Consolidated Statements of Stockholders' Equity (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Total	Dividend Paid	Dividend Declared	Series A Preferred Stock	Series A Preferred Stock Dividend Paid	Series A Preferred Stock Dividend Declared	Series B Preferred Stock	Series B Preferred Stock Dividend Paid	Series B Preferred Stock Dividend Declared	Series C Preferred Stock	Series C Preferred Stock Dividend Paid	Preferred Stock	Preferred Stock Series A Preferred Stock	Preferred Stock Series B Preferred Stock	Preferred Stock Series C Preferred Stock	Common Stock	Additional Paid-in Capital	Additional Paid-in Capital Series A Preferred Stock	Additional Paid-in Capital Series B Preferred Stock	Additional Paid-in Capital Series C Preferred Stock	Accumulated Deficit	Accumulated Deficit Dividend Paid	Accumulated Deficit Dividend Declared	Accumulated Deficit Series A Preferred Stock	Accumulated Deficit Series A Preferred Stock Dividend Paid	Accumulated Deficit Series A Preferred Stock Dividend Declared	Accumulated Deficit Series B Preferred Stock	Accumulated Deficit Series B Preferred Stock Dividend Paid	Accumulated Deficit Series B Preferred Stock Dividend Declared	Accumulated Deficit Series C Preferred Stock Dividend Paid	Accumulated Other Comprehensive (Loss)	Total Saul Centers, Inc.	Total Saul Centers, Inc. Dividend Paid	Total Saul Centers, Inc. Dividend Declared	Total Saul Centers, Inc. Series A Preferred Stock	Total Saul Centers, Inc. Series A Preferred Stock Dividend Paid	Total Saul Centers, Inc. Series A Preferred Stock Dividend Declared	Total Saul Centers, Inc. Series B Preferred Stock	Total Saul Centers, Inc. Series B Preferred Stock Dividend Paid	Total Saul Centers, Inc. Series B Preferred Stock Dividend Declared	Total Saul Centers, Inc. Series C Preferred Stock	Total Saul Centers, Inc. Series C Preferred Stock Dividend Paid	Noncontrolling Interest	Noncontrolling Interest Dividend Paid	Noncontrolling Interest Dividend Declared
Beginning Balance at Dec. 31, 2010	$ 239,813											$ 179,328				$ 186	$ 189,787				$ (128,926)										$ (419)	$ 239,956											$ (143)
Issuance of common stock:
186,968 restricted shares	6,161															2	6,159															6,161
Pursuant to dividend reinvestment plan	19,754															3	19,751															19,754
Exercise of employee stock options and issuance of directors' deferred stock	2,134															2	2,132															2,134
Issuance of 1,497,814 partnership units	49,589																																										49,589
Net income	30,294																				26,733											26,733											3,561
Change in unrealized loss on cash flow hedge	(3,195)																														(2,444)	(2,444)											(751)
Preferred stock distributions:
Preferred stock distributions					(6,000)	(2,000)		(5,355)	(1,785)																(6,000)	(2,000)		(5,355)	(1,785)							(6,000)	(2,000)		(5,355)	(1,785)
Common stock distributions		(26,770)																				(20,381)											(20,381)											(6,389)
Distributions payable preferred stock
Distributions payable common stock ($0.36/share) and distributions payable partnership units ($0.36/unit)			(9,434)																				(6,945)											(6,945)											(2,489)
Ending Balance at Dec. 31, 2011	293,206											179,328				193	217,829				(144,659)										(2,863)	249,828											43,378
Issuance of common stock:
Pursuant to dividend reinvestment plan	23,130															6	23,124															23,130
Exercise of employee stock options and issuance of directors' deferred stock	5,606															2	5,604															5,606
Net income	39,780																				33,374											33,374											6,406
Change in unrealized loss on cash flow hedge	(932)																														(690)	(690)											(242)
Preferred stock distributions:
Preferred stock distributions					(6,000)	(2,000)		(5,355)	(1,785)																(6,000)	(2,000)		(5,355)	(1,785)							(6,000)	(2,000)		(5,355)	(1,785)
Common stock distributions		(28,656)																				(21,189)											(21,189)											(7,467)
Distributions payable preferred stock
Distributions payable common stock ($0.36/share) and distributions payable partnership units ($0.36/unit)			(9,705)																				(7,216)											(7,216)											(2,489)
Ending Balance at Dec. 31, 2012	307,289											179,328				201	246,557				(154,830)										(3,553)	267,703											39,586
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Issuance of 56,000 shares of Series C preferred stock										135,193					140,000					(4,807)																					135,193
Redemption of preferred stock				(60,004)			(79,333)						(60,000)	(79,328)				2,212	3,007					(2,216)			(3,012)								(60,004)			(79,333)
Issuance of common stock:
Pursuant to dividend reinvestment plan	20,672															5	20,667															20,672
Exercise of employee stock options and issuance of directors' deferred stock	2,792																2,792															2,792
Issuance of 88,309 partnership units pursuant to dividend reinvestment plan	4,144																																										4,144
Net income	34,842																				30,872											30,872											3,970
Change in unrealized loss on cash flow hedge	2,897																														2,161	2,161											736
Preferred stock distributions:
Preferred stock distributions					(3,213)	(800)		(1,468)	(2,406)		(6,095)														(3,213)	(800)		(1,468)	(2,406)	(6,095)						(3,213)	(800)		(1,468)	(2,406)		(6,095)
Common stock distributions		(29,455)																				(21,988)											(21,988)											(7,467)
Distributions payable preferred stock
Distributions payable common stock ($0.36/share) and distributions payable partnership units ($0.36/unit)			(9,929)																				(7,408)											(7,408)											(2,521)
Ending Balance at Dec. 31, 2013	$ 315,126											$ 180,000				$ 206	$ 270,428				$ (172,564)										$ (1,392)	$ 276,678											$ 38,448