Segment Information- Financial Information for Operations (Details) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2017 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2017 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2017 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2016 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2016 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($) item segment	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($) item	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)
Net Sales, EBIT, Assets continuing operations by reportable segment
Sales	$ 1,071.8	$ 1,089.1	$ 1,071.7	$ 857.3	$ 893.5	$ 991.0	$ 996.9	$ 794.0	$ 4,089.9	$ 3,675.4	$ 3,543.2
Operating Income	104.0	$ 146.7	$ 159.0	$ 96.0	114.7	$ 35.7	$ 177.6	$ 110.1	505.7	438.1	503.3
Assets	5,299.8				3,965.8				5,299.8	3,965.8	3,950.9
Depreciation and amortization									169.1	137.8	129.3
Capital spending									159.9	108.8	72.1
Impairment charges									$ 0.0	$ 141.5	0.0
Number of reportable segments | segment									5
Customer | Net sales | Beacon Roofing Supply, Inc
Net Sales, EBIT, Assets continuing operations by reportable segment
Concentration risk (as a percent)										10.00%
Customer | Net sales | Other Customers
Net Sales, EBIT, Assets continuing operations by reportable segment
Number of customers | item									0	0
Operating Segments
Net Sales, EBIT, Assets continuing operations by reportable segment
Sales									$ 4,089.9	$ 3,675.4	3,543.2
Operating Income									569.6	501.0	559.7
Assets	4,953.4				3,574.8				4,953.4	3,574.8	3,574.7
Depreciation and amortization									166.5	135.0	127.7
Capital spending									158.7	98.1	71.9
Corporate and unallocated
Net Sales, EBIT, Assets continuing operations by reportable segment
Sales									0.0	0.0	0.0
Operating Income									(63.9)	(62.9)	(56.4)
Assets	346.4				391.0				346.4	391.0	376.2
Depreciation and amortization									2.6	2.8	1.6
Capital spending									1.2	10.7	0.2
Carlisle Construction Materials | Operating Segments
Net Sales, EBIT, Assets continuing operations by reportable segment
Sales									2,336.2	2,052.6	2,002.6
Operating Income									421.9	430.3	351.1
Assets	1,898.6				891.6				1,898.6	891.6	899.2
Depreciation and amortization									41.9	35.6	37.3
Capital spending									61.0	24.9	21.0
Carlisle Interconnect Technologies | Operating Segments
Net Sales, EBIT, Assets continuing operations by reportable segment
Sales									815.3	834.6	784.6
Operating Income									89.5	143.9	143.0
Assets	1,473.0				1,446.3				1,473.0	1,446.3	1,264.0
Depreciation and amortization									55.8	48.8	44.3
Capital spending									53.2	43.9	31.6
Carlisle Food Service Products | Operating Segments
Net Sales, EBIT, Assets continuing operations by reportable segment
Sales									339.1	250.2	242.6
Operating Income									39.5	31.5	27.3
Assets	469.3				206.1				469.3	206.1	199.0
Depreciation and amortization									22.8	9.1	9.7
Capital spending									8.9	8.2	6.3
Carlisle Fluid Technologies | Operating Segments
Net Sales, EBIT, Assets continuing operations by reportable segment
Sales									281.4	269.4	203.2
Operating Income									16.1	31.2	20.9
Assets	678.7				640.9				678.7	640.9	659.5
Depreciation and amortization									23.0	20.7	15.0
Capital spending									8.8	11.7	1.9
Carlisle Brake & Friction
Net Sales, EBIT, Assets continuing operations by reportable segment
Impairment charges										141.5
Carlisle Brake & Friction | Operating Segments
Net Sales, EBIT, Assets continuing operations by reportable segment
Sales									317.9	268.6	310.2
Operating Income									2.6	(135.9)	17.4
Assets	$ 433.8				$ 389.9				433.8	389.9	553.0
Depreciation and amortization									23.0	20.8	21.4
Capital spending									$ 26.8	$ 9.4	$ 11.1