Accumulated change in equity from transactions and other events and circumstances from non-owner sources, net of tax effect, at period end. Excludes Net Income (Loss), and accumulated changes in equity from transactions resulting from investments by owners and distributions to owners. Includes foreign currency translation items, certain pension adjustments, unrealized gains and losses on certain investments in debt and equity securities, other than temporary impairment (OTTI) losses related to factors other than credit losses on available-for-sale and held-to-maturity debt securities that an entity does not intend to sell and it is not more likely than not that the entity will be required to sell before recovery of the amortized cost basis, as well as changes in the fair value of derivatives related to the effective portion of a designated cash flow hedge.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 220
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 11
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=66004124&loc=d3e637-108580

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 220
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 14
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=66004124&loc=d3e681-108580

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 220
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 14A
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=66004124&loc=SL7669686-108580

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeLossNetOfTax
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount after accumulated impairment loss of an asset representing 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 350
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35741047&loc=d3e13816-109267

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 350
-SubTopic 20
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6388280&loc=d3e13770-109266

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 350
-SubTopic 20
-Section 45
-Paragraph 5
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=64834752&loc=SL49117168-202975

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_Goodwill
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The portion of the valuation allowance pertaining to the deferred tax asset representing potential future taxable deductions from net operating loss carryforwards for which it is more likely than not that a tax benefit will not be realized.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 740
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=65882285&loc=d3e32559-109319

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 740
-SubTopic 10
-Section 30
-Paragraph 5
-Subparagraph (e)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=64814285&loc=d3e30536-109315

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 740
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=65882285&loc=d3e32537-109319

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_OperatingLossCarryforwardsValuationAllowance
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of each individual error being corrected in the correcting adjustment.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 250
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (SAB Topic 1.N)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26874127&loc=d3e30840-122693

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_QuantifyingMisstatementInCurrentYearFinancialStatementsAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_QuantifyingMisstatementInCurrentYearFinancialStatementsLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_QuantifyingMisstatementInCurrentYearFinancialStatementsByNatureOfErrorAxis=pah_IncorrectAllocationofExpensestoNoncontrollingInterestMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis=us-gaap_ScenarioAdjustmentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_QuantifyingMisstatementInCurrentYearFinancialStatementsByNatureOfErrorAxis=pah_TranslationandPurchaseAccountingAdjustmentsofGoodwillMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_QuantifyingMisstatementInCurrentYearFinancialStatementsByNatureOfErrorAxis=pah_ForeignSubsidiaryTaxAccountingMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeStatementLocationAxis=pah_IncomeTaxExpenseMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Basis of Presentation and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies - Out of Period Adjustments (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Quantifying Misstatement in Current Year Financial Statements [Line Items]
Goodwill	$ 4,178.9	$ 4,021.9	$ 1,405.3
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(674.5)	(886.1)
Incorrect Allocation of Expenses to Non-controlling Interest
Quantifying Misstatement in Current Year Financial Statements [Line Items]
Quantifying misstatement	6.1
Adjustment \| Translation and Purchase Accounting Adjustments of Goodwill
Quantifying Misstatement in Current Year Financial Statements [Line Items]
Goodwill		15.1
Accumulated other comprehensive loss		$ (15.1)
Adjustment \| Foreign Subsidiary Tax Accounting
Quantifying Misstatement in Current Year Financial Statements [Line Items]
Goodwill	12.9
Operating loss carryforward valuation allowance	22.4
Income Tax Expense \| Foreign Subsidiary Tax Accounting
Quantifying Misstatement in Current Year Financial Statements [Line Items]
Quantifying misstatement	$ (9.5)