Acquistions and Divestitures (Details) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended																												3 Months Ended		3 Months Ended
	Sep. 01, 2012 USD ($)	Feb. 27, 2010 USD ($)	Nov. 30, 2013 USD ($)	Dec. 01, 2012 USD ($)	Dec. 03, 2011 USD ($)	Jun. 01, 2013 USD ($)	Nov. 30, 2013 Liquamelt Corp. [Member] USD ($)	May 28, 2011 Liquamelt Corp. [Member] USD ($)	Mar. 02, 2013 Forbo Group [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 01, 2012 Forbo Group [Member] USD ($)	Jun. 02, 2012 Forbo Group [Member] CHF	Mar. 02, 2013 Forbo Group [Member] Developed technology [Members] USD ($)	Dec. 01, 2012 Forbo Group [Member] Developed technology [Members] USD ($)	Mar. 02, 2013 Forbo Group [Member] Customer relationships [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 01, 2012 Forbo Group [Member] Customer relationships [Member] USD ($)	Mar. 02, 2013 Forbo Group [Member] Trademarks [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 01, 2012 Forbo Group [Member] Trademarks [Member] USD ($)	Mar. 02, 2013 Forbo Group [Member] Other intangibles [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 01, 2012 Forbo Group [Member] Other intangibles [Member] USD ($)	Nov. 30, 2013 Engent Inc [Member] USD ($)	Jun. 01, 2013 Engent Inc [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 01, 2012 Engent Inc [Member] USD ($)	Jun. 01, 2013 Engent Inc [Member] Customer relationships [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 01, 2012 Engent Inc [Member] Customer relationships [Member] USD ($)	Jun. 01, 2013 Engent Inc [Member] Trademarks [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 01, 2012 Engent Inc [Member] Trademarks [Member] USD ($)	Jun. 01, 2013 Engent Inc [Member] Non-competition agreements [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 01, 2012 Engent Inc [Member] Non-competition agreements [Member] USD ($)	Nov. 30, 2013 Plexbond [Member] USD ($)	Aug. 31, 2013 Plexbond [Member] USD ($)	Aug. 31, 2013 Plexbond [Member] Customer relationships [Member]	Nov. 30, 2013 Plexbond [Member] Customer relationships [Member] USD ($)	Aug. 31, 2013 Plexbond [Member] Non-competition agreements [Member]	Nov. 30, 2013 Plexbond [Member] Non-competition agreements [Member] USD ($)
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Purchase price								$ 6,000	$ 403,100	$ 404,725	368,514										$ 7,881	$ 7,881							$ 10,239	$ 10,239
Total purchase price net of cash acquired			8,614	412,606	6,000
Acquisition related costs																				74										326
Maximum additional consideration								7,000														2,000
Acquisition Related Financing [Abstract]
Original amount		150,000
Proceeds from long-term debt			107,034	584,208	218,000
Purchase price allocation [Abstract]
Current assets									172,345	172,345											603	603							5,179
Property, plant and equipment									92,443	92,443											1,471	1,471							2,275
Goodwill			263,103	254,345	114,895				137,001	136,658											5,681	5,434							3,626
Other intangibles									123,459	123,459		42,190	42,190	58,910	58,910	21,880	21,880	479	479		3,000	3,000	2,300	2,300	300	300	400	400	4,094			3,529		565
Other assets									4,605	4,605											20	325							608
Current liabilities									(84,435)	(84,251)											(90)	(84)							(3,684)
Contingent consideration liabilities							(435)	(1,919)												(131)	(1,200)	(1,200)
Other liabilities									(42,318)	(40,534)											(1,604)	(1,668)							(1,859)
Total purchase price								6,000	403,100	404,725	368,514										7,881	7,881							10,239	10,239
Current assets purchase price adjustment									0												0
Property, plant and equipment purchase price adjustment									0												0
Goodwill purchase price adjustment									343												247
Other intangibles purchase price adjustment									0												0
Other assets purchase price adjustment									0												(305)
Current liabilities purchase price adjustment									(184)												(6)
Contingent consideration liability purchase price adjustment																					0
Other liabilities purchase price adjustment									(1,784)												64
Total purchase price and fair value adjustments						0			(1,625)
Expected life of acquired intangibles in years																															10 years		8 years
Discontinued Operations Information [Line Items]
Cash proceeds	118,566
Discontinued operations income statement items
Net revenue			0	73,143	113,466
Income from operations			0	8,235	12,572
Gain on sale of discontinued operations			0	66,179	0
Income taxes			1,211	(16,846)	(3,740)
Net Income (loss) from discontinued operations			1,211	57,568	8,832
Tax on sale				15,119
Discontinued operations balance sheet items
Other current assets			1,865	0
Current assets of discontinuted operations			1,865	0
Other assets			0	1,865
Long-term assets of discontinued operations			0	1,865
Trade payables			0	74
Other accrued expenses			5,000	0
Current liabilities of discontinued operations			5,000	74
Other liabilities			0	5,000
Long-term liabilities of discontinued operations			$ 0	$ 5,000