QUARTERLY FINANCIAL INFORMATION (Unaudited) (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended																					12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016	Sep. 30, 2016	[1]	Jun. 30, 2016	[1]	Mar. 31, 2016	[1]	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	[1]	Jun. 30, 2015	[1]	Mar. 31, 2015	[1]	Dec. 31, 2014	Sep. 30, 2014		Jun. 30, 2014		Mar. 31, 2014		Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Quarterly Financial Information [Line Items]
Sales	$ 222,300	$ 230,000		$ 256,200		$ 253,600		$ 278,600	$ 303,100		$ 323,700		$ 341,600		$ 382,600	$ 387,000	[1]	$ 381,600	[1]	$ 348,500	[1]	$ 962,092	$ 1,247,043	$ 1,499,662
Gross profit	60,600	63,800		71,600		68,800		76,900	85,700		91,300		98,100		106,700	113,400	[1]	111,000	[1]	101,700	[1]	264,802	351,986	432,840
Impairment expense	0	0		0		0		9,800	58,900		0		0		117,600	0	[1]	0	[1]	0	[1]		67,663
Net income (loss)	7,100	100		5,100		(5,200)		(3,200)	(52,700)		7,200		9,700		$ (88,100)	$ 17,000	[1]	$ 14,900	[1]	$ 10,900	[1]	7,151	(39,070)	(45,238)
Net income (loss) attributable to DXP Enterprises, Inc.	$ 7,400	$ 200		$ 5,100		$ (5,100)		$ (3,000)	$ (52,400)		$ 7,200		$ 9,700									$ 7,702	$ (38,536)	$ (45,238)
Earnings (loss) per share - basic (in dollars per share)	$ 0.44	$ 0.02		$ 0.36		$ (0.36)		$ (0.20)	$ (3.64)		$ 0.50		$ 0.67		$ (6.09)	$ 1.16	[1]	$ 1.01	[1]	$ 0.74	[1]	$ 0.51	$ (2.68)	$ (3.10)
Earnings (loss) per share - diluted (in dollars per share)	$ 0.42	$ 0.02		$ 0.34		$ (0.36)																$ 0.49	$ (2.68)	$ (3.10)
Increase in amortization expense															$ 1,000
Previously Reported [Member]
Quarterly Financial Information [Line Items]
Sales																$ 387,000		$ 381,600		$ 348,500
Gross profit																113,400		111,000		101,700
Net income (loss)																$ 17,600		$ 15,500		$ 11,600
Earnings (loss) per share - basic (in dollars per share)																$ 1.20		$ 1.06		$ 0.79
Earnings (loss) per share - diluted (in dollars per share)																$ 1.14		$ 1.00		$ 0.75
Adjusted [Member]
Quarterly Financial Information [Line Items]
Sales																$ 387,000		$ 381,600		$ 348,500
Gross profit																113,400		111,000		101,700
Net income (loss)																$ 17,000		$ 14,900		$ 10,900
Earnings (loss) per share - basic (in dollars per share)																$ 1.16		$ 1.01		$ 0.74
Earnings (loss) per share - diluted (in dollars per share)																$ 1.10		$ 0.96		$ 0.70

[1] During the fourth quarter of 2014, DXP finalized its purchase accounting for customer relationships for the acquisition of B27 and amortized the customer relationships on an accelerated basis. The revision increased amortization expense by $1.0 million per quarter.