Commitments and Contingencies - Additional Information (Details)	1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2016 USD ($) mi	Sep. 30, 2017 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2016 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2017 USD ($) entity	Sep. 30, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Accrual for environmental loss contingencies		$ 2,800,000		$ 2,800,000		$ 3,200,000
Aggregate environmental related accruals included in current accrued liabilities		900,000		900,000		1,400,000
Amount which is better estimate within range		0		0		0
Remediation accrual balance if accrued at high end of the range of possible outcomes		16,000,000		16,000,000
Environmental remediation spending charged to reserve balance		100,000	$ 200,000	300,000	$ 700,000
Operating costs relating to environmental compliance		2,400,000	$ 2,600,000	7,100,000	$ 7,500,000
Omega Chemical Corporation Superfund Site, Whittier | California
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Accrual for environmental loss contingencies		600,000		$ 600,000		600,000
Contribution to waste tonnage (as a percent)				1.07%
Lower Passaic River
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Number of entities, in addition to Hexcel, who received a directive from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection | entity				51
Portion of the river for which Record of Decision setting forth the EPA's selected remedy (in miles) | mi	8
Portion of upper miles of river for which EPA not yet selected remedy | mi	9
Accrual for environmental loss contingencies		$ 2,000,000		$ 2,000,000		$ 2,100,000
Lower Passaic River | Minimum
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Expected cost of capping and dredging of the lower eight miles of the river by EPA	$ 970,000,000
Lower Passaic River | Maximum
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Expected cost of capping and dredging of the lower eight miles of the river by EPA	$ 2,070,000,000