Debt - Narrative (Detail) - USD ($) shares in Millions											1 Months Ended		3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
		Feb. 01, 2019	Oct. 15, 2018	Sep. 29, 2017	Aug. 04, 2017	Jun. 07, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Nov. 02, 2016	Oct. 06, 2016	Aug. 31, 2016	Aug. 31, 2017	Jun. 30, 2017	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 16, 2016
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Amount of difference between fair value and book value													$ (14,400,000)		$ (14,400,000)	$ 18,800,000
Loss on debt extinguishment														$ (10,800,000)	$ (32,400,000)	$ (20,100,000)
Weighted average interest rate on borrowings															3.50%	3.50%	2.50%
Debt instrument, repurchase date						Jun. 07, 2017
Borrowings under the credit facility																		$ 0
Interest paid, net of interest capitalized															$ 171,700,000	$ 177,600,000	$ 280,100,000
Donnelley Financial Solutions, Inc.
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Non-cash debt-for-equity exchange, shares											0.1	6.1
Extinguishment of indebtedness											$ 1,900,000	$ 111,600,000
Third Party Purchase Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, aggregate principal amount repurchased																			$ 274,400,000
Third Party Purchase Notes | Donnelley Financial Solutions, Inc.
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, aggregate principal amount																		300,000,000
Non-cash debt-for-equity exchange, shares						6.1
Cancellation of Third Party Purchase Notes | Donnelley Financial Solutions, Inc.
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Loss on debt extinguishment							$ (85,300,000)
Senior Notes | Donnelley Financial Solutions, Inc. | Spin-off
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, aggregate principal amount																		300,000,000
Senior Notes | LSC Communications, Inc. | Spin-off
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, aggregate principal amount																		450,000,000
Company Purchase Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, aggregate principal amount repurchased																		503,600,000
ABL Credit Agreement
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Maturity date															Sep. 29, 2022
Credit facility maximum borrowing capacity				$ 800,000,000
Line of credit maximum borrowing base capacity				$ 200,000,000
Line of credit borrowing capacity description															The amount available to be borrowed under the ABL Credit Agreement is equal to the lesser of (a) $800.0 million and (b) a borrowing base formula based on the amount of accounts receivable, inventory, machinery, equipment and, if we were to so elect in the future subject to the satisfaction of certain conditions, fee-owned real estate of ours and our material domestic subsidiaries that are borrowers or guarantors under the ABL Credit Agreement (the “Guarantors”), subject to certain eligibility criteria and advance rates (collectively, the “Borrowing Base”), subject to certain eligibility criteria and advance rates. The aggregate amount of real estate, machinery and equipment that can be included in the Borrowing Base cannot exceed $200.0 million.
Percentage of collateralize equity interest on first-tier foreign subsidiaries				65.00%
Allowable annual dividend payment under credit agreement													60,000,000		$ 60,000,000
Borrowing capacity available under credit agreement													524,000,000		524,000,000
Debt maturity reserve													172,200,000		172,200,000
Outstanding letters of credit													34,200,000		34,200,000
Borrowings under the credit facility													$ 59,000,000		$ 59,000,000	216,000,000
ABL Credit Agreement | Minimum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Unused line fee				0.25%
ABL Credit Agreement | Maximum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Unused line fee				0.375%
ABL Credit Agreement | Eurocurrency
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Credit facility maximum borrowing capacity				$ 800,000,000
ABL Credit Agreement | Eurocurrency | Minimum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate margin on borrowings				1.25%
ABL Credit Agreement | Eurocurrency | Maximum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate margin on borrowings				1.50%
ABL Credit Agreement | Base Rate | Minimum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate margin on borrowings				0.25%
ABL Credit Agreement | Base Rate | Maximum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate margin on borrowings				0.50%
Term Loan Credit Agreement
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, interest rate													7.51%		7.51%
Maturity date															Jan. 15, 2024
Principal payments			$ 1,400,000
Principal payments term															Quarterly beginning at the end of the first quarter in 2019
Borrowings under the credit facility	[1]												$ 544,700,000		$ 544,700,000
Term Loan Credit Agreement | Eurocurrency
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate margin on borrowings			5.00%
Term Loan Credit Agreement | Base Rate
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate margin on borrowings			4.00%
Other Facilities
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Outstanding letters of credit													111,200,000		111,200,000
Other Facilities | Revolving Credit Facility Agreement
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Credit facility current borrowing capacity													179,800,000		179,800,000
Combined Facilities
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Borrowings under the credit facility													$ 97,300,000		$ 97,300,000	226,600,000
Credit Agreements
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Loss on debt extinguishment																	$ (1,400,000)
Credit Agreements | Senior Secured Revolving Credit Facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Credit facility maximum borrowing capacity																		800,000,000
Prior Credit Agreement | Senior Secured Revolving Credit Facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Credit facility maximum borrowing capacity																		1,500,000,000
11.25% Senior Notes Due February 1, 2019
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, interest rate													11.25%		11.25%
Maturity date															Feb. 01, 2019
11.25% Senior Notes Due February 1, 2019 | ABL Credit Agreement | Subsequent Event
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Senior notes retired amount		$ 172,200,000
Debt instrument, interest rate		11.25%
Senior Secured Term Loan B | Donnelley Financial Solutions, Inc. | Spin-off
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, aggregate principal amount																		350,000,000
Senior Secured Term Loan B | LSC Communications, Inc. | Spin-off
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, aggregate principal amount																		$ 375,000,000
Senior Secured Term Loan B | ABL Credit Agreement
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Payment made for senior notes, transaction fees and borrowings			$ 5,500,000
Senior Secured Term Loan B | Term Loan Credit Agreement
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, aggregate principal amount			$ 550,000,000
7.625% Senior Notes Due 2020
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, interest rate			7.625%										7.625%		7.625%
Maturity date			Jun. 15, 2020												Jun. 15, 2020
Debt instrument, aggregate principal amount repurchased			$ 172,600,000
7.625% Senior Notes Due 2020 | Net Investment and Other Income | Donnelley Financial Solutions, Inc.
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Net realized gain from disposition of retained shares																92,400,000
7.625% Senior Notes Due 2020 | Third Party Purchase Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, aggregate principal amount repurchased						$ 111,600,000
7.625% Senior Notes Due 2020 | Cancellation of Third Party Purchase Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Loss on debt extinguishment																(14,400,000)
7.875% Senior Notes Due 2021
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, interest rate			7.875%										7.875%		7.875%
Maturity date			Mar. 15, 2021												Mar. 15, 2021
Debt instrument, aggregate principal amount repurchased			$ 257,400,000
7.875% Senior Notes Due 2021 | Net Investment and Other Income | Donnelley Financial Solutions, Inc.
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Net realized gain from disposition of retained shares																1,600,000
7.875% Senior Notes Due 2021 | Third Party Purchase Notes | Donnelley Financial Solutions, Inc.
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Non-cash debt-for-equity exchange, shares					0.1
Extinguishment of indebtedness					$ 1,900,000
7.875% Senior Notes Due 2021 | Cancellation of Third Party Purchase Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Loss on debt extinguishment																(300,000)
7.625% Senior Notes Due 2020 and 7.875% Senior Notes Due 2021
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Loss on debt extinguishment													$ 32,300,000
Tender premiums paid on repurchase of bonds													29,000,000
Write-off of unamortized debt issuance costs on repurchase of bonds													1,500,000
Fees and expenses on repurchase of bonds													$ 1,800,000
6.625% Debentures Due April 15, 2029
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, interest rate						6.625%							6.625%		6.625%
Maturity date															Apr. 15, 2029
Debt instrument, aggregate principal amount repurchased						$ 41,700,000
6.50% Senior Notes Due November 15, 2023
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, interest rate													6.50%		6.50%
Maturity date															Nov. 15, 2023
Debt instrument, aggregate principal amount repurchased						59,400,000
6.00% Senior Notes Due April 1, 2024
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, interest rate												6.00%	6.00%		6.00%
Maturity date															Apr. 01, 2024
Debt instrument, aggregate principal amount repurchased						$ 101,700,000
6.625% Debentures , 6.50% and 6.00% Senior Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Loss on debt extinguishment																$ 800,000
6.125% Senior Notes Due January 15, 2017
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, interest rate										6.125%
Maturity date										Jan. 15, 2017
Redemption of outstanding principal amount								$ 155,200,000
7.25% Senior Notes Due May 15, 2018
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, interest rate										7.25%
Maturity date										May 15, 2018
Redemption of outstanding principal amount									$ 45,800,000
8.25% Senior Notes Due March 15, 2019
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, interest rate										8.25%
Maturity date										Mar. 15, 2019
Redemption of outstanding principal amount									$ 21,300,000
7.00% Senior Notes Due February 15, 2022
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, interest rate										7.00%			7.00%		7.00%
Maturity date										Feb. 15, 2022					Feb. 15, 2022

[1] As of December 31, 2018, the interest rate on the Term Loan Credit Agreement due January 15, 2024 was 7.51%.