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Acquisitions (Narrative) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified | 12 Months Ended | 0 Months Ended | 1 Months Ended
--- | --- | --- | ---
Dec. 31, 2014 | Dec. 31, 2013 | Dec. 31, 2012 | Dec. 30, 2014 | Oct. 29, 2014 | Jul. 07, 2014 | Nov. 07, 2013 | Feb. 28, 2014
Business Acquisition [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Net of Cash Acquired | $ 80,797 us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquireBusinessesNetOfCashAcquired | $ 37,500 us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquireBusinessesNetOfCashAcquired | $ 0 us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquireBusinessesNetOfCashAcquired |  |  |  |  |
Business Acquisition, Transaction Costs | 2,240 us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionCostOfAcquiredEntityTransactionCosts | 182 us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionCostOfAcquiredEntityTransactionCosts |  |  |  |  |  |
Chemtec [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Business Acquisition [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Net of Cash Acquired |  |  |  | 66,719 us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquireBusinessesNetOfCashAcquired / us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis = fstr_ChemtechMember |  |  |  |
Accrued post-closing purchase price adjustment |  |  |  | 1,867 fstr_AccruedPostClosingPurchasePriceAdjustment / us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis = fstr_ChemtechMember |  |  |  |
Business Combination, Indemnification Assets, Amount as of Acquisition Date |  |  |  | 5,000 us-gaap_BusinessCombinationIndemnificationAssetsAmountAsOfAcquisitionDate / us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis = fstr_ChemtechMember |  |  |  |
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired, Goodwill, and Liabilities Assumed, Net |  |  |  | 68,909 us-gaap_BusinessCombinationRecognizedIdentifiableAssetsAcquiredGoodwillAndLiabilitiesAssumedNet / us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis = fstr_ChemtechMember |  |  |  |
FWO [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Business Acquisition [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Net of Cash Acquired |  |  |  |  | 1,103 us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquireBusinessesNetOfCashAcquired / us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis = fstr_FwoMember |  |  |
Accrued post-closing purchase price adjustment |  |  |  |  | 161 fstr_AccruedPostClosingPurchasePriceAdjustment / us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis = fstr_FwoMember |  |  |
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired, Goodwill, and Liabilities Assumed, Net |  |  |  |  | 1,103 us-gaap_BusinessCombinationRecognizedIdentifiableAssetsAcquiredGoodwillAndLiabilitiesAssumedNet / us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis = fstr_FwoMember |  |  |
Carr Concrete Corporation [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Business Acquisition [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Net of Cash Acquired |  |  |  |  |  | 12,480 us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquireBusinessesNetOfCashAcquired / us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis = fstr_CarrConcreteCorporationMember |  |
Business Combination, Indemnification Assets, Amount as of Acquisition Date |  |  |  |  |  | 1,000 us-gaap_BusinessCombinationIndemnificationAssetsAmountAsOfAcquisitionDate / us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis = fstr_CarrConcreteCorporationMember |  |
Payments for Previous Acquisition |  |  |  |  |  | 189 us-gaap_PaymentsForPreviousAcquisition / us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis = fstr_CarrConcreteCorporationMember |  |
L.B. Foster Ball Winch, Inc. [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Business Acquisition [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Net of Cash Acquired |  |  |  |  |  |  | 37,500 us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquireBusinessesNetOfCashAcquired / us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis = fstr_LBFosterBallWinchIncMember |
Business Combination, Indemnification Assets, Amount as of Acquisition Date |  |  |  |  |  |  | 3,300 us-gaap_BusinessCombinationIndemnificationAssetsAmountAsOfAcquisitionDate / us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis = fstr_LBFosterBallWinchIncMember |
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired, Goodwill, and Liabilities Assumed, Net |  |  |  |  |  | 12,480 us-gaap_BusinessCombinationRecognizedIdentifiableAssetsAcquiredGoodwillAndLiabilitiesAssumedNet / us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis = fstr_LBFosterBallWinchIncMember | 37,995 us-gaap_BusinessCombinationRecognizedIdentifiableAssetsAcquiredGoodwillAndLiabilitiesAssumedNet / us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis = fstr_LBFosterBallWinchIncMember |
Payments for Previous Acquisition |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 495 us-gaap_PaymentsForPreviousAcquisition / us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis = fstr_LBFosterBallWinchIncMember

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