Note 13 - Financial Instruments - Swaps Outstanding (Details) - Cross Currency Interest Rate Contract [Member] - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
Nov. 30, 2019	Oct. 20, 2017	Feb. 24, 2017
Derivative, Notional Amount	$ 443,800	$ 401,200	$ 42,600
Fair Value	(26,896)
Fair Value	$ 26,896
Currency Swap 1 [Member]
Fiscal Year of Expiration	2020
Interest rate minimum	1.95%
Derivative, Notional Amount	$ 42,600
Fair Value	$ (1,499)
Interest rate maximum	4.3038%
Fair Value	$ 1,499
Currency Swap 2 [Member]
Fiscal Year of Expiration	2021
Interest rate minimum	2.75%
Derivative, Notional Amount	$ 133,340
Fair Value	$ (9,196)
Interest rate maximum	4.933%
Fair Value	$ 9,196
Currency Swap 3 [Member]
Fiscal Year of Expiration	2022
Interest rate minimum	3.00%
Derivative, Notional Amount	$ 267,860
Fair Value	$ (19,199)
Interest rate maximum	5.1803%
Fair Value	$ 19,199

Year of expiration for the foreign currency cash flow hedge.

No definition available.

Name:	ful_ForeignCurrencyCashFlowHedgeFiscalYearOfExpiration
Namespace Prefix:	ful_
Data Type:	xbrli:gYearItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Maximum interest rate a foreign currency cash flow hedge.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ful_ForeignCurrencyCashFlowHedgeInterestRateMaximum
Namespace Prefix:	ful_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Minimum interest rate a foreign currency cash flow hedge.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ful_ForeignCurrencyCashFlowHedgeInterestRateMinimum
Namespace Prefix:	ful_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Nominal or face amount used to calculate payment on derivative.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1B
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109980867&loc=SL5580258-113959

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1A
-Subparagraph (d)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109980867&loc=SL5579245-113959

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeNotionalAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Fair value as of the balance sheet date of all foreign currency derivative liabilities designated as cash flow hedging instruments.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4B
-Subparagraph (c)(1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109980867&loc=SL5624163-113959

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ForeignCurrencyCashFlowHedgeLiabilityAtFairValue
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis=us-gaap_CrossCurrencyInterestRateContractMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentAxis=ful_CurrencySwap1Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentAxis=ful_CurrencySwap2Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentAxis=ful_CurrencySwap3Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: