Earnings (Loss) Per Share (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Millions, $ in Millions	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2018	Mar. 31, 2017
Earnings (Loss) Per Share [Abstract]
Net income (loss)	$ 42.4	$ (7.0)
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	0.0	0.1
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Gardner Denver Holdings, Inc.	$ 42.4	$ (7.1)
Average shares outstanding [Abstract]
Basic (in shares)	201.6	148.5
Diluted (in shares)	209.9	148.5
Earnings (loss) per share: [Abstract]
Basic (in dollars per share)	$ 0.21	$ (0.05)
Diluted (in dollars per share)	$ 0.20	$ (0.05)
Stock Options [Member]
Loss Per Share [Abstract]
Antidilutive securities excluded from computation of diluted loss per share (in shares)	0.7	12.6