Income Taxes Components of deferred tax assets and liabilities (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Deferred tax assets:
Compensation and benefits	$ 11,979	$ 11,926
Net operating loss carryforward	19,336	20,652
Inventory reserve	2,726	2,723
Deferred Tax Assets, Capital Loss Carryforwards	2,210	0
Accounts receivable reserve	218	287
Other	2,073	3,372
Total deferred tax assets	38,542	38,960
Deferred tax liabilities:
Property, plant and equipment	1,100	1,156
Other	875	1,078
Total deferred liabilities	1,975	2,234
Net deferred assets before valuation allowance	36,567	36,726
Valuation allowance	(36,516)	(36,675)
Net deferred assets	51	51
Net deferred tax assets:
Net current deferred tax assets	0	0
Deferred Tax Assets, Net of Valuation Allowance, Noncurrent	51	51
Net deferred assets	$ 51	$ 51

Deferred Tax Assets Net Of Deferred Tax Liabilities Before Valuation Allowance

No definition available.

Name:	laws_DeferredTaxAssetsNetOfDeferredTaxLiabilitiesBeforeValuationAllowance
Namespace Prefix:	laws_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of deferred tax liability attributable to taxable temporary differences.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Glossary Deferred Tax Liability
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6510232

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 740
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=d3e32537-109319

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Section 03
-Paragraph 15
-Subparagraph b(2)
-Article 7