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Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Details) (USD $) | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2014 item | Dec. 31, 2013 | Dec. 31, 2012
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies |  |  |
Minimum number of locations in which company operates metal service network | 300 rs_NumberOfLocationsInWhichEntityOperatesMinimum |  |
Number of states in which the company operates metal service center network | 39 us-gaap_NumberOfStatesInWhichEntityOperates |  |
Number of countries in which entity operates | 12 us-gaap_NumberOfCountriesInWhichEntityOperates |  |
Minimum number of metal products distributes by the company | 100,000 rs_MinimumNumberOfMetalProductsDistributedByEntity |  |
Fair Values of Financial Instruments |  |  |
Carrying value, before deducting unamortized discount or premiums | $ 2,319,100,000 us-gaap_DebtInstrumentCarryingAmount | $ 2,112,300,000 us-gaap_DebtInstrumentCarryingAmount |
Carrying value | 2,319,100,000 us-gaap_LongTermDebt |  |
Goodwill Policy |  |  |
Number of operating segments | 1 us-gaap_NumberOfOperatingSegments |  |
Number of reportable segments | 1 us-gaap_NumberOfReportableSegments |  |
Impairment of goodwill | 0 us-gaap_GoodwillImpairmentLoss | 0 us-gaap_GoodwillImpairmentLoss | 0 us-gaap_GoodwillImpairmentLoss
Tradename |  |  |
Impairment of intangible assets | 0 us-gaap_ImpairmentOfIntangibleAssetsIndefinitelivedExcludingGoodwill | 14,900,000 us-gaap_ImpairmentOfIntangibleAssetsIndefinitelivedExcludingGoodwill | 2,500,000 us-gaap_ImpairmentOfIntangibleAssetsIndefinitelivedExcludingGoodwill
Senior Unsecured Notes - Publicly Traded |  |  |
Fair Values of Financial Instruments |  |  |
Carrying value, before deducting unamortized discount or premiums | 1,100,000,000 us-gaap_DebtInstrumentCarryingAmount / us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis = rs_SeniorUnsecuredNotesPubliclyTradedMember |  |
Fair value | 1,160,000,000 us-gaap_LongTermDebtFairValue / us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis = rs_SeniorUnsecuredNotesPubliclyTradedMember | 1,140,000,000 us-gaap_LongTermDebtFairValue / us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis = rs_SeniorUnsecuredNotesPubliclyTradedMember |
Carrying value | $ 1,100,000,000 us-gaap_LongTermDebt / us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis = rs_SeniorUnsecuredNotesPubliclyTradedMember |  |

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- Definition The minimum number of locations the entity operates in as of the balance sheet date. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition Amount of long-term debt before deduction of unamortized discount or premium. Includes, but is not limited to, notes payable, bonds payable, commercial loans, mortgage loans, convertible debt, subordinated debt and other types of debt, with initial maturities beyond one year or the normal operating cycle, if longer. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 02 -Paragraph 20 -Article 5 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 02 -Paragraph 22 -Article 5 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 03 -Paragraph 16 -Article 9 + Details
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- Definition Amount of loss from the write-down of an asset representing the future economic benefits arising from other assets acquired in a business combination that are not individually identified and separately recognized. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 230 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 28 -Subparagraph (b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=31042434&loc=d3e3602-108585 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 350 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35741047&loc=d3e13854-109267 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 350 -SubTopic 20 -Section 45 -Paragraph 2 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6388280&loc=d3e13777-109266 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 350 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (e) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35741047&loc=d3e13816-109267 + Details
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- Definition Carrying amount of long-term debt, net of unamortized discount or premium, including current and noncurrent amounts. Includes, but not limited to, notes payable, bonds payable, debentures, mortgage loans and commercial paper. Excludes capital lease obligations. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 03 -Paragraph 16 -Article 7 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 942 -SubTopic 210 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03.16) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6876686&loc=d3e534808-122878 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 03 -Paragraph 16 -Article 9 Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 02 -Paragraph 20, 22 -Article 5 Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 944 -SubTopic 210 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03.16) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910 + Details
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- Definition Number of operating segments. An operating segment is a component of an enterprise: (a) that engages in business activities from which it may earn revenues and incur expenses (including revenues and expenses relating to transactions with other components of the same enterprise), (b) whose operating results are regularly reviewed by the enterprise's chief operating decision maker to make decisions about resources to be allocated to the segment and assess its performance, and (c) for which discrete financial information is available. An operating segment may engage in business activities for which it has yet to earn revenues, for example, start-up operations may be operating segments before earning revenues. + References No definition available. + Details
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