Note 1 - Nature of Business and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies - Earnings Per Share (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended																12 Months Ended
	Dec. 01, 2018	[1]	Sep. 01, 2018	[1]	Jun. 02, 2018	[1]	Mar. 03, 2018	[1]	Dec. 02, 2017	[1],[2]	Sep. 02, 2017	[1],[2]	Jun. 03, 2017	[1],[2]	Mar. 04, 2017	[1],[2]	Dec. 01, 2018	Dec. 02, 2017	Dec. 03, 2016
Net income attributable to H.B. Fuller																	$ 171,208	$ 59,418	$ 121,663
Weighted-average common shares – basic (in shares)	50,712		50,632		50,551		50,471		50,356		50,384		50,496		50,243		50,591	50,370	50,136
Equivalent shares from share-based compensation plans (in shares)																	1,384	1,249	1,134
Weighted-average common and common equivalent shares – diluted (in shares)	52,017		52,138		51,846		51,898		51,724		51,605		51,686		51,460		51,975	51,619	51,270
Basic earnings per share (in dollars per share)																	$ 3.38	$ 1.18	$ 2.43
Diluted earnings per share (in dollars per share)																	$ 3.29	$ 1.15	$ 2.37

[1] Amounts have been adjusted retrospectively for the change in accounting principle as discussed in Note 1.

[2] Quarterly income per share amounts may not equal full year amounts due to rounding.