Condensed Consolidated Statements Of Cash Flows (USD $) In Millions	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2010
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income	$ 219.2	$ 39.6
Depreciation and amortization	48.2	46.6
Loss on prepayment of debt	3.2
Call premium paid	(2.5)
Accrued litigation settlement and contract termination		33.3
Litigation settlement payments		(19.0)
Assets held for sale write-down	1.1	0.5
Benefit plan expense greater (less) than cash funding requirements:
Defined benefit pension expense	0.2	2.1
Other postretirement benefit expense	(1.3)
Deferred income taxes	69.3	(8.5)
Net distributions from Ti02 manufacturing joint venture	2.1	1.8
Other, net	6.5	3.8
Change in assets and liabilities:
Accounts and other receivables, net	(121.1)	(84.2)
Inventories, net	(60.7)	28.3
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	63.1	(2.5)
Accounts with affiliates	(2.0)	19.1
Income taxes	18.8	2.9
Other, net	(23.6)	(2.3)
Net cash provided by operating activities	220.5	61.5
Cash flows from investing activities:
Capital expenditures	(91.1)	(28.3)
Capitalized permit costs	(6.6)	(4.4)
Purchases of:
Mutual funds	(272.6)
Marketable securities	(5.8)	(9.8)
Titanium Metals Corporation ("TIMET") common stock	(30.4)
Proceeds from:
Disposal of mutual funds	227.0
Disposal of marketable securities	3.6	3.6
Disposal of restricted marketable securities		5.2
Sale of business	0.3	0.5
Acquisition, net of cash acquired	(4.9)
Change in restricted cash equivalents, net	3.4	1.3
Other, net	(8.1)	(0.1)
Net cash used in investing activities	(185.2)	(32.0)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Borrowings	119.1	318.0
Principal payments	(278.1)	(308.1)
Valhi cash dividends paid	(39.6)	(34.1)
Distributions to noncontrolling interest in subsidiaries	(24.7)	(3.7)
Treasury stock acquired	(9.5)
Purchase of noncontrolling interest in subsidiaries		(7.0)
Other, net	0.3	0.1
Net cash used in financing activities	(232.5)	(34.8)
Cash and cash equivalents - net change from:
Operating, investing and financing activities	(197.2)	(5.3)
Currency translation	0.5	(1.6)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	325.1	68.7
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	128.4	61.8
Cash paid for:
Interest, net of capitalized interest (including call premium paid)	46.1	40.1
Income taxes paid (refunded), net	48.1	(10.7)
Noncash investing activities:
Accrual for capital expenditures	16.9	2.5
Accrual for capitalized permit costs	0.7	0.2
Noncash financing activities:
Promissory notes payable incurred in connection with litigation settlement and contract termination		$ 30.0