CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY (Unaudited) - USD ($) shares in Millions, $ in Millions	Common Stock [Member]	Capital in Excess of Par Value [Member]	Accumulated Deficit [Member]	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss [Member]		Treasury Stock [Member]	Total
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Cumulative-effect adjustment upon adoption of new accounting standard (ASU 2017-12) | ASU 2017-12 [Member]			$ (0.3)	$ 0.3	[1]
Balance at beginning of period at Dec. 31, 2017	$ 2.0	$ 2,275.4	(577.8)	(199.8)		$ (23.0)	$ 1,476.8
Balance at beginning of period (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2017	198.4
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Stock-based compensation		9.0
Exercise of stock options	$ 0.0	6.3
Exercise of stock options (in shares)	0.8
Purchases of treasury stock						(11.1)
Share repurchase program						(5.6)
Issuance of common stock/treasury stock for stock-based compensation plans	$ 0.0	(9.9)				9.9
Issuance of common stock for stock-based compensation plans (in shares)	1.7
Net income attributable to Gardner Denver Holdings, Inc.			174.9				174.9
Foreign currency translation adjustments, net				(70.0)			(70.0)
Foreign currency gains, net				18.7			18.7
Unrecognized gains on cash flow hedges, net				20.5			20.5
Pension and other postretirement prior service cost and gain or loss, net				3.9			3.9
Balance at end of period at Sep. 30, 2018	$ 2.0	$ 2,280.8	$ (403.2)	$ (226.4)		$ (29.8)	$ 1,623.4
Balance at end of period (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2018	200.9

[1] All amounts are net of tax. Amounts in parentheses indicate debits.