LONG-TERM DEBT (Details) In Thousands, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended			3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended	15 Months Ended					3 Months Ended			3 Months Ended			3 Months Ended						3 Months Ended						3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended	3 Months Ended				12 Months Ended			12 Months Ended		3 Months Ended						3 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2012 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2011 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2007	Oct. 21, 2013 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2013 Convertible Debt 2017 [Member] USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2010 Convertible Debt 2017 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Convertible Debt 2017 [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 21, 2009 Convertible Debt 2017 [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2013 Letter Of Credit Subfacility [Member] Revolver Due 2018 [Member] USD ($)	Mar. 28, 2013 Letter Of Credit Subfacility [Member] Revolver Due 2018 [Member] USD ($)	Mar. 28, 2013 Multicurrency Subfacility [Member] Revolver Due 2018 [Member] USD ($)	Mar. 28, 2013 Swingline Subfacility [Member] Revolver Due 2018 [Member] USD ($)	Mar. 28, 2013 Margin Rate [Member] Revolver Due 2018 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 LIBOR Rate [Member] Foreign Line of Credit [Member]	Mar. 28, 2013 LIBOR Rate [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Bankers Acceptance Rate [Member] Foreign Line of Credit [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 Senior Notes [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2013 Real Estate Mortgages Loan [Member]		Dec. 31, 2012 Real Estate Mortgages Loan [Member]		Sep. 30, 2013 Real Estate Mortgages Loan [Member]		Dec. 31, 2013 Employee Stock Ownership Plan Loan [Member] USD ($)		Dec. 31, 2012 Employee Stock Ownership Plan Loan [Member]		Sep. 30, 2013 Employee Stock Ownership Plan Loan [Member]		Dec. 31, 2013 Term Loan [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2013 Term Loan [Member] AUD	Sep. 30, 2011 Term Loan [Member] EUR (€)	Dec. 31, 2013 Capital Lease Obligations [Member]		Dec. 31, 2012 Capital Lease Obligations [Member]		Sep. 30, 2007 Capital Lease Obligations [Member] USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2013 Capital Lease Obligations [Member]		Sep. 30, 2011 Revolver Due 2013 [Member] EUR (€)	Dec. 31, 2013 Foreign Term Loan [Member] Brazilian CDI [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Foreign Term Loan [Member] USD ($)		Dec. 31, 2012 Foreign Term Loan [Member]		Sep. 30, 2013 Foreign Term Loan [Member]		Dec. 31, 2013 Foreign Line of Credit [Member] CAD		Dec. 31, 2012 Foreign Line of Credit [Member] CAD		Sep. 30, 2013 Foreign Line of Credit [Member]		Mar. 28, 2013 Revolver Due 2016 [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2013 Revolver Due 2018 [Member] USD ($)	Mar. 28, 2013 Revolver Due 2018 [Member] USD ($)
LONG-TERM DEBT (Details) [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Face Amount	$ 21,098				$ 17,175				$ 100,000									$ 550,000														12,500
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage									4.00%									7.125%
Number of Senior Secured Revolving Credit Facility	2
Line of Credit Facility, Current Borrowing Capacity											60,000	50,000																																					15,000						200,000		225,000
Proceeds from Lines of Credit													30,000
Line of Credit Facility, Interest Rate During Period														1.00%		2.00%
Line of Credit Facility, Amount Outstanding	0		11,013							24,947																					11,091												3,378
Line of Credit Facility, Remaining Borrowing Capacity																																																								180,053
Debt Instrument, Convertible, Conversion Ratio						67.8495
Debt Conversion, Converted Instrument, Amount						1,000
Debt Instrument, Convertible, Conversion Price (in Dollars per share)						$ 14.74
Debt Instrument, Convertible, Terms of Conversion Feature							1%
Last Conversion Price Adjustment (in Dollars per share)						$ 0.105
Potential Conversion Rate Adjustment						0.89%
Debt Instrument, Convertible, If-converted Value in Excess of Principal						15,720		15,720
Number of Properties Refinanced					2
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date	Oct. 31, 2018																														Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2018
Debt Instrument, Description of Variable Rate Basis			The revolving credit facility accrues interest at EURIBOR plus 2.45% per annum																The loans bear interest at a rate of LIBOR plus 2.75%.						The loans bear interest at a) LIBOR plus 2.25% or b) the lender's prime rate, at Griffon's option.
Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate	2.45%	1.30%																	2.75%						2.25%						2.80%	2.80%
Number of Refinanced ESOP Loan	2
Number of New Term Loan Refinance from ESOP Loans	1
Amount of Line Note Available to Purchase Common Stock in Open Market	10,000
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Shares Purchased for Award (in Shares)	120,000
Share Based Compensation Arrangement by Share Based Payment Award Shares Purchased for Award Value	1,591
Debt Instrument, Periodic Payment, Principal	419																								505
Debt Instrument Balloon Payment																									19,000
Proceeds from Issuance of Long-term Debt	57,635	303																																				14,290
Capital Lease Maturity Year				2022
Long-term Debt, Percentage Bearing Fixed Interest, Percentage Rate				5.00%
Proceeds from Long-term Lines of Credit (in Euro)																																	20,000								10,000										15,000
Line of Credit Facility, Expiration Date	Nov. 30, 2014
Maintains Maximum Amount Of Line Of Credit																																											5,500
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate During Period	6.00%																		3.60%	[1]	5.30%	[1]			2.90%	[2]	2.90%	[2]						5.30%	[3]	5.30%	[3]							[4]		[4]				[4]		[4]
Line of Credit Facility, Interest Rate at Period End															1.47%		2.45%																									15.77%
Proceeds from Long-term Lines of Credit (in Dollars)																																	€ 20,000								€ 10,000										15,000
Line of Credit Facility, Interest Rate Description																																																			The facility accrues interest at LIBOR (USD) or the Bankers Acceptance Rate (CDN) plus 1.3% per annum
Term Loan Maturity Period																															Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2016
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate at Period End																				[1]				[1]		[2]				[2]	5.42%	5.42%		5.00%	[3]				5.00%	[3]				[4]				[4]		[4]				[4]

[1] On October 21, 2013, Griffon refinanced two properties' real estate mortgages to secure new loans totaling $17,175. The loans mature in October 2018, are collateralized by the related properties and are guaranteed by Griffon. The loans bear interest at a rate of LIBOR plus 2.75%.

[2] In December 2013, Griffon's Employee Stock Ownership Plan ("ESOP") entered into an agreement, which refinanced the two existing ESOP loans into one new Term Loan in the amount of $21,098. The Agreement also provided a Line Note with $10,000 available to purchase shares of Griffon common stock in the open market through September 29, 2014 at which point the Line Note will be combined with the Term Loan. Through December 31, 2013, 120,000 shares of Griffon common stock, for a total of $1,591, have been purchased with the Line Note proceeds. The loans bear interest at a) LIBOR plus 2.25% or b) the lender's prime rate, at Griffon's option. The loans require quarterly principal payments of $505 through September 30, 2014 and $419 per quarter thereafter, with a balloon payment of approximately $19,000 due at maturity in December 2018 (except that if the Company's 7-1/8 Senior Notes due 2018 are still outstanding on October 1, 2017, the Facility will mature on October 1, 2017). The loans are secured by shares purchased with the proceeds of the loans and with a lien on a specific amount of Griffon assets, and Griffon guarantees repayment.

[3] In October 2006, CBP entered into a capital lease totaling $14,290 for real estate in Troy, Ohio. The lease matures in 2022, bears interest at a fixed rate of 5.0%, is secured by a mortgage on the real estate and is guaranteed by Griffon.

[4] In November 2010, Clopay Europe GMBH ("Clopay Europe") entered into a 10,000 revolving credit facility and a 20,000 term loan. The term loan was paid off in December 2013 and the revolver had borrowings of $11,013 at December 31, 2013. The revolving facility matures in November 2014, but is renewable upon mutual agreement with the bank. The revolving credit facility accrues interest at EURIBOR plus 2.45% per annum. Clopay Europe is required to maintain a certain minimum equity to assets ratio and keep leverage below a certain level, defined as the ratio of total debt to EBITDA.Clopay do Brazil maintains lines of credit of approximately $5,500. Interest on borrowings accrues at a rate of Brazilian CDI plus 6.0% (15.77% at December 31, 2013). At December 31, 2013 there was approximately $3,378 borrowed under the lines. Clopay Plastic Products Co., Inc. guarantees the loan and lines.In November 2012, Garant G.P. ("Garant") entered into a CAD $15,000 revolving credit facility. The facility accrues interest at LIBOR (USD) or the Bankers Acceptance Rate (CDN) plus 1.3% per annum (1.47% LIBOR USD and 2.45% Bankers Acceptance Rate CDN as of December 31, 2013). The revolving facility matures in November 2015. Garant is required to maintain a certain minimum equity. At December 31, 2013, there were 0 borrowings under the revolving credit facility with CAD $15,000 available for borrowing.In December 2013, Northcote Holdings Pty. Ltd entered into an AUD $12,500 term loan. The term loan is unsecured, requires quarterly interest payments and principal is due at maturity (December 2016). The loan accrues interest at Bank Bill Swap Bid Rate "BBSY" plus 2.8% per annum (5.42% at December 31, 2013). The Loan is guaranteed by Griffon Corporation and had an outstanding balance of $11,091 at December 31, 2013.