Divestiture Activities (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands			3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 19, 2018	Feb. 28, 2019	Feb. 28, 2018	Feb. 28, 2019	Feb. 28, 2018
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Proceeds from sale of business, net of transaction costs					$ 36,159	$ 8,780
Impairment & divestiture charges			$ 6,886	$ 2,987	43,339	2,987
Asset Impairment Charges					24,679
Cortland Fibron [Domain]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Proceeds from sale of business, net of transaction costs		$ 12,500
Precision Hayes [Domain]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Proceeds from sale of business, net of transaction costs	$ 23,600
Remaining EC&S Segment [Domain]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Other Divestiture Charges			900		2,300
FY19 Divested Businesses [Domain]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Impairment & divestiture charges			6,900		43,400
Asset Impairment Charges					24,600
Cumulative Effect of Foreign Currency Rate Change Since Acquisition					13,700
Other Divestiture Charges			2,500		5,100
Income Tax Benefit Related to Write Down of Assets			200		2,800
Disposal Group, Not Discontinued Operation, annual revenue			14,900	$ 28,100	$ 44,300	56,100
Cortland U.S. businesses [Domain]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Asset Impairment Charges			$ 3,500
Viking [Domain]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Proceeds from sale of business, net of transaction costs						8,780
Disposal Group, Not Discontinued Operation, annual revenue						2,700
Divestiture Charges						12,400
Business Exit Costs						3,000
Discrete Income Tax Expense						$ 9,400