Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 01, 2012	Dec. 03, 2011	Nov. 27, 2010
Goodwill [Line Items]
Balance at	$ 114,895	$ 108,970
Currency effect	(2,642)	1,043
Balance at	254,345	114,895	108,970
Amortizable intangible assets [Line Items]
Original cost	312,620	187,473
Accumulated amortization	(79,821)	(61,347)
Net identifiable intangibles	232,799	126,126
Weighted average useful lives (in years)	16	18
Impairment charge amount			8,785
Amortization expense	18,703	10,162	10,839
Future estimated aggregate amortization expense [Abstract]
2013	20,738
2014	20,644
2015	20,302
2016	20,130
2017	20,116
Thereafter	130,869
Non-amortizable intangible assets [Abstract]
Trademarks/trade names	556	584
Purchased Technology And Patents [Member]
Amortizable intangible assets [Line Items]
Original cost	43,304	10,860
Accumulated amortization	(5,924)	(2,932)
Net identifiable intangibles	37,380	7,928
Weighted average useful lives (in years)	11	12
Customer relationships [Member]
Amortizable intangible assets [Line Items]
Original cost	226,478	159,351
Accumulated amortization	(62,727)	(50,986)
Net identifiable intangibles	163,751	108,365
Weighted average useful lives (in years)	17	19
Other intangibles [Member]
Amortizable intangible assets [Line Items]
Original cost	42,838	17,262
Accumulated amortization	(11,170)	(7,429)
Net identifiable intangibles	31,668	9,833
Weighted average useful lives (in years)	13	15
North America Adhesives [Member]
Goodwill [Line Items]
Balance at	58,722	27,476
Construction Products [Member]
Goodwill [Line Items]
Balance at	13,337	13,337
Percentage that the fair value of goodwill exceeds the carrying value	26.00%
EIMEA [Member]
Goodwill [Line Items]
Balance at	147,318	47,871
Latin America Adhesives [Member]
Goodwill [Line Items]
Balance at	7,464	5,481
Percentage that the fair value of goodwill exceeds the carrying value	28.00%
Asia Pacific [Member]
Goodwill [Line Items]
Balance at	27,504	20,730
Percentage that the fair value of goodwill exceeds the carrying value	68.00%
Liquamelt Corp. [Member]
Goodwill [Line Items]
Acquitsion	0	4,882
Engent [Member]
Goodwill [Line Items]
Acquitsion	5,434	0
Forbo Industrial Adhesives [Member]
Goodwill [Line Items]
Acquitsion	$ 136,658	$ 0