Long-Term Debt - Foreign Debt - Additional Information (Detail) - Foreign Debt [Member] - USD ($) $ in Millions	Mar. 31, 2024	Dec. 31, 2023
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Foreign debt	$ 1.9	$ 6.0
Available credit facility	45.0	42.0
Letters of credit issued by our foreign subsidiaries	$ 1.0	$ 1.0
Ryerson China [Member] \| Minimum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument initiation fee rate	0.25%	0.15%
Debt instrument redemption fee rate	0.00%	0.00%
Ryerson China [Member] \| Maximum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument initiation fee rate	0.30%	0.30%
Debt instrument redemption fee rate	0.125%	0.13%
Owed to Banks [Member] \| Ryerson China [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Foreign debt	$ 1.7	$ 5.4
Weighted average interest rate	3.40%	3.40%
Letter of Credit Drawdowns [Member] \| Ryerson China [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Foreign debt	$ 0.2	$ 0.6

Debt instrument initiation fee rate.

No definition available.

Name:	ryi_DebtInstrumentInitiationFeeRate
Namespace Prefix:	ryi_
Data Type:	dtr-types:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Debt instrument redemption fee rate.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ryi_DebtInstrumentRedemptionFeeRate
Namespace Prefix:	ryi_
Data Type:	dtr-types:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 30
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147482900/835-30-50-1

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Topic 235
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.4-08(f))
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147480678/235-10-S99-1

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 235
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section S99
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (SX 210.12-04(a))
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147480678/235-10-S99-3

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 470
-SubTopic 20
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1B
-Subparagraph (a)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147481139/470-20-50-1B

Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef
-Topic 470
-SubTopic 20
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 55
-Paragraph 69B
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147481568/470-20-55-69B

Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef
-Topic 470
-SubTopic 20
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 55
-Paragraph 69C
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147481568/470-20-55-69C

Reference 7: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef
-Topic 470
-SubTopic 20
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 55
-Paragraph 69E
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147481568/470-20-55-69E

Reference 8: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef
-Topic 470
-SubTopic 20
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 55
-Paragraph 69F
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147481568/470-20-55-69F

Reference 9: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 470
-SubTopic 20
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1B
-Subparagraph (b)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147481139/470-20-50-1B

Reference 10: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 470
-SubTopic 20
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1B
-Subparagraph (c)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147481139/470-20-50-1B

Reference 11: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef
-Topic 470
-SubTopic 20
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1B
-Subparagraph (d)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147481139/470-20-50-1B

Reference 12: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 470
-SubTopic 20
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1B
-Subparagraph (e)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147481139/470-20-50-1B

Reference 13: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 470
-SubTopic 20
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1B
-Subparagraph (f)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147481139/470-20-50-1B

Reference 14: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 470
-SubTopic 20
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1B
-Subparagraph (h)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147481139/470-20-50-1B

Reference 15: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 470
-SubTopic 20
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1D
-Subparagraph (a)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147481139/470-20-50-1D

Reference 16: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 470
-SubTopic 20
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1D
-Subparagraph (b)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147481139/470-20-50-1D

Reference 17: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 470
-SubTopic 20
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1D
-Subparagraph (c)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147481139/470-20-50-1D

Reference 18: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 470
-SubTopic 20
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1E
-Subparagraph (a)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147481139/470-20-50-1E

Reference 19: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 470
-SubTopic 20
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1E
-Subparagraph (c)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147481139/470-20-50-1E

Reference 20: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 470
-SubTopic 20
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1E
-Subparagraph (d)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147481139/470-20-50-1E

Reference 21: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 470
-SubTopic 20
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1F
-Subparagraph (a)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147481139/470-20-50-1F

Reference 22: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 470
-SubTopic 20
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1F
-Subparagraph (b)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147481139/470-20-50-1F

Reference 23: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 470
-SubTopic 20
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1F
-Subparagraph (b)(1)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147481139/470-20-50-1F

Reference 24: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 470
-SubTopic 20
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1F
-Subparagraph (b)(2)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147481139/470-20-50-1F

Reference 25: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 470
-SubTopic 20
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1I
-Subparagraph (c)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147481139/470-20-50-1I

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Weighted average interest rate of debt outstanding.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtWeightedAverageInterestRate
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	dtr-types:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The total amount of the contingent obligation under letters of credit outstanding as of the reporting date.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LettersOfCreditOutstandingAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of borrowing capacity currently available under the credit facility (current borrowing capacity less the amount of borrowings outstanding).

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.19(b),22(b))
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147480566/210-10-S99-1

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityRemainingBorrowingCapacity
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Reflects the total carrying amount as of the balance sheet date of debt having initial terms less than one year or the normal operating cycle, if longer.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef
-Topic 852
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 55
-Paragraph 10
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147481372/852-10-55-10

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 210
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03(a)(16)(a)(1))
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147479440/944-210-S99-1

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 210
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03(13))
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147479853/942-210-S99-1

Reference 4: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(19)(a))
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147480566/210-10-S99-1

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShortTermBorrowings
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_CreditFacilityAxis=ryi_ForeignDebtMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	dei_LegalEntityAxis=ryi_RyersonChinaLimitedMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_RangeAxis=srt_MinimumMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_RangeAxis=srt_MaximumMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=ryi_OwedToBanksMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=ryi_LetterOfCreditDrawdownsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: