Commitments and Contingencies - Additional Information (Details)	1 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Aug. 31, 2017 PRP	Mar. 31, 2016 USD ($) mi	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($) entity mi	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Accrual for environmental loss contingencies			$ 2,700,000	$ 2,800,000	$ 3,200,000	$ 2,900,000
Aggregate environmental accruals included in current other accrued liabilities			800,000	900,000
Amount which is better estimate within range			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			400,000	500,000
Operating costs relating to environmental compliance			15,600,000	9,900,000
Omega Chemical Corporation Superfund Site | California
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Accrual for environmental loss contingencies			$ 300,000	600,000
Minimum | Omega Chemical Corporation Superfund Site | California
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Contribution to waste tonnage (as a percent)			1.20%
Maximum | Omega Chemical Corporation Superfund Site | California
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Contribution to waste tonnage (as a percent)			2.10%
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			48
Length of river to perform a Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study (“RI/FS”) of environmental conditions | mi			17
Number of identified non governmental potentially responsible parties | PRP	120
Accrual for environmental loss contingencies			$ 2,100,000	$ 2,000,000
Lower Passaic River | Minimum
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Portion of the river for which Record of Decision setting forth the EPA's selected remedy (in miles) | mi		8
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]
Portion of the river for which Record of Decision setting forth the EPA's selected remedy (in miles) | mi		9
Expected cost of capping and dredging of the lower eight miles of the river by EPA		$ 2,070,000,000