Basis of Presentation and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Oct. 31, 2013	Oct. 31, 2014 Block Customer County Employees Group	Oct. 31, 2013	Oct. 31, 2012
Basis Of Presentation And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Number of countries in which company operates		50
Number of customer		0
Approximate number of employees		13,325
Cash and cash equivalent held in foreign jurisdiction		$ 82,300,000
Allowance for trade accounts receivable	13,500,000	16,800,000	13,500,000
Number of asset groups with assets held for sale		1
Depreciation expense on properties, plants and equipment		129,800,000	131,900,000	131,400,000
Capitalized interest costs	1,700,000	1,400,000	1,700,000	2,700,000
Number of product classes		5
Number of depletion blocks		8
Gain on sale of timberland	17,300,000	17,100,000	17,300,000	0
Self insurance reserve	2,900,000	2,800,000	2,900,000
Liabilities for anticipated costs related to captive insurance subsidiary	14,300,000	14,700,000	14,300,000
Largest amount of tax benefit likely of being realized upon settlement		50.00%
Options granted		0	0	0
Translation adjustment functional to reporting currency, losses reclassified to earnings, net of tax		1,200,000	3,900,000	800,000
Timber Properties [Member]
Basis Of Presentation And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Newly constructed road, depreciation period		20 years
Gain on sale of timberland		17,100,000	17,500,000
United States [Member]
Basis Of Presentation And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Area of timber properties in acres		250,200
Depletion expense, timber		3,800,000	4,300,000	2,900,000
Canada [Member]
Basis Of Presentation And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Depletion expense, timber		$ 0
Area of timberland properties		5,300
Flexible Products & Services [Member]
Basis Of Presentation And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Number of asset groups with assets held for sale		1
Rigid Industrial Packaging & Services [Member]
Basis Of Presentation And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Number of asset groups with assets held for sale		3
Minimum [Member]
Basis Of Presentation And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Initial purchase price of a certain percentage of eligible receivables		75.00%
Maximum [Member]
Basis Of Presentation And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Initial purchase price of a certain percentage of eligible receivables		90.00%
software [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Basis Of Presentation And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Amortization period		3 years
software [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Basis Of Presentation And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Amortization period		10 years