Earnings (Loss) Per Share (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Millions, $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2017
Earnings (Loss) Per Share [Abstract]
Net income (loss)	$ 72.2	$ 28.0	$ 174.9	$ (125.1)
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.1
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Gardner Denver Holdings, Inc.	$ 72.2	$ 28.0	$ 174.9	$ (125.2)
Average shares outstanding [Abstract]
Basic (in shares)	201.9	201.3	201.8	175.7
Diluted (in shares)	209.1	208.1	209.6	175.7
Income (loss) per share: [Abstract]
Basic (in dollars per share)	$ 0.36	$ 0.14	$ 0.87	$ (0.71)
Diluted (in dollars per share)	$ 0.35	$ 0.13	$ 0.83	$ (0.71)
Stock Options [Member]
Loss Per Share [Abstract]
Antidilutive securities excluded from computation of diluted loss per share (in shares)			0.8	12.3