Condensed Consolidating Statement of Operations (Detail) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2012	Oct. 02, 2011	Sep. 30, 2012	Oct. 02, 2011
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
NET SALES	$ 242,863	$ 248,721	$ 682,425	$ 708,567
Cost of Sales	160,002	161,536	450,344	453,700
Gross profit on sales	82,861	87,185	232,081	254,867
Selling, General and Administrative Expenses	58,014	62,574	168,134	184,110
Losses related to Australia fire	(980)	0	(980)	0
Restructuring and asset impairment charge	770	0	17,086	0
Operating Income (loss)	23,097	24,611	45,881	70,757
INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAX EXPENSE	16,631	18,353	25,925	50,882
Income Tax Expense	5,564	6,661	10,418	17,623
Income from Continuing Operations	11,067	11,692	15,507	33,259
Income (loss) from discontinued operations (net of tax)	(16,840)	476	(16,956)	1,547
Net Income (Loss)	(5,773)	12,168	(1,449)	34,806
GUARANTOR SUBSIDIARIES
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
NET SALES	165,391		428,084
Cost of Sales	122,447		314,158
Gross profit on sales	42,944		113,926
Selling, General and Administrative Expenses	23,966		68,452
Losses related to Australia fire	0		0
Restructuring and asset impairment charge	0		1,143
Operating Income (loss)	18,978		44,331
Interest/other expense	3,598		21,827
INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAX EXPENSE	15,380		22,504
Income Tax Expense	5,145		7,329
Equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	0		0
Income from Continuing Operations	10,235		15,175
Income (loss) from discontinued operations (net of tax)	(16,840)		(16,956)
Net Income (Loss)	(6,605)		(1,781)
NON-GUARANTOR SUBSIDIARIES
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
NET SALES	120,383		358,564
Cost of Sales	80,466		240,409
Gross profit on sales	39,917		118,155
Selling, General and Administrative Expenses	28,260		82,928
Losses related to Australia fire	980		980
Restructuring and asset impairment charge	770		15,943
Operating Income (loss)	9,907		18,304
Interest/other expense	3,410		10,013
INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAX EXPENSE	6,497		8,291
Income Tax Expense	2,174		4,452
Equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	0		0
Income from Continuing Operations	4,323		3,839
Income (loss) from discontinued operations (net of tax)	0		0
Net Income (Loss)	4,323		3,839
INTERFACE, INC (PARENT CORPORATION)
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
NET SALES	0		0
Cost of Sales	0		0
Gross profit on sales	0		0
Selling, General and Administrative Expenses	5,788		16,754
Losses related to Australia fire	0		0
Restructuring and asset impairment charge	0		0
Operating Income (loss)	(5,788)		(16,754)
Interest/other expense	(542)		(11,884)
INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAX EXPENSE	(5,246)		(4,870)
Income Tax Expense	(1,755)		(1,363)
Equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	(2,282)		2,058
Income from Continuing Operations	(5,773)		(1,449)
Income (loss) from discontinued operations (net of tax)	0		0
Net Income (Loss)	(5,773)		(1,449)
CONSOLIDATION AND ELIMINATION ENTRIES
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
NET SALES	(42,911)		(104,223)
Cost of Sales	(42,911)		(104,223)
Gross profit on sales	0		0
Selling, General and Administrative Expenses	0		0
Losses related to Australia fire	0		0
Restructuring and asset impairment charge	0		0
Operating Income (loss)	0		0
Interest/other expense	0		0
INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAX EXPENSE	0		0
Income Tax Expense	0		0
Equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	2,282		(2,058)
Income from Continuing Operations	2,282		(2,058)
Income (loss) from discontinued operations (net of tax)	0		0
Net Income (Loss)	2,282		(2,058)
CONSOLIDATED TOTALS
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
NET SALES	242,863		682,425
Cost of Sales	160,002		450,344
Gross profit on sales	82,861		232,081
Selling, General and Administrative Expenses	58,014		168,134
Losses related to Australia fire	980		980
Restructuring and asset impairment charge	770		17,086
Operating Income (loss)	23,097		45,881
Interest/other expense	6,466		19,956
INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAX EXPENSE	16,631		25,925
Income Tax Expense	5,564		10,418
Equity in income (loss) of subsidiaries	0		0
Income from Continuing Operations	11,067		15,507
Income (loss) from discontinued operations (net of tax)	(16,840)		(16,956)
Net Income (Loss)	$ (5,773)		$ (1,449)