Supplemental Guarantor Financial Information Condensed Consolidating Statement of Cash Flows (Detail) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES
Net earnings (loss)	$ 44,279	$ 28,172
Adjustments to reconcile net earnings to net cash provided by (used in) operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	58,477	57,108
Deferred tax expense (benefit)	13,257	12,311
Equity-based compensation expense	7,681	5,117
Employee benefit plans	6,697	6,252
Changes in working capital, net	51,434	(32,621)
Change in taxes receivable, net	(1,918)	(2,028)
Excess tax benefits from equity-based payment arrangements	(9,193)	0
Change in non-current accrued taxes	4,161	1,873
Funding of qualified pension plans	(17,625)	(9,800)
Change in restricted cash, net	769	4,429
Other, net	2,564	1,490
Net cash provided by operating activities	160,583	72,303
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Change in short-term investments, net	18,001	41,094
Additions to plant and equipment	(155,365)	(87,251)
Proceeds from the sale of assets	1,035	0
Net cash used for investing activities	(136,329)	(46,157)
CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Purchase of treasury stock	(9,355)	(10,003)
Repayment of Cellu Tissue debt	0	(15,595)
Investment (to) from Parent	0	0
Excess tax benefits from equity-based payment arrangements	9,193	0
Payment of tax withholdings on equity-based payment arrangements	(12,965)	(1,498)
Other, net	(2)	2,940
Net cash (used for) provided by financing activities	(13,129)	(24,156)
Effect of exchange rate changes	0	153
Increase in cash	11,125	2,143
Cash at beginning of period	8,439	18,928
Cash at end of period	19,564	21,071
Issuer
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES
Net earnings (loss)	44,063	26,024
Adjustments to reconcile net earnings to net cash provided by (used in) operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	35,244	34,074
Deferred tax expense (benefit)	(6,040)	20,595
Equity-based compensation expense	7,681	5,117
Employee benefit plans	6,697	6,252
Changes in working capital, net	16,641	4,049
Change in taxes receivable, net	(3,121)	6,722
Excess tax benefits from equity-based payment arrangements	(9,193)
Change in non-current accrued taxes	4,631	1,873
Funding of qualified pension plans	(17,625)	(9,800)
Change in restricted cash, net	769	(500)
Other, net	1,757	518
Net cash provided by operating activities	81,504	94,924
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Change in short-term investments, net	18,001	41,094
Additions to plant and equipment	(146,256)	(74,958)
Proceeds from the sale of assets	0
Net cash used for investing activities	(128,255)	(33,864)
CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Purchase of treasury stock	(9,355)	(10,003)
Repayment of Cellu Tissue debt		0
Investment (to) from Parent	70,454	(56,769)
Excess tax benefits from equity-based payment arrangements	9,193
Payment of tax withholdings on equity-based payment arrangements	(12,965)	(1,498)
Other, net	(2)	2,940
Net cash (used for) provided by financing activities	57,325	(65,330)
Effect of exchange rate changes		0
Increase in cash	10,574	(4,270)
Cash at beginning of period	2,146	15,719
Cash at end of period	12,720	11,449
Guarantor Subsidiaries
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES
Net earnings (loss)	3,854	793
Adjustments to reconcile net earnings to net cash provided by (used in) operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	19,076	18,882
Deferred tax expense (benefit)	(3,147)	(5,694)
Equity-based compensation expense	0	0
Employee benefit plans	0	0
Changes in working capital, net	34,698	(40,225)
Change in taxes receivable, net	(2,334)	(8,168)
Excess tax benefits from equity-based payment arrangements	0
Change in non-current accrued taxes	59	0
Funding of qualified pension plans	0	0
Change in restricted cash, net	0	3,637
Other, net	807	672
Net cash provided by operating activities	53,013	(30,103)
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Change in short-term investments, net	0	0
Additions to plant and equipment	(8,344)	(11,639)
Proceeds from the sale of assets	1,035
Net cash used for investing activities	(7,309)	(11,639)
CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Purchase of treasury stock	0	0
Repayment of Cellu Tissue debt		0
Investment (to) from Parent	(46,198)	38,551
Excess tax benefits from equity-based payment arrangements	0
Payment of tax withholdings on equity-based payment arrangements	0	0
Other, net	0	0
Net cash (used for) provided by financing activities	(46,198)	38,551
Effect of exchange rate changes		0
Increase in cash	(494)	(3,191)
Cash at beginning of period	901	1,728
Cash at end of period	407	(1,463)
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES
Net earnings (loss)	4,567	(933)
Adjustments to reconcile net earnings to net cash provided by (used in) operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	4,157	4,152
Deferred tax expense (benefit)	(518)	(2,590)
Equity-based compensation expense	0	0
Employee benefit plans	0	0
Changes in working capital, net	95	3,555
Change in taxes receivable, net	3,970	1,239
Excess tax benefits from equity-based payment arrangements	0
Change in non-current accrued taxes	(529)	0
Funding of qualified pension plans	0	0
Change in restricted cash, net	0	1,292
Other, net	0	300
Net cash provided by operating activities	11,742	7,015
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Change in short-term investments, net	0	0
Additions to plant and equipment	(765)	(654)
Proceeds from the sale of assets	0
Net cash used for investing activities	(765)	(654)
CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Purchase of treasury stock	0	0
Repayment of Cellu Tissue debt		(15,595)
Investment (to) from Parent	(9,932)	18,685
Excess tax benefits from equity-based payment arrangements	0
Payment of tax withholdings on equity-based payment arrangements	0	0
Other, net	0	0
Net cash (used for) provided by financing activities	(9,932)	3,090
Effect of exchange rate changes		153
Increase in cash	1,045	9,604
Cash at beginning of period	5,392	1,481
Cash at end of period	6,437	11,085
Eliminations
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES
Net earnings (loss)	(8,205)	2,288
Adjustments to reconcile net earnings to net cash provided by (used in) operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	0	0
Deferred tax expense (benefit)	22,962	0
Equity-based compensation expense	0	0
Employee benefit plans	0	0
Changes in working capital, net	0	0
Change in taxes receivable, net	(433)	(1,821)
Excess tax benefits from equity-based payment arrangements	0
Change in non-current accrued taxes	0	0
Funding of qualified pension plans	0	0
Change in restricted cash, net	0	0
Other, net	0	0
Net cash provided by operating activities	14,324	467
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Change in short-term investments, net	0	0
Additions to plant and equipment	0	0
Proceeds from the sale of assets	0
Net cash used for investing activities	0	0
CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Purchase of treasury stock	0	0
Repayment of Cellu Tissue debt		0
Investment (to) from Parent	(14,324)	(467)
Excess tax benefits from equity-based payment arrangements	0
Payment of tax withholdings on equity-based payment arrangements	0	0
Other, net	0	0
Net cash (used for) provided by financing activities	(14,324)	(467)
Effect of exchange rate changes		0
Increase in cash	0	0
Cash at beginning of period	0	0
Cash at end of period	$ 0	$ 0