Note 5 - Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets - Goodwill Balance (Details) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
Dec. 03, 2022 USD ($)
Balance at beginning of year	$ 1,298,845
Foreign currency translation effect	(49,516)
Balance at end of year	1,392,627
Tissue Seal, LLC [Member]
Goodwill	13,765
Fourny NV [Member]
Goodwill	6,455
Apollo [Member]
Goodwill	119,358
Balance at end of year	119,358
ZKLT Polymer Co., Ltd [Member]
Goodwill	3,720
Balance at end of year	3,720
Hygiene, Health, and Consumable Adhesives [Member]
Balance at beginning of year	325,470
Foreign currency translation effect	(10,273)
Balance at end of year	328,962
Hygiene, Health, and Consumable Adhesives [Member] \| Tissue Seal, LLC [Member]
Goodwill	13,765
Hygiene, Health, and Consumable Adhesives [Member] \| Fourny NV [Member]
Goodwill	0
Hygiene, Health, and Consumable Adhesives [Member] \| Apollo [Member]
Goodwill	0
Hygiene, Health, and Consumable Adhesives [Member] \| ZKLT Polymer Co., Ltd [Member]
Goodwill	0
Engineering Adhesives [Member]
Balance at beginning of year	662,021
Foreign currency translation effect	(27,831)
Balance at end of year	637,910
Engineering Adhesives [Member] \| Tissue Seal, LLC [Member]
Goodwill	0
Engineering Adhesives [Member] \| Fourny NV [Member]
Goodwill	0
Engineering Adhesives [Member] \| Apollo [Member]
Goodwill	0
Engineering Adhesives [Member] \| ZKLT Polymer Co., Ltd [Member]
Goodwill	3,720
Construction Adhesives [Member]
Balance at beginning of year	311,354
Foreign currency translation effect	(11,412)
Balance at end of year	425,755
Construction Adhesives [Member] \| Tissue Seal, LLC [Member]
Goodwill	0
Construction Adhesives [Member] \| Fourny NV [Member]
Goodwill	6,455
Construction Adhesives [Member] \| Apollo [Member]
Goodwill	119,358
Construction Adhesives [Member] \| ZKLT Polymer Co., Ltd [Member]
Goodwill	$ 0

Amount after accumulated impairment loss of an asset representing future economic benefits arising from other assets acquired in a business combination that are not individually identified and separately recognized.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 350
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121556970&loc=d3e13816-109267

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03(10)(1))
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=126897435&loc=d3e534808-122878

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 350
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (h)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121556970&loc=d3e13816-109267

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 350
-SubTopic 20
-Section 55
-Paragraph 24
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=122137925&loc=d3e14258-109268

Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 852
-SubTopic 10
-Section 55
-Paragraph 10
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84165509&loc=d3e56426-112766

Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 350
-SubTopic 20
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=99380562&loc=d3e13770-109266

Reference 7: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(15))
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120391452&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount of increase in asset representing future economic benefits arising from other assets acquired in a business combination that are not individually identified and separately recognized resulting from a business combination.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 350
-SubTopic 20
-Section 55
-Paragraph 24
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=122137925&loc=d3e14258-109268

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 350
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121556970&loc=d3e13816-109267

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount of foreign currency translation gain (loss) which increases (decreases) an asset representing future economic benefits from other assets acquired in a business combination that are not individually identified and separately recognized.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 350
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (f)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121556970&loc=d3e13816-109267

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_GoodwillForeignCurrencyTranslationGainLoss
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis=ful_TissueSealLLCMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis=ful_FournyNVMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis=ful_ApolloMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis=ful_ZkltPolymerCoLtdMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=ful_HygieneHealthAndConsumableAdhesivesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=ful_EngineeringAdhesivesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=ful_ConstructionAdhesivesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: