Significant Accounting Policies and Accounting Developments (Earnings Per Share) (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended																12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015		Sep. 30, 2015		Jun. 30, 2015		Mar. 31, 2015		Dec. 31, 2014		Sep. 30, 2014		Jun. 30, 2014		Mar. 31, 2014		Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Earnings per share:
Net earnings of Flowserve Corporation	$ 71,400		$ 93,600		$ 75,000		$ 27,700		$ 159,000		$ 128,600		$ 123,500		$ 107,700		$ 267,669	$ 518,824	$ 485,530
Dividends on restricted shares not expected to vest																	12	12	13
Earnings attributable to common and participating shareholders																	$ 267,681	$ 518,836	$ 485,543
Weighted average shares:
Common stock (in shares)																	132,567	136,334	140,901
Participating securities (in shares)																	507	578	698
Denominator for basic earnings per common share (in shares)																	133,074	136,912	141,599
Effect of potentially dilutive securities (in shares)																	737	931	830
Denominator for diluted earnings per common share (in shares)																	133,811	137,843	142,429
Net earnings per share attributable to Flowserve Corporation common shareholders:
Basic (in dollars per share)	$ 0.55	[1]	$ 0.71	[1]	$ 0.56	[1]	$ 0.21	[1]	$ 1.17	[1]	$ 0.94	[1]	$ 0.90	[1]	$ 0.78	[1]	$ 2.01	$ 3.79	$ 3.43
Diluted (in dollars per share)	$ 0.54	[1]	$ 0.70	[1]	$ 0.56	[1]	$ 0.20	[1]	$ 1.16	[1]	$ 0.93	[1]	$ 0.90	[1]	$ 0.78	[1]	$ 2.00	$ 3.76	$ 3.41

[1] Earnings per share is computed independently for each of the quarters presented. The sum of the quarters may not equal the total year amount due to the impact of changes in weighted average quarterly shares outstanding.