CONSOLIDATED CONDENSED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS - USD ($) shares in Millions, $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2015
Income Statement [Abstract]
Net sales	$ 958.9	$ 997.3	$ 1,897.3	$ 1,963.5
Cost of goods sold	724.9	766.6	1,429.7	1,515.0
Gross profit	234.0	230.7	467.6	448.5
Selling and administrative expenses	99.7	106.6	204.8	204.1
Amortization of intangibles	4.8	5.2	9.9	10.4
Goodwill impairment	3.7	0.0	3.7	4.1
Gain from sale of assets and businesses	(18.3)	(0.9)	(20.7)	(2.5)
Other (income) expense, net	(2.4)	0.6	(3.7)	1.5
Earnings from continuing operations before interest and income taxes	146.5	119.2	273.6	230.9
Interest expense	10.3	11.2	19.5	22.2
Interest income	1.0	1.0	1.8	2.3
Earnings from continuing operations before income taxes	137.2	109.0	255.9	211.0
Income taxes	37.7	32.3	65.4	61.0
Earnings from continuing operations	99.5	76.7	190.5	150.0
Earnings from discontinued operations, net of tax	20.3	1.8	20.4	1.3
Net earnings	119.8	78.5	210.9	151.3
(Earnings) loss attributable to noncontrolling interest, net of tax	1.4	(0.8)	(0.2)	(1.9)
Net earnings attributable to Leggett & Platt, Inc. common shareholders	$ 121.2	$ 77.7	$ 210.7	$ 149.4
Earnings per share from continuing operations attributable to Leggett & Platt, Inc. common shareholders
Basic (in dollars per share)	$ 0.73	$ 0.54	$ 1.37	$ 1.04
Diluted (in dollars per share)	0.72	0.53	1.35	1.03
Earnings per share from discontinued operations attributable to Leggett & Platt, Inc. common shareholders
Basic (in dollars per share)	0.15	0.01	0.15	0.01
Diluted (in dollars per share)	0.15	0.01	0.15	0.01
Earnings per share from continuing operations attributable to Leggett & Platt, Inc. common shareholders
Basic (in dollars per share)	0.88	0.55	1.52	1.05
Diluted (in dollars per share)	0.87	0.54	1.50	1.04
Cash dividends declared per share (in dollars per share)	$ 0.34	$ 0.31	$ 0.66	$ 0.62
Average shares outstanding
Basic (in shares)	137.8	141.4	138.4	141.7
Diluted (in shares)	140.1	143.4	140.6	143.6