Approximate number of tons shipped annually.

No definition available.

Name:	nue_ApproximateAnnualShipmentTons
Namespace Prefix:	nue_
Data Type:	num:massItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Number of production facilities that are part of acquisition.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	nue_NumberOfProductionFacilitiesThatArePartOfAcquisition
Namespace Prefix:	nue_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The amount of goodwill arising from a business combination that is expected to be deductible for tax purposes.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 805
-SubTopic 30
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (d)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35744584&loc=d3e6927-128479

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionPurchasePriceAllocationGoodwillExpectedTaxDeductibleAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of consideration transferred, consisting of acquisition-date fair value of assets transferred by the acquirer, liabilities incurred by the acquirer, and equity interest issued by the acquirer.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 805
-SubTopic 30
-Section 30
-Paragraph 7
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6911251&loc=d3e6578-128477

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 805
-SubTopic 30
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35744584&loc=d3e6927-128479

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 805
-SubTopic 30
-Section 30
-Paragraph 8
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6911251&loc=d3e6613-128477

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessCombinationConsiderationTransferred1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount after accumulated impairment loss of an asset representing future economic benefits arising from other assets acquired in a business combination that are not individually identified and separately recognized.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 350
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35741047&loc=d3e13816-109267

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 350
-SubTopic 20
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6388280&loc=d3e13770-109266

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 350
-SubTopic 20
-Section 45
-Paragraph 5
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=77989000&loc=SL49117168-202975

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_Goodwill
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis=nue_RepublicConduitMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis=nue_OtherAcquisitionsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis=nue_SouthlandTubeMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis=stpr_AL
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis=nue_StLouisColdDrawnIncMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis=nue_StLouisMissouriMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis=nue_MonterreyMexicoMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=nue_SteelMillsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Acquisitions and Dispositions - Additional Information (Detail)				9 Months Ended
	Sep. 01, 2017 USD ($) Facility T	Jan. 20, 2017 USD ($) Facility T	Jan. 09, 2017 USD ($) Facility T	Sep. 30, 2017 USD ($)	Oct. 01, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Goodwill				$ 2,208,246,000		$ 2,052,728,000
Republic [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Business acquisition approximate purchase price		$ 331,600,000
Approximate annual shipment tons \| T		146,000
Number of manufacturing facilities \| Facility		2
Goodwill		$ 115,562,000
Other Acquisitions [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Business acquisition approximate purchase price				212,700,000	$ 48,100,000
Southland [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Business acquisition approximate purchase price			$ 130,000,000
Approximate annual shipment tons \| T			240,000
Southland [Member] \| Alabama [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Number of manufacturing facilities \| Facility			1
St. Louis Cold Drawn, Inc. [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Business acquisition approximate purchase price	$ 60,000,000
Approximate annual shipment tons \| T	200,000
Number of manufacturing facilities \| Facility	2
St. Louis Cold Drawn, Inc. [Member] \| St Louis Missouri [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Number of manufacturing facilities \| Facility	1
St. Louis Cold Drawn, Inc. [Member] \| Monterrey, Mexico [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Number of manufacturing facilities \| Facility	1
Steel Mills [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Goodwill				$ 745,484,000		$ 620,156,000
Steel Mills [Member] \| Republic [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Goodwill		115,600,000
Goodwill expected to be deductible for tax purposes		$ 118,600,000