SCHEDULE I - BALANCE SHEETS (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Millions	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Current assets [Abstract]
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 393.3	$ 255.8	$ 228.3	$ 184.2
Total current assets	1,463.6	1,188.5
Deferred tax assets	1.0	1.4
Total assets	4,621.2	4,316.0	4,462.0
Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity [Abstract]
Total liabilities	3,144.4	4,044.2
Stockholders' equity [Abstract]
Common stock, $0.01 par value; 1,000,000,000 shares authorized; 198,377,237 and 150,552,360 shares issued at December 31, 2017	2.0	1.5
Capital in excess of par value	2,275.4	1,222.4
Accumulated deficit	(577.8)	(596.2)
Treasury stock at cost; 2,159,266 and 1,897,454 shares at December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively	(23.0)	(19.4)
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(199.8)	(342.4)
Total Gardner Denver Holdings, Inc. stockholders' equity	1,476.8	265.9
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	$ 4,621.2	$ 4,316.0
Common stock, par value (in dollars per share)	$ 0.01	$ 0.01
Common stock, shares authorized (in shares)	1,000,000,000	1,000,000,000
Common stock, shares issued (in shares)	198,377,237	150,552,360
Treasury stock (in shares)	2,159,266	1,897,454
Parent Company [Member]
Current assets [Abstract]
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 0.2	$ 0.3	$ 0.1	$ 0.0
Total current assets	0.2	0.3
Equity in net assets of subsidiaries	605.9	276.9
Intercompany receivables	865.1	0.0
Deferred tax assets	22.2	7.0
Total assets	1,493.4	284.2
Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity [Abstract]
Intercompany payables	0.0	18.2
Other liabilities	16.6	0.1
Total liabilities	16.6	18.3
Stockholders' equity [Abstract]
Common stock, $0.01 par value; 1,000,000,000 shares authorized; 198,377,237 and 150,552,360 shares issued at December 31, 2017	2.0	1.5
Capital in excess of par value	2,275.4	1,222.4
Accumulated deficit	(577.8)	(596.2)
Treasury stock at cost; 2,159,266 and 1,897,454 shares at December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively	(23.0)	(19.4)
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(199.8)	(342.4)
Total Gardner Denver Holdings, Inc. stockholders' equity	1,476.8	265.9
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	$ 1,493.4	$ 284.2
Common stock, par value (in dollars per share)	$ 0.01	$ 0.01
Common stock, shares authorized (in shares)	1,000,000,000	1,000,000,000
Common stock, shares issued (in shares)	198,377,237	150,552,360
Treasury stock (in shares)	2,159,266	1,897,454