Name:	gms_AwardSettlementPeriod
Namespace Prefix:	gms_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Amount of expense on certain equity based compensation arrangements, such as stock appreciation rights, deferred compensation agreements and liabilities to noncontrolling interest holders.

No definition available.

Name:	gms_TotalExpenseStockAppreciationRightsDeferredCompensationAndRedeemableNoncontrollingInterestsArrangements
Namespace Prefix:	gms_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

Aggregate carrying value as of the balance sheet date of the liabilities for stock option plans and other equity-based compensation arrangements payable within one year (or the operating cycle, if longer).

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.20)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Name:	us-gaap_DeferredCompensationShareBasedArrangementsLiabilityCurrent
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

Aggregate carrying value as of the balance sheet date of the liabilities for stock option plans and other equity-based compensation arrangements payable after one year (or the operating cycle, if longer).

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_DeferredCompensationSharebasedArrangementsLiabilityClassifiedNoncurrent
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

Aggregate carrying value as of the balance sheet date of the liabilities for stock option plans and other equity-based compensation arrangements.

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_DeferredCompensationSharebasedArrangementsLiabilityCurrentAndNoncurrent
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

Amount of addition (reduction) to the amount at which a liability could be incurred (settled) in a current transaction between willing parties.

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_LiabilitiesFairValueAdjustment
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

Amount of cash paid to settle liability for award under share-based payment arrangement.

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (d)(2)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=116856206&loc=d3e5070-113901

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsShareBasedLiabilitiesPaid
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeStatementLocationAxis=us-gaap_SellingGeneralAndAdministrativeExpensesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis=us-gaap_StockAppreciationRightsSARSMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis=gms_ShareholderDeferredCompensationMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: