Note 2 - Acquisitions - Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		9 Months Ended
		Sep. 01, 2018	Dec. 02, 2017	Nov. 01, 2017	Oct. 20, 2017	Jan. 27, 2017
Goodwill, Ending Balance		$ 1,316,917	$ 1,336,684
Goodwill, adjustment	[1]	2,618
Adecol [Member]
Current assets		16,373	17,877
Current assets, adjustment		(1,504)
Property, plant and equipment		7,610	7,308
Property, plant and equipment, adjustment		302
Goodwill, Ending Balance		24,297	23,282	$ 24,297
Goodwill, adjustment		1,015
Other assets		4,811	4,811
Other assets, adjustment
Current liabilities		(12,653)	(12,765)
Current liabilities, adjustment		112
Other liabilities		(13,687)	(14,210)
Other liabilities, adjustment		523
Total purchase price		44,682	44,682
Total purchase price, adjustment
Adecol [Member] | Customer Relationships [Member]
Other intangibles		16,633	17,016
Other intangibles, adjustment		(383)
Adecol [Member] | Trademarks and Trade Names [Member]
Other intangibles		1,298	1,363
Other intangibles, adjustment		(65)
Royal Adhesives [Member]
Property, plant and equipment		120,137	126,192
Property, plant and equipment, adjustment		(6,055)
Goodwill, Ending Balance		867,616	866,013		$ 867,616
Goodwill, adjustment		1,603
Other assets		1,407	1,443
Other assets, adjustment		(36)
Other liabilities		(267,792)	(269,240)
Other liabilities, adjustment		1,448
Total purchase price		1,620,339	1,622,728
Total purchase price, adjustment		(2,389)
Accounts receivable		66,191	64,904
Accounts receivable		1,287
Inventory		93,918	93,680
Inventory		238
Other current assets		59,090	58,508
Other current assets		582
Accounts payable		(38,390)	(40,211)
Accounts payable		1,821
Other current liabilities		(37,138)	(37,261)
Other current liabilities		123
Royal Adhesives [Member] | Customer Relationships [Member]
Other intangibles		664,600	645,300
Other intangibles, adjustment		19,300
Royal Adhesives [Member] | Trademarks and Trade Names [Member]
Other intangibles		31,000	53,600
Other intangibles, adjustment		(22,600)
Royal Adhesives [Member] | Developed Technology Rights [Member]
Other intangibles		59,700	59,800
Other intangibles, adjustment		$ (100)
H. E. Wisdom & Sons, Inc. and Wisdom Adhesives Southeast, LLC [Member]
Current assets			13,844
Property, plant and equipment			8,641
Goodwill, Ending Balance			59,826			$ 59,826
Current liabilities			(8,462)
Total purchase price			123,549
H. E. Wisdom & Sons, Inc. and Wisdom Adhesives Southeast, LLC [Member] | Customer Relationships [Member]
Other intangibles			45,300
H. E. Wisdom & Sons, Inc. and Wisdom Adhesives Southeast, LLC [Member] | Trademarks and Trade Names [Member]
Other intangibles			$ 4,400

[1] Adjustments to preliminary goodwill for Royal Adhesives and Adecol as of September 1, 2018.