Earnings Per Share (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016	Sep. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2016	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Earnings Per Share, Basic, by Common Class, Including Two Class Method [Line Items]
Net income	$ 2,572	$ 44,421	$ 85,247	$ 16,363	$ 2,579	$ 39,403	$ 77,809	$ 8,433	$ 148,603	$ 128,224	$ 111,030
Net (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interest									352	51	(338)
Net income attributable to Pool Corporation	$ 2,615	$ 44,534	$ 85,435	$ 16,371	$ 2,486	$ 39,447	$ 77,924	$ 8,419	$ 148,955	$ 128,275	$ 110,692
Weighted average shares outstanding [Abstract]
Basic (in shares)									41,872	43,105	44,281
Effect of dilutive securities [Abstract]
Stock options and employee stock purchase plan (in shares)									1,112	1,149	1,160
Diluted (in shares)									42,984	44,254	45,441
Basic (in dollars per share)	$ 0.06	$ 1.06	$ 2.03	$ 0.39	$ 0.06	$ 0.92	$ 1.80	$ 0.19	$ 3.56	$ 2.98	$ 2.50
Diluted (in dollars per share)	$ 0.06	$ 1.03	$ 1.98	$ 0.38	$ 0.06	$ 0.90	$ 1.75	$ 0.19	$ 3.47	$ 2.90	$ 2.44
Anti-dilutive stock options whose exercise prices were higher than the common stock's average market price during the period (in shares)									1	0	169