Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive Income and Changes in Equity (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Total	Common Stock [Member]	Additional Paid-in Capital [Member]	Retained Earnings [Member]	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Member]	Noncontrolling Interest [Member]	Comprehensive Income [Member]	Total
Balance at at Dec. 31, 2008		$ 10,833	$ 25,238	$ 117,089	$ (27,237)	$ 3,952		$ 129,875
Net income	16,220	0	0	16,220	0	1,270	17,490
Currency translation adjustments		0	0	0	10,497	649	11,146
Defined Benefit Plans [Abstract]
Net gain arising during the period, other		0	0	0	3,075	0	3,075
Amortization of actuarial loss		0	0	0	2,633	0	2,633
Amortization of prior service cost		0	0	0	65	0	65
Amortization of initial net asset		0	0	0	(140)	0	(140)
Current period changes in fair value of derivatives		0	0	0	642	0	642
Unrealized gain on available-for-sale securities		0	0	0	26	0	26
Comprehensive income		0	0	0	0	0	34,937	34,937
Comprehensive loss attributable to noncontrolling interest							(1,919)
Comprehensive income attributable to Quaker Chemical Corporation							33,018
Dividends Common Stock		0	0	(10,169)	0	0		(10,169)
Dividends paid to noncontrolling interest		0	0	0	0	(890)		(890)
Shares issued upon exercise of stock options and other		10	120	0	0	0		130
Shares issued for empoyee stock purchase plan		26	256	0	0	0		282
Equity-based compensation plans		217	1,913	0	0	0		2,130
Excess tax benefit from stock option exercises	0
Balance at at Dec. 31, 2009		11,086	27,527	123,140	(10,439)	4,981		156,295
Net income	31,807	0	0	31,807	0	2,284	34,091
Currency translation adjustments		0	0	0	328	477	805
Defined Benefit Plans [Abstract]
Net gain arising during the period, other	0		0	0	(6,267)	0	(6,267)
Amortization of actuarial loss	0		0	0	1,832	0	1,832
Amortization of prior service cost		0	0	0	91	0	91
Amortization of initial net asset		0	0	0	(3)	0	(3)
Current period changes in fair value of derivatives		0	0	0	708	0	708
Unrealized gain on available-for-sale securities		0	0	0	14	0	14
Comprehensive income	0		0	0	0	0	31,271	31,271
Comprehensive loss attributable to noncontrolling interest							(2,761)
Comprehensive income attributable to Quaker Chemical Corporation							28,510
Dividends Common Stock		0	0	(10,600)	0	0		(10,600)
Dividends paid to noncontrolling interest		0	0	0	0	(1,021)		(1,021)
Shares issued upon exercise of stock options and other		297	4,965	0	0	0		5,262
Shares issued for empoyee stock purchase plan		10	228	0	0	0		238
Equity-based compensation plans		99	2,997	0	0	0		3,096
Excess tax benefit from stock option exercises	2,558	0	2,558	0	0	0		2,558
Balance at at Dec. 31, 2010	187,099	11,492	38,275	144,347	(13,736)	6,721		187,099
Net income	43,569	0	0	43,569	0	2,331	45,900
Currency translation adjustments	0		0	0	(8,080)	(1,075)	(9,155)
Defined Benefit Plans [Abstract]
Net gain arising during the period, other		0	0	0	(9,698)	0	(9,698)
Amortization of actuarial loss		0	0	0	1,230	0	1,230
Amortization of prior service cost	0				77	0	77
Current period changes in fair value of derivatives	0				395	0	395
Unrealized gain on available-for-sale securities		0	0	0	(8)	0	(8)
Comprehensive income		0	0	0	0	0	28,741	28,741
Comprehensive loss attributable to noncontrolling interest							(1,256)
Comprehensive income attributable to Quaker Chemical Corporation							27,485
Dividends Common Stock		0	0	(11,984)	0	0		(11,984)
Dividends paid to noncontrolling interest		0	0	0	0	(1,000)		(1,000)
Stock offering, net of related expenses		1,265	46,878	0	0	0		48,143
Shares issued upon exercise of stock options and other		47	811	0	0	0		858
Shares issued for empoyee stock purchase plan		8	239	0	0	0		247
Equity-based compensation plans		100	3,413	0	0	0		3,513
Excess tax benefit from stock option exercises	109	0	109	0	0	0		109
Balance at at Dec. 31, 2011	$ 255,726	$ 12,912	$ 89,725	$ 175,932	$ (29,820)	$ 6,977		$ 255,726