Note 7 - Accounting for Share-based Compensation (Details Textual) - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
Aug. 29, 2020	Aug. 31, 2019	Aug. 29, 2020	Aug. 31, 2019
Fair Value Options Granted During Period Value Share-based Compensation	$ 55	$ 12	$ 10,132	$ 9,426
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Exercises in Period, Intrinsic Value	3,016	806	3,533	2,187
Proceeds, Issuance of Shares, Share-based Payment Arrangement, Including Option Exercised, Total	5,010	$ 658	6,567	$ 2,495
Total Fair Value of Nonvested Restricted Stock	$ 20,443		$ 20,443
Repurchased Restricted Stock Shares (in shares)	772	2,479	66,436	63,152
Deferred Compensation Plan, Matching Percentage			10.00%
Share-based Payment Arrangement, Option [Member]
Share-based Payment Arrangement, Nonvested Award, Option, Cost Not yet Recognized, Amount	$ 7,414		$ 7,414
Share-based Payment Arrangement, Nonvested Award, Cost Not yet Recognized, Period for Recognition (Year)			9 months 18 days
Restricted Stock [Member]
Share-based Payment Arrangement, Nonvested Award, Option, Cost Not yet Recognized, Amount	6,699		$ 6,699
Share-based Payment Arrangement, Nonvested Award, Cost Not yet Recognized, Period for Recognition (Year)			1 year
Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Vested in Period, Fair Value	116	$ 360	$ 9,958	$ 8,641
Selling, General and Administrative Expenses [Member]
Share-based Payment Arrangement, Expense	$ 4,851	$ 5,998	$ 14,087	$ 21,657

Percent matched on deferred compensation investment.

No definition available.

Name:	ful_DeferredCompensationPlanMatchingPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	ful_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Fair value of options granted during the period.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ful_FairValueOptionsGrantedDuringPeriodValueSharebasedCompensation
Namespace Prefix:	ful_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Shares of restricted stock repurchased during the period.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ful_RepurchasedRestrictedStockShares
Namespace Prefix:	ful_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Fair value of non-vested restricted stock.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ful_TotalFairValueOfNonvestedRestrictedStock
Namespace Prefix:	ful_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of expense for award under share-based payment arrangement. Excludes amount capitalized.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120381028&loc=d3e5047-113901

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SAB Topic 14.F)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=115993241&loc=d3e301413-122809

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (h)(1)(i)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120381028&loc=d3e5070-113901

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AllocatedShareBasedCompensationExpense
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Weighted-average period over which cost not yet recognized is expected to be recognized for award under share-based payment arrangement, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (i)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120381028&loc=d3e5070-113901

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_EmployeeServiceShareBasedCompensationNonvestedAwardsTotalCompensationCostNotYetRecognizedPeriodForRecognition1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of cost to be recognized for option under share-based payment arrangement.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_EmployeeServiceShareBasedCompensationNonvestedAwardsTotalCompensationCostNotYetRecognizedStockOptions
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of cash inflow from issuance of shares under share-based payment arrangement. Includes, but is not limited to, option exercised.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2A
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120381028&loc=SL79508275-113901

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 14
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121586364&loc=d3e3255-108585

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ProceedsFromIssuanceOfSharesUnderIncentiveAndShareBasedCompensationPlansIncludingStockOptions
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Fair value of share-based awards for which the grantee gained the right by satisfying service and performance requirements, to receive or retain shares or units, other instruments, or cash.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (d)(2)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120381028&loc=d3e5070-113901

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsVestedInPeriodTotalFairValue
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of accumulated difference between fair value of underlying shares on dates of exercise and exercise price on options exercised (or share units converted) into shares.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (d)(2)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120381028&loc=d3e5070-113901

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsExercisesInPeriodTotalIntrinsicValue
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis=us-gaap_EmployeeStockOptionMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis=us-gaap_RestrictedStockMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis=us-gaap_RestrictedStockUnitsRSUMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeStatementLocationAxis=us-gaap_SellingGeneralAndAdministrativeExpensesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: