Supplemental Financial Information (Condensed Consolidating Statements of Cash Flows) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Condensed Cash Flow Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities of continuing operations	$ 86,684	$ 32,583	$ 60,304
Net cash used in operating activities of discontinued operations	0	(41)	(9)
Net cash provided by operating activities	86,684	32,542	60,295
Cash Flows from Investing Activities
Other, net	1,154	277	0
Purchases of property, plant, and equipment	(12,373)	(23,291)	(14,940)
Cash paid for acquisitions, net of cash acquired	140,621	0	5,536
Net proceeds from sale of property and equipment	26,500	5,992	12,610
Net cash used in investing activities	(125,340)	(17,022)	(7,866)
Cash Flows from Financing Activities
Long-term debt payments	(73,642)	(407)	(205,094)
Proceeds from long-term debt	73,242	0	210,000
Payment of debt issuance costs	(1,166)	(35)	(3,899)
Payment of note redemption fees	0	0	(3,702)
Purchase of treasury stock at market prices	(956)	(575)	(714)
Intercompany financing	0	0	0
Excess tax benefit from stock compensation	537	100	72
Net proceeds from issuance of common stock	1,801	595	648
Net cash used in financing activities	(184)	(322)	(2,689)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	(2,912)	(1,627)	(729)
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents	(41,752)	13,571	49,011
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year	110,610	97,039	48,028
Cash and cash equivalents at end of year	68,858	110,610	97,039
Gibraltar Industries, Inc.
Condensed Cash Flow Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities of continuing operations		(13,437)	(9,023)
Net cash used in operating activities of discontinued operations		0	0
Net cash provided by operating activities	(13,309)	(13,437)	(9,023)
Cash Flows from Investing Activities
Other, net	0	0
Purchases of property, plant, and equipment	0	0	0
Cash paid for acquisitions, net of cash acquired	0		0
Net proceeds from sale of property and equipment	0	0	0
Net cash used in investing activities	0	0	0
Cash Flows from Financing Activities
Long-term debt payments	0	0	(204,000)
Proceeds from long-term debt	0		210,000
Payment of debt issuance costs	0	0	(3,858)
Payment of note redemption fees			(3,702)
Purchase of treasury stock at market prices	(956)	(575)	(714)
Intercompany financing	11,927	13,317	10,577
Excess tax benefit from stock compensation	537	100	72
Net proceeds from issuance of common stock	1,801	595	648
Net cash used in financing activities	13,309	13,437	9,023
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	0	0	0
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year	0	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents at end of year	0	0	0
Guarantor Subsidiaries
Condensed Cash Flow Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities of continuing operations		40,820	64,994
Net cash used in operating activities of discontinued operations		(41)	(9)
Net cash provided by operating activities	94,440	40,779	64,985
Cash Flows from Investing Activities
Other, net	1,154	277
Purchases of property, plant, and equipment	(11,754)	(19,286)	(11,719)
Cash paid for acquisitions, net of cash acquired	114,145		5,536
Net proceeds from sale of property and equipment	26,500	5,989	12,592
Net cash used in investing activities	(98,245)	(13,020)	(4,663)
Cash Flows from Financing Activities
Long-term debt payments	(73,642)	(407)	(1,094)
Proceeds from long-term debt	73,242		0
Payment of debt issuance costs	(1,166)	(35)	(41)
Payment of note redemption fees			0
Purchase of treasury stock at market prices	0	0	0
Intercompany financing	(46,498)	(11,707)	(9,494)
Excess tax benefit from stock compensation	0	0	0
Net proceeds from issuance of common stock	0	0	0
Net cash used in financing activities	(48,064)	(12,149)	(10,629)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	0	0	0
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents	(51,869)	15,610	49,693
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year	91,466	75,856	26,163
Cash and cash equivalents at end of year	39,597	91,466	75,856
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Condensed Cash Flow Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities of continuing operations		5,200	4,333
Net cash used in operating activities of discontinued operations		0	0
Net cash provided by operating activities	5,553	5,200	4,333
Cash Flows from Investing Activities
Other, net	0	0
Purchases of property, plant, and equipment	(619)	(4,005)	(3,221)
Cash paid for acquisitions, net of cash acquired	26,476		0
Net proceeds from sale of property and equipment	0	3	18
Net cash used in investing activities	(27,095)	(4,002)	(3,203)
Cash Flows from Financing Activities
Long-term debt payments	0	0	0
Proceeds from long-term debt	0		0
Payment of debt issuance costs	0	0	0
Payment of note redemption fees			0
Purchase of treasury stock at market prices	0	0	0
Intercompany financing	34,571	(1,610)	(1,083)
Excess tax benefit from stock compensation	0	0	0
Net proceeds from issuance of common stock	0	0	0
Net cash used in financing activities	34,571	(1,610)	(1,083)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	(2,912)	(1,627)	(729)
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents	10,117	(2,039)	(682)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year	19,144	21,183	21,865
Cash and cash equivalents at end of year	29,261	19,144	21,183
Eliminations
Condensed Cash Flow Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities of continuing operations		0	0
Net cash used in operating activities of discontinued operations		0	0
Net cash provided by operating activities	0	0	0
Cash Flows from Investing Activities
Other, net	0	0
Purchases of property, plant, and equipment	0	0	0
Cash paid for acquisitions, net of cash acquired	0		0
Net proceeds from sale of property and equipment	0	0	0
Net cash used in investing activities	0	0	0
Cash Flows from Financing Activities
Long-term debt payments	0	0	0
Proceeds from long-term debt	0		0
Payment of debt issuance costs	0	0	0
Payment of note redemption fees			0
Purchase of treasury stock at market prices	0	0	0
Intercompany financing	0	0	0
Excess tax benefit from stock compensation	0	0	0
Net proceeds from issuance of common stock	0	0	0
Net cash used in financing activities	0	0	0
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	0	0	0
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year	0	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents at end of year	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0