Variable Interest Entities - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	0 Months Ended	3 Months Ended						3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended		3 Months Ended
	Mar. 28, 2005 Agreement acre	Jan. 31, 2014	Jan. 31, 2013	Oct. 31, 2013	May 23, 2005 acre	Apr. 30, 2006 Timberland Holdings [Member] acre	Jan. 31, 2006 Timberland Holdings [Member] acre	Jan. 31, 2014 STA Timber [Member]	Oct. 31, 2013 STA Timber [Member]	May 31, 2005 STA Timber [Member] Monetization Notes [Member]	Jan. 31, 2014 Flexible Packaging JV [Member]	Jan. 31, 2013 Flexible Packaging JV [Member]	Jan. 31, 2014 Buyer SPE [Member]	Jan. 31, 2014 Trading Co. [Member]	Jan. 31, 2014 Asset Co. [Member]	Jan. 31, 2014 Global Textile [Member]	Jan. 31, 2014 Cooperage Receivables Finance BV [Member]
Variable Interest Entity [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					42.1	9.0	27.4
Senior Secured Notes										5.20%
Maturity date										Aug. 05, 2020
Extended date				Nov. 05, 2020
Debt instrument, principal outstanding								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
Interest income of Buyer SPE		0.6	0.6
Interest expense								0.6	0.6
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		12.6		12.7
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests		$ (1.1)	$ (1.3)								$ 1.4	$ 0.7