Divestitures (Schedule) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Sep. 30, 2016	Jul. 01, 2016	Apr. 01, 2016	Oct. 02, 2015	Apr. 03, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Asia Pacific [Member] | Disposed of by Sale [Member] | Pakistan Cables Limited (Pakistan) - 24.6% interest [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Ownership percentage by parent	24.60%
Gross Proceeds	$ 5.3
Pre-tax Gain / (Loss)	$ (3.5)
Asia Pacific [Member] | Disposed of by Sale [Member] | General Cable Energy India Private Ltd. (India) [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Gross Proceeds					$ 10.8
Pre-tax Gain / (Loss)					1.6
Asia Pacific [Member] | Disposed of by Sale [Member] | Phelps Dodge International Thailand (Thailand) - 75.47% interest [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Ownership percentage by parent						75.47%
Gross Proceeds						$ 88.0
Pre-tax Gain / (Loss)						$ 16.1
Asia Pacific [Member] | Disposed of by Sale [Member] | Dominion Wire and Cables (Fiji) - 51% interest [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Ownership percentage by parent							51.00%
Gross Proceeds							$ 9.3
Pre-tax Gain / (Loss)							$ (2.6)
Asia Pacific [Member] | Disposed of by Sale [Member] | Keystone Electric Wire and Cable (Keystone) - 20% interest [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Ownership percentage by parent							20.00%
Gross Proceeds							$ 11.0
Pre-tax Gain / (Loss)							$ 3.6
Asia Pacific [Member] | Disposed of by Sale [Member] | Phelps Dodge International Philippines, Inc. (PDP) - 60% interest and Phelps Dodge Philippines Energy Products Corp (“PDEP”), (together, the Philippines) [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Ownership percentage by parent								60.00%
Gross Proceeds								$ 67.1
Pre-tax Gain / (Loss)								$ 17.6
Africa [Member] | Disposed of by Sale [Member] | Metal Fabricators of Zambia PLC (Zambia) - 75.39% interest [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Ownership percentage by parent			75.39%
Gross Proceeds			$ 9.8
Pre-tax Gain / (Loss)			$ (14.4)
Africa [Member] | Disposed of by Sale [Member] | General Cable S.A.E. (Egypt) [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Gross Proceeds				$ 5.8
Pre-tax Gain / (Loss)				$ (8.4)
Africa [Member] | Disposed of by Sale [Member] | General Cable S.A.E. (Egypt) [Member] | Cost of Sales [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Impairment of long-lived assets to be disposed of					$ 6.0
Africa [Member] | Disposal Group, Not Discontinued Operations [Member] | General Cable Phoenix South Africa Pty. Ltd. (South Africa - Durban) [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Pre-tax Gain / (Loss)		$ 1.6
Africa [Member] | Disposal Group, Not Discontinued Operations [Member] | National Cables (Pty) Ltd. (South Africa - National Cables) [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Pre-tax Gain / (Loss)		$ (29.4)