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Sales by Product Line (Percentages Of Net Sales By Product Line) (Details) | 12 Months Ended
--- | ---
Dec. 31, 2011 | Dec. 31, 2010 | Dec. 31, 2009
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Total, percentage of net sales | 100.00% |  | 100.00% |  | 100.00% |
Fasteners [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Introduced | 1967 | [1] |  |  |  |
Total, percentage of net sales | 46.90% | [1] | 49.10% | [1] | 50.00% | [1]
Tools [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Introduced | 1993 |  |  |  |  |
Total, percentage of net sales | 9.40% |  | 9.30% |  | 9.90% |
Cutting Tools [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Introduced | 1996 |  |  |  |  |
Total, percentage of net sales | 4.60% |  | 4.40% |  | 4.40% |
Hydraulics And Pneumatics [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Introduced | 1996 |  |  |  |  |
Total, percentage of net sales | 7.80% |  | 7.20% |  | 6.90% |
Material Handling [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Introduced | 1996 |  |  |  |  |
Total, percentage of net sales | 6.10% |  | 6.10% |  | 5.90% |
Janitorial Supplies [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Introduced | 1996 |  |  |  |  |
Total, percentage of net sales | 6.20% |  | 6.10% |  | 6.10% |
Electrical Supplies [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Introduced | 1997 |  |  |  |  |
Total, percentage of net sales | 4.70% |  | 4.60% |  | 4.40% |
Welding Supplies [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Introduced | 1997 |  |  |  |  |
Total, percentage of net sales | 3.90% |  | 3.60% |  | 3.60% |
Safety Supplies [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Introduced | 1999 |  |  |  |  |
Total, percentage of net sales | 7.90% |  | 7.00% |  | 6.30% |
Metals [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Introduced | 2001 |  |  |  |  |
Total, percentage of net sales | 0.50% |  | 0.50% |  | 0.60% |
Direct Ship [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Introduced | 2004 | [2] |  |  |  |
Total, percentage of net sales | 1.60% | [2] | 1.60% | [2] | 1.80% | [2]
Office Supplies [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Introduced | 2010 |  |  |  |  |
Total, percentage of net sales | 0.10% |  | 0.10% |  | 0.00% |
Other Product Line [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Total, percentage of net sales | 0.30% |  | 0.40% |  | 0.10% |
[1] | Fastener product line represents fasteners and miscellaneous supplies.
[2] | Direct ship represents a cross section of products from the eleven product lines. The items included here represent certain items with historically low margins which are shipped directly from our distribution channel to our customers, bypassing our store network.

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- Definition Percentage of Net sales By Product line + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | fast_PercentageOfNetSalesByProductLine
Namespace Prefix: | fast_
Data Type: | num:percentItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

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- Definition Year Of Introduction Of Product Line + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | fast_YearOfIntroductionOfProductLine
Namespace Prefix: | fast_
Data Type: | us-types:dateStringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

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- Details
Name: | us-gaap_EntityWideInformationRevenueFromExternalCustomerLineItems
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration