Document and Entity Information - shares |
9 Months Ended | |
|---|---|---|
Sep. 30, 2015 |
Oct. 19, 2015 |
|
| Document And Entity Information [Abstract] | ||
| Document Type | 10-Q | |
| Amendment Flag | false | |
| Document Period End Date | Sep. 30, 2015 | |
| Document Fiscal Year Focus | 2015 | |
| Document Fiscal Period Focus | Q3 | |
| Trading Symbol | ESND | |
| Entity Registrant Name | ESSENDANT INC | |
| Entity Central Index Key | 0000355999 | |
| Current Fiscal Year End Date | --12-31 | |
| Entity Filer Category | Large Accelerated Filer | |
| Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding | 37,391,273 |