Business Segment Information - Additional Information (Details) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Nov. 30, 2016 USD ($)	Aug. 31, 2016 USD ($)	May 31, 2016 USD ($)	Feb. 29, 2016 USD ($)	Nov. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Aug. 31, 2015 USD ($)	May 31, 2015 USD ($)	Feb. 28, 2015 USD ($)	Nov. 30, 2016 USD ($) segment	Nov. 30, 2015 USD ($) segment	Nov. 30, 2014 USD ($)
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Write-offs of uncollectible accounts receivable									$ 0.2	$ 0.3	$ 0.9
Number of Reportable Segments | segment									2	2
Restructuring and severance	$ 6.2	$ 0.4	$ 1.1	$ 1.6	$ 1.4	$ 3.4	$ 1.1	$ 0.0	$ 11.1	$ 5.9	0.9
Gain on collection of notes											1.1
Asset impairment	5.4	0.0	0.0	0.3	18.3	0.5	0.6	0.0	5.7	19.4	0.0
(Gain) loss on asset sales	$ 0.2	$ 0.0	$ (0.1)	0.0	$ (0.2)	$ 0.0	$ 0.0	$ 0.0	(0.3)	(0.2)	(0.5)
Restructuring and Related Cost, Accelerated Depreciation									3.0	5.8
Professional Fees									(0.4)	(5.4)	(1.8)
Environmental Remediation Expense									0.3	3.0	1.0
Business Combination, Integration Related Costs									$ 0.9	$ 0.4	0.0
Performance Chemicals [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Number of Reportable Segments | segment									2	2
Restructuring and severance									$ 2.7	$ 4.3
Asset impairment										18.3
Other Nonrecurring (Income) Expense											0.5
Restructuring and Related Cost, Accelerated Depreciation										5.8	2.2
Professional Fees									$ (1.8)	(5.0)
Environmental Remediation Expense										2.8	1.0
Other Asset Impairment Charges										$ 18.4
Engineered Surfaces [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Number of Reportable Segments | segment									2	2
Restructuring and severance										$ 1.5
Gain on collection of notes											1.1
Asset impairment				$ 0.3					$ 5.4	0.5
Employee Severance [Member] | Performance Chemicals [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Restructuring and severance									2.9	4.3	0.5
Employee Severance [Member] | Engineered Surfaces [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Restructuring and severance									0.6	1.5	0.4
Asset impairment									5.7
Other Nonrecurring (Income) Expense										1.6
Professional Fees									(1.2)
Environmental Remediation Expense									0.3	0.2
Facility Closing [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Business Exit Costs									2.7	$ 0.0	$ 0.1
Facility Closing [Member] | Performance Chemicals [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Business Exit Costs									2.6
Facility Closing [Member] | Engineered Surfaces [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Business Exit Costs									$ 0.1