Note 1 - Nature of Business and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies - Earnings Per Share (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 02, 2023	Dec. 03, 2022	Nov. 27, 2021
Net income attributable to H.B. Fuller	$ 144,906	$ 180,313	$ 161,393
Weighted-average common shares – basic (in shares)	54,332	53,580	52,887
Equivalent shares from share-based compensation plans (in shares)	1,626	1,689	1,428
Weighted-average common and common equivalent shares – diluted (in shares)	55,958	55,269	54,315
Basic earnings per share (in dollars per share)	$ 2.67	$ 3.37	$ 3.05
Diluted earnings per share (in dollars per share)	$ 2.59	$ 3.26	$ 2.97