Quarterly Financial Data (Unaudited) (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended																12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2017		Sep. 30, 2017		Jun. 30, 2017		Mar. 31, 2017		Dec. 31, 2016		Sep. 30, 2016		Jun. 30, 2016		Mar. 31, 2016		Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Quarterly Financial Data [Abstract]
Sales	$ 1,034,100		$ 883,400		$ 877,100		$ 866,300		$ 1,071,000		$ 945,900		$ 1,027,400		$ 946,200		$ 3,660,831	$ 3,990,487	$ 4,557,791
Gross profit	304,400		267,500		245,000		268,400		327,300		278,000		320,700		305,200		1,085,377	1,231,233	1,477,537
Earnings before income taxes	67,000		68,400		103,000		24,600		89,700		(12,200)		83,900		51,500		263,007	212,912	412,367
Net (loss) earnings attributable to Flowserve Corporation	$ (105,900)		$ 47,600		$ 41,900		$ 19,100		$ 60,000		$ (15,800)		$ 54,400		$ 33,900		$ 2,652	$ 132,455	$ 258,411
Earnings per share:
Basic (in dollars per share)	$ (0.81)	[1]	$ 0.36	[1]	$ 0.32	[1]	$ 0.15	[1]	$ 0.46	[1]	$ (0.12)	[1]	$ 0.42	[1]	$ 0.26	[1]	$ 0.02	$ 1.02	$ 1.94
Diluted (in dollars per share)	$ (0.81)	[1]	$ 0.36	[1]	$ 0.32	[1]	$ 0.15	[1]	$ 0.46	[1]	$ (0.12)	[1]	$ 0.42	[1]	$ 0.26	[1]	$ 0.02	$ 1.01	$ 1.93

[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.