GUARANTOR/NON-GUARANTOR FINANCIAL INFORMATION, Condensed Consolidating Balance Sheet (Details) - USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2016
Dec. 31, 2015
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Current Assets:        
Cash and cash equivalents $ 51,597,000 $ 109,425,000 $ 33,162,000 $ 69,801,000
Accounts receivable, net 209,919,000 195,165,000    
Inventories:        
Raw materials 69,639,000 64,002,000    
Work in process 24,621,000 25,319,000    
Finished goods 67,696,000 61,082,000    
Total inventory 161,956,000 150,403,000    
Prepaid expenses and other current assets 26,850,000 24,647,000    
Deferred income taxes 0 11,261,000    
Total current assets 450,322,000 490,901,000    
Investments in subsidiaries 0 0    
Land 8,249,000 8,175,000    
Property and Equipment, at cost:        
Buildings and improvements 67,951,000 66,321,000    
Machinery and equipment 413,565,000 385,750,000    
Total property and equipment 489,765,000 460,246,000    
Less accumulated depreciation (324,209,000) (299,243,000)    
Total property and equipment, net 165,556,000 161,003,000    
Other Assets:        
Intangible assets, net 104,159,000 128,384,000    
Goodwill 478,514,000 477,739,000    
Deferred Tax Assets, Net of Valuation Allowance, Noncurrent 50,347,000 0    
Intercompany note receivable 0 0    
Other Assets, Noncurrent 8,843,000 8,545,000    
Total other assets 641,863,000 614,668,000    
Total Assets (1,257,741,000) (1,266,572,000)    
Current Liabilities:        
Accounts payable 75,398,000 74,496,000    
Accrued expenses 169,015,000 152,962,000    
Tax receivable agreement payable - current 25,383,000 3,005,000    
Long-term Debt, Current Maturities 4,300,000 4,300,000    
Total current liabilities 274,096,000 234,763,000    
Deferred income taxes 2,722,000 21,387,000    
Intercompany note payable 0 0    
Tax receivable agreement payable - noncurrent 54,336,000 20,811,000    
Other long-term liabilities 86,395,000 90,893,000    
Long-term debt 836,086,000 975,531,000    
Commitments and contingencies    
Preferred Stock, Value, Issued 0 0    
Stockholders' Equity (Deficit):        
Common stock 683,000 681,000    
Additional paid-in-capital 751,452,000 749,296,000    
(Accumulated deficit) retained earnings (714,737,000) (790,224,000)    
Accumulated other comprehensive loss (33,292,000) (36,566,000) (19,975,000) (3,214,000)
Total stockholders' equity (deficit) 4,106,000 (76,813,000) (96,668,000) (51,996,000)
Total Liabilities and Stockholder's Deficit (1,257,741,000) (1,266,572,000)    
Guarantor Ply Gem Holdings, Inc. [Member]        
Current Assets:        
Cash and cash equivalents 0 0 0 0
Accounts receivable, net 0 0    
Inventories:        
Raw materials 0 0    
Work in process 0 0    
Finished goods 0 0    
Total inventory 0 0    
Prepaid expenses and other current assets 0 0    
Deferred income taxes   0    
Total current assets 0 0    
Investments in subsidiaries (4,106,000) (76,813,000)    
Land 0 0    
Property and Equipment, at cost:        
Buildings and improvements 0 0    
Machinery and equipment 0 0    
Total property and equipment 0 0    
Less accumulated depreciation 0 0    
Total property and equipment, net 0 0    
Other Assets:        
Intangible assets, net 0 0    
Goodwill 0 0    
Deferred Tax Assets, Net of Valuation Allowance, Noncurrent 0      
Intercompany note receivable 0 0    
Other Assets, Noncurrent 0 0    
Total other assets 0 0    
Total Assets (4,106,000) (76,813,000)    
Current Liabilities:        
Accounts payable 0 0    
Accrued expenses 0 0    
Tax receivable agreement payable - current 0 0    
Long-term Debt, Current Maturities 0 0    
Total current liabilities 0 0    
Deferred income taxes 0 0    
Intercompany note payable 0 0    
Tax receivable agreement payable - noncurrent 0 0    
Other long-term liabilities 0 0    
Long-term debt 0 0    
Commitments and contingencies    
Preferred Stock, Value, Issued 0 0    
Stockholders' Equity (Deficit):        
Common stock 683,000 681,000    
Additional paid-in-capital 751,452,000 749,296,000    
(Accumulated deficit) retained earnings (714,737,000) (790,224,000)    
Accumulated other comprehensive loss (33,292,000) (36,566,000)    
Total stockholders' equity (deficit) 4,106,000 (76,813,000)    
Total Liabilities and Stockholder's Deficit (4,106,000) (76,813,000)    
Issuer Ply Gem Industries, Inc. [Member]        
Current Assets:        
Cash and cash equivalents 50,035,000 94,692,000 23,555,000 57,800,000
Accounts receivable, net 0 0    
Inventories:        
Raw materials 0 0    
Work in process 0 0    
Finished goods 0 0    
Total inventory 0 0    
Prepaid expenses and other current assets 1,276,000 944,000    
Deferred income taxes   0    
Total current assets 51,311,000 95,636,000    
Investments in subsidiaries (231,236,000) (245,265,000)    
Land 0 0    
Property and Equipment, at cost:        
Buildings and improvements 510,000 0    
Machinery and equipment 1,675,000 4,813,000    
Total property and equipment 2,185,000 4,813,000    
Less accumulated depreciation (665,000) (1,755,000)    
Total property and equipment, net 1,520,000 3,058,000    
Other Assets:        
Intangible assets, net 0 0    
Goodwill 0 0    
Deferred Tax Assets, Net of Valuation Allowance, Noncurrent 0      
Intercompany note receivable 1,135,073,000 1,104,510,000    
Other Assets, Noncurrent 3,925,000 4,831,000    
Total other assets 1,138,998,000 1,109,341,000    
Total Assets (960,593,000) (962,770,000)    
Current Liabilities:        
Accounts payable 377,000 235,000    
Accrued expenses 29,812,000 24,512,000    
Tax receivable agreement payable - current 25,383,000 3,005,000    
Long-term Debt, Current Maturities 4,300,000 4,300,000    
Total current liabilities 59,872,000 32,052,000    
Deferred income taxes 0 0    
Intercompany note payable 0 0    
Tax receivable agreement payable - noncurrent 54,336,000 20,811,000    
Other long-term liabilities 6,193,000 11,189,000    
Long-term debt 836,086,000 975,531,000    
Commitments and contingencies    
Preferred Stock, Value, Issued 0 0    
Stockholders' Equity (Deficit):        
Common stock 683,000 681,000    
Additional paid-in-capital 751,452,000 749,296,000    
(Accumulated deficit) retained earnings (714,737,000) (790,224,000)    
Accumulated other comprehensive loss (33,292,000) (36,566,000)    
Total stockholders' equity (deficit) 4,106,000 (76,813,000)    
Total Liabilities and Stockholder's Deficit (960,593,000) (962,770,000)    
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]        
Current Assets:        
Cash and cash equivalents (10,918,000) (4,944,000) (5,845,000) (4,970,000)
Accounts receivable, net 189,983,000 172,560,000    
Inventories:        
Raw materials 63,829,000 58,400,000    
Work in process 23,007,000 23,126,000    
Finished goods 54,346,000 47,946,000    
Total inventory 141,182,000 129,472,000    
Prepaid expenses and other current assets 21,940,000 20,310,000    
Deferred income taxes   11,255,000    
Total current assets 342,187,000 328,653,000    
Investments in subsidiaries 0 0    
Land 7,487,000 7,436,000    
Property and Equipment, at cost:        
Buildings and improvements 63,000,000 61,883,000    
Machinery and equipment 392,068,000 364,093,000    
Total property and equipment 462,555,000 433,412,000    
Less accumulated depreciation (312,759,000) (288,542,000)    
Total property and equipment, net 149,796,000 144,870,000    
Other Assets:        
Intangible assets, net 91,748,000 112,173,000    
Goodwill 449,366,000 449,366,000    
Deferred Tax Assets, Net of Valuation Allowance, Noncurrent 50,347,000      
Intercompany note receivable 0 0    
Other Assets, Noncurrent 4,918,000 3,714,000    
Total other assets 596,379,000 565,253,000    
Total Assets (1,088,362,000) (1,038,776,000)    
Current Liabilities:        
Accounts payable 64,206,000 60,655,000    
Accrued expenses 124,723,000 113,051,000    
Tax receivable agreement payable - current 0 0    
Long-term Debt, Current Maturities 0 0    
Total current liabilities 188,929,000 173,706,000    
Deferred income taxes 0 17,470,000    
Intercompany note payable 1,026,657,000 1,002,447,000    
Tax receivable agreement payable - noncurrent 0 0    
Other long-term liabilities 74,835,000 75,911,000    
Long-term debt 0 0    
Commitments and contingencies    
Preferred Stock, Value, Issued 0 0    
Stockholders' Equity (Deficit):        
Common stock 0 0    
Additional paid-in-capital 236,242,000 370,180,000    
(Accumulated deficit) retained earnings (422,622,000) (584,964,000)    
Accumulated other comprehensive loss (15,679,000) (15,974,000)    
Total stockholders' equity (deficit) (202,059,000) (230,758,000)    
Total Liabilities and Stockholder's Deficit (1,088,362,000) (1,038,776,000)    
Non-Guarantor Subsidiary [Member]        
Current Assets:        
Cash and cash equivalents 12,480,000 19,677,000 15,452,000 16,971,000
Accounts receivable, net 19,936,000 22,605,000    
Inventories:        
Raw materials 5,810,000 5,602,000    
Work in process 1,614,000 2,193,000    
Finished goods 13,350,000 13,136,000    
Total inventory 20,774,000 20,931,000    
Prepaid expenses and other current assets 3,634,000 3,393,000    
Deferred income taxes   6,000    
Total current assets 56,824,000 66,612,000    
Investments in subsidiaries 0 0    
Land 762,000 739,000    
Property and Equipment, at cost:        
Buildings and improvements 4,441,000 4,438,000    
Machinery and equipment 19,822,000 16,844,000    
Total property and equipment 25,025,000 22,021,000    
Less accumulated depreciation (10,785,000) (8,946,000)    
Total property and equipment, net 14,240,000 13,075,000    
Other Assets:        
Intangible assets, net 12,411,000 16,211,000    
Goodwill 29,148,000 28,373,000    
Deferred Tax Assets, Net of Valuation Allowance, Noncurrent 0      
Intercompany note receivable 0 0    
Other Assets, Noncurrent 0 0    
Total other assets 41,559,000 44,584,000    
Total Assets (112,623,000) (124,271,000)    
Current Liabilities:        
Accounts payable 10,815,000 13,606,000    
Accrued expenses 14,480,000 15,399,000    
Tax receivable agreement payable - current 0 0    
Long-term Debt, Current Maturities 0 0    
Total current liabilities 25,295,000 29,005,000    
Deferred income taxes 2,722,000 3,917,000    
Intercompany note payable 108,416,000 102,063,000    
Tax receivable agreement payable - noncurrent 0 0    
Other long-term liabilities 5,367,000 3,793,000    
Long-term debt 0 0    
Commitments and contingencies    
Preferred Stock, Value, Issued 0 0    
Stockholders' Equity (Deficit):        
Common stock 0 0    
Additional paid-in-capital 26,464,000 31,611,000    
(Accumulated deficit) retained earnings (36,312,000) (25,546,000)    
Accumulated other comprehensive loss (19,329,000) (20,572,000)    
Total stockholders' equity (deficit) (29,177,000) (14,507,000)    
Total Liabilities and Stockholder's Deficit (112,623,000) (124,271,000)    
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]        
Current Assets:        
Cash and cash equivalents 0 0 $ 0 $ 0
Accounts receivable, net 0 0    
Inventories:        
Raw materials 0 0    
Work in process 0 0    
Finished goods 0 0    
Total inventory 0 0    
Prepaid expenses and other current assets 0 0    
Deferred income taxes   0    
Total current assets 0 0    
Investments in subsidiaries (227,130,000) (322,078,000)    
Land 0 0    
Property and Equipment, at cost:        
Buildings and improvements 0 0    
Machinery and equipment 0 0    
Total property and equipment 0 0    
Less accumulated depreciation 0 0    
Total property and equipment, net 0 0    
Other Assets:        
Intangible assets, net 0 0    
Goodwill 0 0    
Deferred Tax Assets, Net of Valuation Allowance, Noncurrent 0      
Intercompany note receivable (1,135,073,000) (1,104,510,000)    
Other Assets, Noncurrent 0 0    
Total other assets (1,135,073,000) (1,104,510,000)    
Total Assets 907,943,000 782,432,000    
Current Liabilities:        
Accounts payable 0 0    
Accrued expenses 0 0    
Tax receivable agreement payable - current 0 0    
Long-term Debt, Current Maturities 0 0    
Total current liabilities 0 0    
Deferred income taxes 0 0    
Intercompany note payable (1,135,073,000) (1,104,510,000)    
Tax receivable agreement payable - noncurrent 0 0    
Other long-term liabilities 0 0    
Long-term debt 0 0    
Commitments and contingencies    
Preferred Stock, Value, Issued 0 0    
Stockholders' Equity (Deficit):        
Common stock (683,000) (681,000)    
Additional paid-in-capital (1,014,158,000) (1,151,087,000)    
(Accumulated deficit) retained earnings 1,173,671,000 1,400,734,000    
Accumulated other comprehensive loss 68,300,000 73,112,000    
Total stockholders' equity (deficit) 227,130,000 322,078,000    
Total Liabilities and Stockholder's Deficit $ 907,943,000 $ 782,432,000