Earnings Per Share - Computations of Earnings (Loss) per Common Share (Detail) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Millions, $ in Millions	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018	Sep. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2018	Mar. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Sep. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2017	Mar. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Schedule of Earnings Per Share, Basic and Diluted, by Common Class [Line Items]
Income from continuing operations, net of tax	$ 85.3	$ 99.9	$ 129.7	$ 75.1	$ 128.0	$ 129.6	$ 140.3	$ 77.4	$ 390.0	$ 475.3	$ 412.4
Less: Noncontrolling interests									0.2	0.1
Income from continuing operations for EPS									389.8	475.2	412.4
Income (loss) from discontinued operations									(0.2)	(2.6)	0.8
NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO FORTUNE BRANDS									$ 389.6	$ 472.6	$ 413.2
Basic
Continuing operations	$ 0.60	$ 0.70	$ 0.89	$ 0.50	$ 0.84	$ 0.84	$ 0.91	$ 0.50	$ 2.69	$ 3.10	$ 2.67
Discontinued operations							(0.02)			(0.02)	0.01
Net income attributable to Fortune Brands common stockholders	0.60	0.70	0.89	0.50	0.84	0.84	0.89	0.50	2.69	3.08	2.68
Diluted
Continuing operations	0.60	0.69	0.88	0.49	0.83	0.83	0.90	0.50	2.66	3.05	2.61
Discontinued operations							(0.02)			(0.02)	0.01
Net income attributable to Fortune Brands common stockholders	$ 0.60	$ 0.69	$ 0.88	$ 0.49	$ 0.83	$ 0.83	$ 0.88	$ 0.50	$ 2.66	$ 3.03	$ 2.62
Basic average shares outstanding									144.6	153.2	154.3
Stock-based awards									1.8	2.6	3.5
Diluted average shares outstanding									146.4	155.8	157.8
Antidilutive stock-based awards excluded from weighted-average number of shares outstanding for diluted earnings per share									1.5	0.5	0.5