Earnings Per Share (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2017	Sep. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2017	Mar. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Sep. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2016	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Earnings Per Share, Basic, by Common Class, Including Two Class Method [Line Items]
Net income	$ 25,665	$ 48,783	$ 94,620	$ 22,270	$ 2,572	$ 44,421	$ 85,247	$ 16,363	$ 191,339	$ 148,603	$ 128,224
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interest									294	352	51
Net income attributable to Pool Corporation	$ 25,665	$ 48,783	$ 94,903	$ 22,281	$ 2,615	$ 44,534	$ 85,435	$ 16,371	$ 191,633	$ 148,955	$ 128,275
Weighted average shares outstanding [Abstract]
Basic (in shares)									40,838	41,872	43,105
Effect of dilutive securities [Abstract]
Stock options and employee stock purchase plan (in shares)									1,611	1,112	1,149
Diluted (in shares)									42,449	42,984	44,254
Basic (in dollars per share)	$ 0.64	$ 1.20	$ 2.30	$ 0.54	$ 0.06	$ 1.06	$ 2.03	$ 0.39	$ 4.69	$ 3.56	$ 2.98
Diluted (in dollars per share)	$ 0.62	$ 1.16	$ 2.21	$ 0.52	$ 0.06	$ 1.03	$ 1.98	$ 0.38	$ 4.51	$ 3.47	$ 2.90
Anti-dilutive stock options whose exercise prices were higher than the common stock's average market price during the period (in shares)									108	1	0