Stock Plans	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2011
Stock Plans [Abstract]
Stock Plans	Stock Plans Most U.S. salaried and non-union hourly employees are eligible to participate in the Company’s 401(k) plan (the "Retirement Savings Plan"). The Retirement Savings Plan provides for the investment of employer and employee contributions in various investment alternatives including the Company’s common stock, at the employee’s direction. Through June 30, 2009, the Company contributed an amount equal to 50% of employee contributions up to 6% of eligible compensation. As of July 1, 2009, the Company match was temporarily suspended. Effective April 1, 2010, the Company reinstated the Company match. The Company expenses all contributions made to the Retirement Savings Plan. The Company recognized expense of $3,399, $2,481 and $1,424 in 2011, 2010 and 2009, respectively. As of December 31, 2011, the Retirement Savings Plan held 3,119,731 shares of the Company’s common stock. The Company has an Employee Stock Purchase Plan (“ESPP”) under which eligible employees may elect to have up to the lesser of $25 or 10% of base compensation deducted from their payroll checks for the purchase of the Company’s common stock at 95% of the average market value on the date of purchase. The maximum number of shares which may be purchased under the ESPP is 4,550,000. The number of shares purchased under the ESPP was 31,874, 41,791 and 64,394 in 2011, 2010 and 2009, respectively. The Company received cash proceeds from the purchase of these shares of $670, $733 and $829 in 2011, 2010 and 2009, respectively. As of December 31, 2011, 364,153 additional shares may be purchased. The 1991 Barnes Group Stock Incentive Plan (the “1991 Plan”) authorized the granting of incentives to executive officers, directors and key employees in the form of stock options, stock appreciation rights, incentive stock rights and performance unit awards. Options granted under the 1991 Plan that terminated without being exercised become available for future grants under the 2004 Plan. A maximum of 89,277 common shares are subject to issuance under this plan after December 31, 2011. The Barnes Group Inc. Employee Stock and Ownership Program (the “2000 Plan”) was approved on April 12, 2000, and subsequently amended on April 10, 2002 by the Company’s stockholders. The 2000 Plan permitted the granting of incentive stock options, nonqualified stock options, restricted stock awards, performance share or cash unit awards and stock appreciation rights, or any combination of the foregoing, to eligible employees to purchase up to 6,900,000 shares of the Company’s common stock. Such shares were authorized and reserved. Options granted under the 2000 Plan that terminate without being exercised become available for future grants under the 2004 Plan. A maximum of 49,732 common shares are subject to issuance under the 2000 Plan after December 31, 2011. The Barnes Group Stock and Incentive Award Plan (the “2004 Plan”) was approved on April 14, 2004, and subsequently amended on April 20, 2006 and May 7, 2010 upon approval of Amendments to the 2004 Plan on such dates by the Company’s stockholders. The 2004 Plan permits the issuance of incentive awards, stock option grants and stock appreciation rights to eligible participants to purchase up to 5,700,000 shares of common stock. Of this amount as of December 31, 2011 and 2010, there were 2,383,451 and 2,755,053 shares, respectively, available for future grants under the 2004 Plan. Also available for grants under the Plan are the number of shares of common stock reserved for grants of awards under the 1991 and 2000 Plans (collectively, the “Prior Plans”) but not used as of April 14, 2004 and the number of shares of common stock that become available under the terms of the 1991, 2000 and 2004 Plans, including shares subject to awards which are forfeited, settled for cash, expire or otherwise terminate without issuance of the shares. Including shares of common stock that become available under the terms of the Prior Plans, a maximum of 5,413,924 common shares are subject to issuance under the 2004 Plan after December 31, 2011. Restricted stock unit awards under the 2004 Plan (“Stock Rights”) entitle the holder to receive, without payment, one share of the Company’s common stock after the expiration of the vesting period. Certain Stock Rights are also subject to the satisfaction of established performance goals. Additionally, holders of certain Stock Rights are credited with dividend equivalents, which are converted into additional Stock Rights, and holders of certain restricted stock units are paid dividend equivalents in cash when dividends are paid to other stockholders. All Stock Rights have a vesting period of up to five years. Under the Non-Employee Director Deferred Stock Plan, as further amended, each non-employee director who joined the Board of Directors prior to December 15, 2005 was granted the right to receive 12,000 shares of the Company’s common stock upon retirement. In 2011 and 2010, $23 and $25, respectively, of dividend equivalents were paid in cash related to these shares. Compensation cost related to this plan was $25, $28 and $28 in 2011, 2010 and 2009, respectively. There are 72,000 shares reserved for issuance under this plan. Each non-employee director who joins the Board of Directors subsequent to December 15, 2005 will receive restricted stock units under the 2004 Plan having a value of $50 that vest three years after the date of grant. Total shares reserved for issuance under all stock plans aggregated 5,989,086 at December 31, 2011.

Stock Plans

Most U.S. salaried and non-union hourly employees are eligible to participate in the Company’s 401(k) plan (the "Retirement Savings Plan"). The Retirement Savings Plan provides for the investment of employer and employee contributions in various investment alternatives including the Company’s common stock, at the employee’s direction. Through June 30, 2009, the Company contributed an amount equal to 50% of employee contributions up to 6% of eligible compensation. As of July 1, 2009, the Company match was temporarily suspended. Effective April 1, 2010, the Company reinstated the Company match. The Company expenses all contributions made to the Retirement Savings Plan. The Company recognized expense of $3,399, $2,481 and $1,424 in 2011, 2010 and 2009, respectively. As of December 31, 2011, the Retirement Savings Plan held 3,119,731 shares of the Company’s common stock.

The Company has an Employee Stock Purchase Plan (“ESPP”) under which eligible employees may elect to have up to the lesser of $25 or 10% of base compensation deducted from their payroll checks for the purchase of the Company’s common stock at 95% of the average market value on the date of purchase. The maximum number of shares which may be purchased under the ESPP is 4,550,000. The number of shares purchased under the ESPP was 31,874, 41,791 and 64,394 in 2011, 2010 and 2009, respectively. The Company received cash proceeds from the purchase of these shares of $670, $733 and $829 in 2011, 2010 and 2009, respectively. As of December 31, 2011, 364,153 additional shares may be purchased.

The 1991 Barnes Group Stock Incentive Plan (the “1991 Plan”) authorized the granting of incentives to executive officers, directors and key employees in the form of stock options, stock appreciation rights, incentive stock rights and performance unit awards. Options granted under the 1991 Plan that terminated without being exercised become available for future grants under the 2004 Plan. A maximum of 89,277 common shares are subject to issuance under this plan after December 31, 2011.

The Barnes Group Inc. Employee Stock and Ownership Program (the “2000 Plan”) was approved on April 12, 2000, and subsequently amended on April 10, 2002 by the Company’s stockholders. The 2000 Plan permitted the granting of incentive stock options, nonqualified stock options, restricted stock awards, performance share or cash unit awards and stock appreciation rights, or any combination of the foregoing, to eligible employees to purchase up to 6,900,000 shares of the Company’s common stock. Such shares were authorized and reserved. Options granted under the 2000 Plan that terminate without being exercised become available for future grants under the 2004 Plan. A maximum of 49,732 common shares are subject to issuance under the 2000 Plan after December 31, 2011.

The Barnes Group Stock and Incentive Award Plan (the “2004 Plan”) was approved on April 14, 2004, and subsequently amended on April 20, 2006 and May 7, 2010 upon approval of Amendments to the 2004 Plan on such dates by the Company’s stockholders. The 2004 Plan permits the issuance of incentive awards, stock option grants and stock appreciation rights to eligible participants to purchase up to 5,700,000 shares of common stock. Of this amount as of December 31, 2011 and 2010, there were 2,383,451 and 2,755,053 shares, respectively, available for future grants under the 2004 Plan. Also available for grants under the Plan are the number of shares of common stock reserved for grants of awards under the 1991 and 2000 Plans (collectively, the “Prior Plans”) but not used as of April 14, 2004 and the number of shares of common stock that become available under the terms of the 1991, 2000 and 2004 Plans, including shares subject to awards which are forfeited, settled for cash, expire or otherwise terminate without issuance of the shares. Including shares of common stock that become available under the terms of the Prior Plans, a maximum of 5,413,924 common shares are subject to issuance under the 2004 Plan after December 31, 2011.

Restricted stock unit awards under the 2004 Plan (“Stock Rights”) entitle the holder to receive, without payment, one share of the Company’s common stock after the expiration of the vesting period. Certain Stock Rights are also subject to the satisfaction of established performance goals. Additionally, holders of certain Stock Rights are credited with dividend equivalents, which are converted into additional Stock Rights, and holders of certain restricted stock units are paid dividend equivalents in cash when dividends are paid to other stockholders. All Stock Rights have a vesting period of up to five years.

Under the Non-Employee Director Deferred Stock Plan, as further amended, each non-employee director who joined the Board of Directors prior to December 15, 2005 was granted the right to receive 12,000 shares of the Company’s common stock upon retirement. In 2011 and 2010, $23 and $25, respectively, of dividend equivalents were paid in cash related to these shares. Compensation cost related to this plan was $25, $28 and $28 in 2011, 2010 and 2009, respectively. There are 72,000 shares reserved for issuance under this plan. Each non-employee director who joins the Board of Directors subsequent to December 15, 2005 will receive restricted stock units under the 2004 Plan having a value of $50 that vest three years after the date of grant.

Total shares reserved for issuance under all stock plans aggregated 5,989,086 at December 31, 2011.