Consolidated Statements of Income - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Income Statement [Abstract]
Sales	$ 1,084.3	$ 842.9	$ 722.0
Cost of sales	788.4	611.3	512.3
Gross profit	295.9	231.6	209.7
Selling, general and administrative expenses	181.9	180.9	158.7
Amortization expense	21.9	12.2	8.8
Asset impairments	0.0	0.0	1.2
Operating expenses	203.8	193.1	168.7
Operating income	92.1	38.5	41.0
Other expenses:
Interest expense, net	21.4	17.3	15.1
Loss on extinguishment of debt	0.0	4.9	0.0
Financing costs amortization	1.3	1.3	1.3
Foreign currency loss	0.4	3.9	0.5
Other expenses, net	23.1	27.4	16.9
Income from continuing operations before income taxes	69.0	11.1	24.1
Income tax expense (benefit):
Current	8.4	14.8	(4.4)
Deferred	5.0	(31.4)	15.0
Income tax expense (benefit), net	13.4	(16.6)	10.6
Net income from continuing operations	55.6	27.7	13.5
Income from discontinued operations, net of tax	34.4	1.8	11.2
Net income	90.0	29.5	24.7
Less: Income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests of continuing operations, net of taxes	2.0	1.5	(3.5)
Net income attributable to Chart Industries, Inc.	88.0	28.0	28.2
Net income attributable to Chart Industries, Inc.
Income from continuing operations	53.6	26.2	17.0
Income from discontinued operations	34.4	1.8	11.2
Net income attributable to Chart Industries, Inc.	$ 88.0	$ 28.0	$ 28.2
Basic earnings per common share attributable to Chart Industries, Inc.
Income from continuing operations (usd per share)	$ 1.73	$ 0.85	$ 0.55
Income from discontinued operations (usd per share)	1.10	0.06	0.37
Net income attributable to Chart Industries, Inc. (usd per share)	2.83	0.91	0.92
Diluted earnings per common share attributable to Chart Industries, Inc.
Income from continuing operations (usd per share)	1.67	0.84	0.55
Income from discontinued operations (usd per share)	1.06	0.05	0.36
Net income attributable to Chart Industries, Inc. (usd per share)	$ 2.73	$ 0.89	$ 0.91
Weighted-average number of common shares outstanding:
Basic (shares)	31,050	30,740	30,580
Diluted (shares)	32,200	31,340	30,980