Variable Interest Entities - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended			9 Months Ended	12 Months Ended			9 Months Ended			3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended				3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2005 Agreement acre	Jul. 31, 2013	Jul. 31, 2012	Jul. 31, 2013	Jul. 31, 2012	Oct. 31, 2012	Jul. 31, 2013 Buyer SPE [Member]	Oct. 31, 2012 Trading Company [Member]	Oct. 31, 2012 Asset Company [Member]	Oct. 31, 2012 Global Textile [Member]	Jul. 31, 2013 Cooperage Receivables Finance BV [Member]	Apr. 30, 2006 Timberland Holdings [Member] acre	Jan. 31, 2006 Timberland Holdings [Member] acre	Jul. 31, 2013 STA Timber [Member]	Jul. 31, 2012 STA Timber [Member]	Jul. 31, 2013 STA Timber [Member]	Jul. 31, 2012 STA Timber [Member]	Oct. 31, 2012 STA Timber [Member]	May 31, 2005 STA Timber [Member] Monetization Notes [Member]	Jul. 31, 2013 Flexible Packaging JV [Member]	Jul. 31, 2012 Flexible Packaging JV [Member]	Jul. 31, 2013 Flexible Packaging JV [Member]	Jul. 31, 2012 Flexible Packaging JV [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Number of purchase and sale agreements	2
Approximate acres of timberland to be sold under agreement with Plum Creek Timberland	56,000
Approximate value of sale agreement with Plum Creek Timberland	$ 90
Acres of timberland sold under the agreement	35,000											5,700	15,300
Value of timberland sold under the agreement	51.0											9.7	29.3
Purchase notes payable	50.9
Maximum amount of guarantee on purchase notes	52.3
Pre-tax gain resulting from sale under agreement												9.0	27.4
Senior Secured Notes																			5.20%
Maturity date																			Aug. 05, 2020
Extended date		Nov. 05, 2020		Nov. 05, 2020
Debt instrument, principal outstanding														43.3		43.3		43.3	43.3
Ownership percentage in Variable Interest Entity							0.00%	51.00%	49.00%	49.00%	0.00%
Restricted bank financial instruments under Buyer SPE		50.9		50.9		50.9
Interest income of Buyer SPE		0.6	0.6	1.8	1.8
Interest expense		19.2	21.9	62.2	68.1									0.6	0.6	1.7	1.7
Committed capital contribution				150
Commitment to obtain third party financing				Up to $150 million
Variable interest entities outstanding advances		0.6		0.6
Short term loans payable to NSC		12.2		12.2
Net (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests		$ (2.1)	$ (1.5)	$ (5.5)	$ (2.4)															$ 1.0		$ 2.1	$ (5.4)