Variable Interest Entities - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	0 Months Ended	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended				6 Months Ended		3 Months Ended				6 Months Ended	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended						6 Months Ended
	Mar. 28, 2005 Agreement	Apr. 30, 2014	Apr. 30, 2013	Apr. 30, 2014	Apr. 30, 2013	Oct. 31, 2013	May 23, 2005 acre	Apr. 30, 2014 Maximum [Member]	Mar. 28, 2005 FLORIDA acre	Apr. 30, 2014 STA Timber [Member]	Apr. 30, 2013 STA Timber [Member]	Oct. 31, 2013 STA Timber [Member]	May 31, 2005 STA Timber [Member] Monetization Notes [Member]	Apr. 30, 2014 Global Textile [Member]	Apr. 30, 2014 Flexible Packaging JV [Member]	Apr. 30, 2013 Flexible Packaging JV [Member]	Apr. 30, 2014 Flexible Packaging JV [Member]	Apr. 30, 2013 Flexible Packaging JV [Member]	Apr. 30, 2006 Timberland Holdings [Member]	Jan. 31, 2006 Timberland Holdings [Member]	Apr. 30, 2006 Timberland Holdings [Member] FLORIDA acre	Jan. 31, 2006 Timberland Holdings [Member] FLORIDA acre	Apr. 30, 2014 Buyer SPE [Member]	Apr. 30, 2014 Trading Co. [Member]	Apr. 30, 2014 Asset Co. [Member]	Apr. 30, 2014 Third Party [Member] Maximum [Member]	Apr. 30, 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 of timberland holdings under agreement							42.1												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
Ownership percentage in Variable Interest Entity														49.00%									0.00%	51.00%	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	1.2	1.2
Interest expense				1.2	1.2					0.6	0.6
Committed capital contribution								150																		150
Variable interest entities outstanding advances						0.6
Short term loans payable to NSC						12.7
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests		$ 1.3	$ (2.1)	$ 0.2	$ (3.4)										$ (4.0)	$ (0.4)	$ (5.5)	$ (1.1)