Consolidated Statements of Earnings - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2022	Dec. 31, 2021	Dec. 31, 2020
Income Statement [Abstract]
Net sales (Note 23)	$ 41,512,467	$ 36,483,939	$ 20,139,658
Costs, expenses and other:
Cost of products sold (Notes 6, 13 and 20)	29,009,187	25,458,525	17,911,708
Marketing, administrative and other expenses (Note 6)	1,997,178	1,706,609	615,041
Equity in (earnings) losses of unconsolidated subsidiaries	(10,714)	(103,068)	10,533
Losses and impairments of assets (Notes 7, 8, 9, 14, 19, 20 and 27)	101,756	62,161	613,640
Interest expense, net (Notes 6, 18 and 19)	170,216	158,854	153,198
Costs, expenses and other, total	31,267,623	27,283,081	19,304,120
Earnings before income taxes and noncontrolling interests	10,244,844	9,200,858	835,538
Provision for income taxes (Notes 19 and 27)	2,165,204	2,078,488	(490)
Net earnings	8,079,640	7,122,370	836,028
Earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	472,303	294,909	114,558
Net earnings attributable to Nucor stockholders	$ 7,607,337	$ 6,827,461	$ 721,470
Net earnings per share (Note 21):
Basic	$ 28.88	$ 23.23	$ 2.37
Diluted	$ 28.79	$ 23.16	$ 2.36