| Component: (Network and Table) | |
|---|---|
| Network | 31903 - Disclosure - Commitments and Contingent Liabilites (Tables) (http://www.lbfoster.com/role/DisclosureCommitmentsAndContingentLiabilitesTables) |
| Table | (Implied) |
| Reporting Entity [Axis] | 0000352825 (http://www.sec.gov/CIK) |
| Commitments and Contingent Liabilities [Abstract] | Period [Axis] | |||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2016-01-01 - 2016-12-31 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Commitments and Contingent Liabilities [Abstract] | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Schedule of Product Warranty Liability [Table Text Block] |
| |||||||||||||||||||||
Environmental Loss Contingencies [Table Text Block] |
|