CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY (Unaudited) - 9 months ended Sep. 30, 2017 - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Millions	Common Stock [Member]	Capital in Excess of Par Value [Member]	Accumulated Deficit [Member]	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss [Member]	Treasury Stock [Member]	Gardner Denver Holdings, Inc. Stockholders' Equity [Member]	Noncontrolling Interests [Member]	Total
Balance at beginning of period at Dec. 31, 2016	$ 1.5	$ 1,222.4	$ (596.2)	$ (342.4)	$ (19.4)		$ 5.9	$ 271.8
Balance at beginning of period (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2016	150,552
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Common stock issued	$ 0.5	897.2
Common stock issued (in shares)	47,495
Costs related to initial public offering		(4.6)
Stock-based compensation		147.3
Exercise of stock options	$ 0.0	0.2
Exercise of stock options (in shares)	84
Net income (loss)			(125.2)				0.1	(125.1)
Transfer of noncontrolling interest AOCI to consolidated AOCI							1.6
Purchase of noncontrolling interest		2.4					(7.6)
Foreign currency translation adjustments, net				131.4				131.4
Foreign currency losses, net				(44.3)				(44.3)
Unrecognized losses on cash flow hedges, net				5.5				5.5
Pension and other postretirement prior service cost and gain or loss, net				(1.9)				(1.9)
Purchases of treasury stock					(2.6)
Balance at end of period at Sep. 30, 2017	$ 2.0	$ 2,264.9	$ (721.4)	$ (251.7)	$ (22.0)	$ 1,271.8	$ 0.0	$ 1,271.8
Balance at end of period (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2017	198,131