		21,648,000	24,931,000
Consolidated depreciation and amortization	2,502,000	1,858,000		5,017,000	3,602,000
Restructuring charges							(4,244)
Segment:
Capital expenditures	1,339,000	5,520,000		2,308,000	8,887,000
Plastics [Member]
Home & Building Products:
Revenue	137,728,000	151,959,000		277,520,000	290,942,000
Segment operating profit:
Segment operating profit	9,867,000	9,352,000		17,887,000	15,177,000
Segment adjusted EBITDA:
Segment adjusted EBITDA	15,764,000	16,216,000		30,315,000	28,959,000
Consolidated depreciation and amortization	5,897,000	6,864,000		12,428,000	13,782,000
Segment:
Capital expenditures	7,486,000	4,390,000		15,165,000	10,150,000
Operating Segments [Member]
Segment operating profit:
Segment operating profit	27,632,000	28,847,000		59,538,000	54,717,000
Segment adjusted EBITDA:
Consolidated depreciation and amortization	17,078,000	16,336,000		34,225,000	33,032,000
Segment:
Capital expenditures	19,939,000	16,632,000		38,848,000	34,227,000
Corporate, Non-Segment [Member]
Segment adjusted EBITDA:
Consolidated depreciation and amortization	115,000	103,000		228,000	200,000
Segment:
Capital expenditures	$ 853,000	$ 297,000		$ 865,000	$ 618,000