Long-term debt - Long-Term Debt (Detail) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Sep. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Long-term debt
Term loan	$ 400.0
Other	9.2	9.8
Subsidiary Debt	553.4	486.4
Total debt	803.4	736.4
Less current maturities/Carrying amount of the term loan includes unamortized original	34.7	19.0
Total long-term debt	768.7	717.4
Valhi [Member]
Long-term debt
Long term debt	250.0	250.0
Kronos [Member]
Long-term debt
Term loan	389.3
Credit facility	45.2
Kronos [Member] \| 6.5% Senior Secured Notes [Member]
Long-term debt
6.5% Senior Secured Notes		360.6
CompX [Member]
Long-term debt
Promissory note	20.5	22.2
Credit facility	2.0	2.0
WCS [Member]
Long-term debt
Financing capital lease	70.2	71.1
WCS [Member] \| Promissory Notes [Member]
Long-term debt
Promissory note	11.9	11.7
NL Industries Inc [Member]
Long-term debt
Promissory note	$ 5.1	$ 9.0

Amount equal to the present value (the principal) at the beginning of the lease term of minimum lease payments during the lease term (excluding that portion of the payments representing executory costs such as insurance, maintenance, and taxes to be paid by the lessor, together with any profit thereon) net of payments or other amounts applied to the principal, through the balance sheet date and due to be paid more than one year (or one operating cycle, if longer) after the balance sheet date.

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- Definition

Amount borrowed under the credit facility as of the balance sheet date.

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Including the current and noncurrent portions, aggregate carrying value as of the balance sheet date of loans payable (with maturities initially due after one year or beyond the operating cycle if longer).

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- Definition

Carrying amount of long-term debt, net of unamortized discount or premium, including current and noncurrent amounts. Includes, but not limited to, notes payable, bonds payable, debentures, mortgage loans and commercial paper. Excludes capital lease obligations.

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- Definition

Sum of the carrying values as of the balance sheet date of all long-term debt, which is debt initially having maturities due after one year from the balance sheet date or beyond the operating cycle, if longer, but excluding the portions thereof scheduled to be repaid within one year or the normal operating cycle, if longer plus capital lease obligations due to be paid more than one year after the balance sheet date.

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Carrying amount of long-term debt, net of unamortized discount or premium, scheduled to be repaid within one year or the normal operating cycle, if longer. Includes, but not limited to, notes payable, bonds payable, debentures, mortgage loans and commercial paper. Excludes capital lease obligations.

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- Definition

The carrying value as of the balance sheet date of the noncurrent portion of long-term obligations drawn from a line of credit, which is a bank's commitment to make loans up to a specific amount. Examples of items that might be included in the application of this element may consist of letters of credit, standby letters of credit, and revolving credit arrangements, under which borrowings can be made up to a maximum amount as of any point in time conditional on satisfaction of specified terms before, as of and after the date of drawdowns on the line. Includes short-term obligations that would normally be classified as current liabilities but for which (a) postbalance sheet date issuance of a long term obligation to refinance the short term obligation on a long term basis, or (b) the enterprise has entered into a financing agreement that clearly permits the enterprise to refinance the short-term obligation on a long term basis and the following conditions are met (1) the agreement does not expire within 1 year and is not cancelable by the lender except for violation of an objectively determinable provision, (2) no violation exists at the BS date, and (3) the lender has entered into the financing agreement is expected to be financially capable of honoring the agreement.

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- Definition

Including both current and noncurrent portions, carrying amount as of the balance sheet date of other forms of debt not elsewhere specified in the taxonomy with initial maturities beyond one year or beyond the normal operating cycle, if longer.

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Including the current and noncurrent portions, carrying value as of the balance sheet date of Notes with the highest claim on the assets of the issuer in case of bankruptcy or liquidation (with maturities initially due after one year or beyond the operating cycle if longer). Senior note holders are paid off in full before any payments are made to junior note holders.

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- Definition

Fixed rate long term debt.

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No definition available.

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- Definition

Promissory note.

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No definition available.

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- Definition

Subsidiary debt.

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No definition available.

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