Note 16 - Stock Option and Purchase Plans (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Note 16 - Stock Option and Purchase Plans (Details) [Line Items]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Number of Shares Available for Grant (in Shares)	2,020,439	2,536,939
Treasury Stock, Shares (in Shares)	48,358	34,848
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Grants in Period, Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value (in Dollars per share)	$ 2.08	$ 2.56
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Exercises in Period (in Shares)	208,000	110,100
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Exercises in Period, Intrinsic Value (in Dollars)	$ 488,000	$ 672,000
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Nonvested Awards, Compensation Not yet Recognized, Stock Options (in Dollars)		2,009,000
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Nonvested Awards, Compensation Cost Not yet Recognized, Period for Recognition	1 year
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Vested in Period, Fair Value (in Dollars)	67,000	1,004,000
Employee Stock Option [Member] \| Two Thousand Four Equity Plan [Member]
Note 16 - Stock Option and Purchase Plans (Details) [Line Items]
Common Stock, Capital Shares Reserved for Future Issuance (in Shares)	3,000,000
Employee Stock Option [Member] \| Two Thousand Ten Sypris Omnibus Plan [Member]
Note 16 - Stock Option and Purchase Plans (Details) [Line Items]
Common Stock, Capital Shares Reserved for Future Issuance (in Shares)	3,655,088
Restricted Stock [Member]
Note 16 - Stock Option and Purchase Plans (Details) [Line Items]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Vested in Period, Fair Value (in Dollars)	$ 1,344,000	$ 1,476,000
Treasury Stock, Shares (in Shares)	114,552	126,651
Treasury Stock Acquired, Average Cost Per Share (in Dollars per share)	$ 4.22	$ 4.05
Two Thousand Four Equity Plan [Member] \| One Year [Member]
Note 16 - Stock Option and Purchase Plans (Details) [Line Items]
Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Award Lapsing Restrictions Period	1 year
Two Thousand Four Equity Plan [Member] \| Two Year [Member]
Note 16 - Stock Option and Purchase Plans (Details) [Line Items]
Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Award Lapsing Restrictions Period	2 years
Two Thousand Four Equity Plan [Member] \| Three Year [Member]
Note 16 - Stock Option and Purchase Plans (Details) [Line Items]
Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Award Lapsing Restrictions Period	3 years
Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Award One-Third Restrictions Removed Period	3 years
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Award Vesting Period	3 years
Two Thousand Four Equity Plan [Member] \| Four Year [Member]
Note 16 - Stock Option and Purchase Plans (Details) [Line Items]
Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Award Lapsing Restrictions Period	4 years
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Award Vesting Period	4 years
Two Thousand Four Equity Plan [Member] \| Five Year [Member]
Note 16 - Stock Option and Purchase Plans (Details) [Line Items]
Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Award One-Third Restrictions Removed Period	5 years
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Award Vesting Period	5 years
Two Thousand Four Equity Plan [Member] \| Seven Year [Member]
Note 16 - Stock Option and Purchase Plans (Details) [Line Items]
Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Award One-Third Restrictions Removed Period	7 years
Two Thousand Four Equity Plan [Member] \| Minimum [Member]
Note 16 - Stock Option and Purchase Plans (Details) [Line Items]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Expiration Period	6 years
Two Thousand Four Equity Plan [Member] \| Maximum [Member]
Note 16 - Stock Option and Purchase Plans (Details) [Line Items]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Expiration Period	10 years
Two Thousand Ten Sypris Omnibus Plan [Member]
Note 16 - Stock Option and Purchase Plans (Details) [Line Items]
Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Award Lapsing Restrictions Period	3 years
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Expiration Period	5 years
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Award Vesting Period	3 years

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