RESTRUCTURING ACTIVITIES (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended			3 Months Ended								1 Months Ended		3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2012	Mar. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2011 2011 Building Products Restructuring Plan plant	Mar. 31, 2012 2011 Building Products Restructuring Plan	Mar. 31, 2011 Fourth Quarter 2008 Restructuring Plan	Dec. 31, 2008 Fourth Quarter 2008 Restructuring Plan lb	Mar. 31, 2012 Chlorovinyls Fourth Quarter 2008 Restructuring Plan Involuntary termination benefits	Mar. 31, 2011 Chlorovinyls Fourth Quarter 2008 Restructuring Plan Involuntary termination benefits	Mar. 31, 2011 Chlorovinyls Fourth Quarter 2008 Restructuring Plan Exit costs	Mar. 31, 2012 Building Products 2011 Building Products Restructuring Plan Involuntary termination benefits	Mar. 31, 2012 Building Products Fourth Quarter 2008 Restructuring Plan Involuntary termination benefits	Mar. 31, 2011 Building Products Fourth Quarter 2008 Restructuring Plan Involuntary termination benefits	Mar. 31, 2012 Building Products Other Involuntary termination benefits	Mar. 31, 2011 Building Products Other Involuntary termination benefits	Dec. 31, 2011 Window and door profiles business plant	Dec. 31, 2011 Pipe business plant	Mar. 31, 2012 Corporate Fourth Quarter 2008 Restructuring Plan Involuntary termination benefits	Mar. 31, 2011 Corporate Fourth Quarter 2008 Restructuring Plan Involuntary termination benefits
Restructuring activities
Number of plants under consolidation			3												2	1
Severance and other exit costs				$ 100,000	$ 600,000
Production capacity of manufacturing facility permanently shut down (in pounds)						450,000,000
Restructuring activities, by reportable segment
Balance at the beginning of the period	3,403,000	1,648,000					69,000	108,000	130,000	2,061,000	898,000	1,168,000	221,000	86,000			154,000	156,000
Additions	108,000	582,000						634,000		113,000		(52,000)	(5,000)
Cash Payments	(386,000)	(992,000)						(789,000)		(332,000)		(179,000)	(54,000)	(24,000)
Foreign Exchange and Other Adjustments	56,000	167,000					1,000	136,000	4,000	33,000	18,000	21,000	1,000	1,000			3,000	5,000
Balance at the end of the period	3,181,000	1,405,000					70,000	89,000	134,000	1,875,000	916,000	958,000	163,000	63,000			157,000	161,000
Settlement of pension and postretirement benefits from permanently shut down PVC manufacturing facility paid								600,000
Net reversal of impairment of tangible long-lived assets	300,000
Professional fees associated with unsolicited offer to acquire business	$ 4,900,000