Document and Entity Information - USD ($)	12 Months Ended
	Jul. 31, 2020	Sep. 14, 2020	Jan. 31, 2020
Entity Information [Line Items]
Document Type	10-K
Amendment Flag	false
Document Period End Date	Jul. 31, 2020
Document Fiscal Year Focus	2020
Document Fiscal Period Focus	FY
Trading Symbol	BRC
Entity Registrant Name	BRADY CORP
Entity Central Index Key	0000746598
Current Fiscal Year End Date	--07-31
Entity Filer Category	Large Accelerated Filer
Entity Well-known Seasoned Issuer	Yes
Entity Voluntary Filers	No
Entity Current Reporting Status	Yes
Entity Public Float			$ 2,613,354,710
Entity Shell Company	false
Entity Small Business	false
Entity Emerging Growth Company	false
Document Annual Report	true
Document Transition Report	false
Entity File Number	1-14959
Entity Incorporation, State or Country Code	WI
Entity Tax Identification Number	39-0178960
Entity Address, Address Line One	6555 West Good Hope Road
Entity Address, City or Town	Milwaukee,
Entity Address, State or Province	WI
Entity Address, Postal Zip Code	53223
City Area Code	414
Local Phone Number	358-6600
Title of 12(b) Security	Class A Nonvoting Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share
Security Exchange Name	NYSE
Entity Interactive Data Current	Yes
ICFR Auditor Attestation Flag	true
Class A Nonvoting Common Stock [Member]
Entity Information [Line Items]
Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding		48,466,712
Class B Voting Common Stock [Member]
Entity Information [Line Items]
Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding		3,538,628