Note 1 - Nature of Business and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies - Change in Accounting Principle (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended																12 Months Ended
	Nov. 30, 2019		Aug. 31, 2019		Jun. 01, 2019		Mar. 02, 2019		Dec. 01, 2018	[1]	Sep. 01, 2018	[1]	Jun. 02, 2018	[1]	Mar. 03, 2018	[1]	Nov. 30, 2019	Dec. 01, 2018	Dec. 02, 2017
Cost of sales																	$ (2,090,078)	$ (2,212,844)	$ (1,707,051)
Gross profit	$ 201,217		$ 207,321		$ 218,459		$ 179,925		$ 207,429		$ 215,030		$ 220,186		$ 185,513		806,922	828,158	598,992
Selling, general and administrative expenses	(148,521)	[2]	(140,615)	[2]	(146,079)	[2]	(145,713)	[2]	(142,932)		(147,739)		(146,889)		(152,707)		(580,928)	(590,267)	(479,465)
Other income (expense), net																	37,943	18,055	(19,154)
Net income including non-controlling interests	$ 32,225		$ 49,730		$ 36,641		$ 12,248		$ 41,365		$ 37,736		$ 44,464		$ 47,667		130,844	171,232	59,466
Net income attributable to H.B. Fuller																	$ 130,817	$ 171,208	$ 59,418
Basic (in dollars per share)																	$ 2.57	$ 3.38	$ 1.18
Diluted (in dollars per share)																	$ 2.52	$ 3.29	$ 1.15
Previously Reported [Member]
Cost of sales																		$ (2,204,108)	$ (1,700,973)
Gross profit																		836,894	605,070
Selling, general and administrative expenses																		(582,132)	(477,030)
Other income (expense), net																		1,184	(27,667)
Net income including non-controlling interests																		171,232	59,466
Net income attributable to H.B. Fuller																		$ 171,208	$ 59,418
Basic (in dollars per share)																		$ 3.38	$ 1.18
Diluted (in dollars per share)																		$ 3.29	$ 1.15
Restatement Adjustment [Member] | Accounting Standards Update 2017-07 [Member]
Cost of sales																		$ (8,736)	$ (6,078)
Gross profit																		(8,736)	(6,078)
Selling, general and administrative expenses																		(8,135)	(2,435)
Other income (expense), net																		16,871	8,513
Net income including non-controlling interests																		0	0
Net income attributable to H.B. Fuller																		$ 0	$ 0
Basic (in dollars per share)																		$ 0	$ 0
Diluted (in dollars per share)																		$ 0	$ 0

[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.