SAUL CENTERS, INC. - 10-K filing on 2014-03-10

Distributions - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $) In Thousands, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended			0 Months Ended		12 Months Ended						1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended			1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended		1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended	1 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Jan. 31, 2014 Subsequent Event	Jan. 15, 2014 Subsequent Event	Dec. 31, 2013 Dividend Income	Dec. 31, 2012 Dividend Income	Dec. 31, 2011 Dividend Income	Dec. 31, 2013 Return on Invested Capital	Dec. 31, 2012 Return on Invested Capital	Dec. 31, 2011 Return on Invested Capital	Dec. 31, 2013 Series A Preferred Stock	Dec. 31, 2013 Series A Preferred Stock	Dec. 31, 2012 Series A Preferred Stock	Dec. 31, 2011 Series A Preferred Stock	Dec. 31, 2012 Series B Preferred Stock	Dec. 31, 2013 Series B Preferred Stock	Dec. 31, 2011 Series B Preferred Stock	Dec. 31, 2013 Series C Preferred Stock	Dec. 31, 2013 Series C Preferred Stock	Dec. 31, 2013 Common Stock
Dividends [Line Items]
Common stock issued, discount rate		3.00%
Common stock distributions (in usd per share)		$ 1.44	$ 1,440	$ 1,440			$ 0.9648	$ 0.95	$ 0.72	$ 0.4752	$ 0.49	$ 0.72
Preferred stock dividend (in usd per share)														$ 2	$ 2.00	$ 2.00	$ 2.25	$ 0.989	$ 2.25		$ 1.088545
Dividends declared per common share outstanding (in usd per share)	$ 0.36
Dividends record date																						Jan. 17, 2014
Common stock dividend paid					$ 7,400
Distribution to limited partnership unitholders		9,956	9,955	8,339	2,500
Distribution to limited partnership unitholders (in usd per share)					$ 0.36
Dividends declared per preferred share outstanding (in usd per share)													$ 0.5							$ 0.4296875
Preferred stock distributions						$ 3,200