Note 1 - Nature of Business and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies - Adjustments to Consolidated Financial Statement due to Change in Inventory Method (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended																12 Months Ended
	Dec. 01, 2018		Sep. 01, 2018	[1]	Jun. 02, 2018	[1]	Mar. 03, 2018	[1]	Dec. 02, 2017		Sep. 02, 2017	[1]	Jun. 03, 2017	[1]	Mar. 04, 2017	[1]	Dec. 01, 2018	Dec. 02, 2017		Dec. 03, 2016
Cost of sales																	$ (2,204,108)	$ (1,700,973)		$ (1,488,783)
Gross profit	$ 209,600	[1]	$ 217,204		$ 222,385		$ 187,705		$ 168,788	[1]	$ 150,125		$ 146,527		$ 139,630		836,894	605,070		605,822
Income taxes																	6,356	(9,810)		(48,920)
Net income including non-controlling interests	41,365	[1]	$ 37,736		$ 44,464		$ 47,667		(6,893)	[1]	$ 24,969		$ 26,167		$ 15,223		171,232	59,466		121,917
Net income including non-controlling interests, net																	$ 171,208	$ 59,418		$ 121,663
Basic (in dollars per share)																	$ 3.38	$ 1.18		$ 2.43
Diluted (in dollars per share)																	$ 3.29	$ 1.15		$ 2.37
Comprehensive income																	$ 110,060	$ 121,531	[2]	$ 86,444	[2]
Comprehensive income attributable to H.B. Fuller																	110,052	121,492		86,218
Inventories	355,563								372,102								355,563	372,102
Other liabilities	264,768								346,381								264,768	346,381
Retained earnings	$ 1,285,246								1,127,028								1,285,246	1,127,028
Deferred income taxes																	(55,585)	(20,212)		3,828
Inventories																	$ (17,068)	(8,660)		(7,476)
Previously Reported [Member]
Cost of sales																		(1,702,873)		(1,484,802)
Gross profit																		603,170		609,803
Income taxes																		(9,086)		(50,436)
Net income including non-controlling interests																		58,290		124,382
Net income including non-controlling interests, net																		$ 58,242		$ 124,128
Basic (in dollars per share)																		$ 1.16		$ 2.48
Diluted (in dollars per share)																		$ 1.13		$ 2.42
Comprehensive income																		$ 120,355		$ 88,909
Comprehensive income attributable to H.B. Fuller																		120,316		88,683
Inventories									359,505									359,505
Other liabilities									341,581									341,581
Retained earnings									1,119,231									1,119,231
Deferred income taxes																		(20,936)		5,344
Inventories																		(10,560)		(3,495)
Restatement Adjustment [Member] | Change in Inventory Accounting Method from LIFO to Weighted-Average Cost [Member]
Cost of sales																		1,900		(3,981)
Gross profit																		1,900		(3,981)
Income taxes																		(724)		1,516
Net income including non-controlling interests																		1,176		(2,465)
Net income including non-controlling interests, net																		$ 1,176		$ (2,465)
Basic (in dollars per share)																		$ 0.02		$ (0.05)
Diluted (in dollars per share)																		$ 0.02		$ (0.05)
Comprehensive income																		$ 1,176		$ (2,465)
Comprehensive income attributable to H.B. Fuller																		1,176		(2,465)
Inventories									12,597									12,597
Other liabilities									4,800									4,800
Retained earnings									$ 7,797									7,797
Deferred income taxes																		(724)		1,516
Inventories																		$ 1,900		$ (3,981)

[1] Amounts have been adjusted retrospectively for the change in accounting principle as discussed in Note 1.

[2] The Consolidated Statements of Total Equity have been adjusted to reflect retrospectively the change in method of valuing certain inventories in the United States from the LIFO method to the weighted-average cost method adopted in fiscal 2018.