CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income	$ 222.1	$ 295.0	$ 63.8
Depreciation and amortization	69.4	63.8	62.1
Net (gain) loss from:
Litigation settlement	(14.7)		(6.3)
Sale of discontinued operations	(23.7)
Securities transactions, net	(21.8)	0.6	(0.3)
Disposal of property and equipment, net	(1.5)	0.9	1.8
Accrued litigation settlement and contract termination			33.3
Litigation settlement payments			(19.0)
Loss on prepayment of debt, net	7.2	3.1
Call premium paid	(6.2)	(2.5)
Assets held for sale write-down	1.2	1.1	0.5
Goodwill impairment	6.4
Noncash interest expense	2.6	5.5	2.4
Benefit plan expense greater (less) than cash funding requirements:
Defined benefit pension expense	(3.3)	0.4	(1.3)
Other postretirement benefit expense	(1.4)	(1.8)	0.3
Deferred income taxes	51.5	95.3	(11.1)
Equity in joint venture earnings	0.2	0.5	0.4
Other, net	(3.1)	1.3	2.2
Change in assets and liabilities:
Accounts and other receivables, net	(6.7)	(47.9)	(53.4)
Inventories, net	(184.6)	(184.3)	4.6
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	(44.2)	96.1	(15.1)
Income taxes	(20.0)	19.8	9.5
Accounts with affiliates	65.4	(36.6)	21.4
Other noncurrent assets	(11.7)	(3.3)	0.2
Other noncurrent liabilities	11.8	(13.2)	7.4
Other, net	(2.3)	(5.2)	10.1
Net cash provided by operating activities	71.9	292.4	122.2
Cash flows from investing activities:
Capital expenditures	(98.8)	(146.2)	(44.7)
Capitalized permit costs	(4.1)	(8.9)	(5.8)
Acquisition, net of cash acquired		(4.8)
Cash of discontinued operations	(5.4)
Purchases of:
Titanium Metals Corporation ("TIMET") common stock		(30.4)	(43.5)
Proceeds from:
Disposal of restricted marketable securities			5.2
Sale of business	58.0	0.3	0.5
Real estate-related litigation settlement	15.6
Collection of real-estate related note receivable		15.0
Disposal of assets held for sale	3.6
Loan to affiliate:
Loan	(52.8)	(11.2)
Collection	64.0
Change in restricted cash equivalents, net	(15.7)	(3.0)	(0.4)
Other, net	7.1	(8.0)	(0.5)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	100.9	(220.9)	(93.1)
Indebtedness:
Borrowings	732.8	121.3	497.5
Principal payments	(546.0)	(328.8)	(537.3)
Deferred financing costs paid	(7.2)	(0.1)	(0.8)
Lease deposit held for loan repayment			(6.2)
Valhi cash dividends paid	(65.0)	(53.7)	(45.5)
Distributions to noncontrolling interest in subsidiaries	(18.6)	(29.3)	(7.8)
Treasury stock acquired		(9.5)	(2.0)
Purchase of noncontrolling interest in subsidiary			(7.0)
Issuance of subsidiary common stock			337.6
Issuance of Valhi common stock and other, net		0.3	0.1
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	96.0	(299.8)	228.6
Cash and cash equivalents - net change from:
Operating, investing and financing activities	268.8	(228.3)	257.7
Effect of exchange rates on cash	1.7	(0.4)	(1.3)
Net change for the year	270.5	(228.7)	256.4
Balance at beginning of year	96.4	325.1	68.7
Balance at end of year	366.9	96.4	325.1
Cash paid (received) for:
Interest, net of amounts capitalized (including call premium paid)	65.5	67.0	64.5
Income taxes, net	71.0	73.8	(6.2)
Noncash investing activities:
Accruals for capital expenditures	16.1	23.5	11.6
Accruals for capitalized permits	1.0	0.7	1.1
Litigation Settlement [Member]
Noncash financing activities:
Promissory notes issued			18.0
Contract Termination [Member]
Noncash financing activities:
Promissory notes issued			12.0
Construction retainage payable converted into note payable [Member]
Noncash financing activities:
Promissory notes issued			5.8
Mutual Funds [Member]
Purchases of:
Marketable securities		(272.8)
Proceeds from:
Disposal of marketable securities	21.1	251.0
Other [Member]
Purchases of:
Marketable securities	(11.7)	(6.9)	(11.5)
Proceeds from:
Disposal of marketable securities	12.4	5.0	7.6
LPC [Member]
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net distributions from (contributions to) TiO2manufacturing joint venture, net	(20.7)	3.8	2.4
TIMET [Member]
Proceeds from:
Disposal of marketable securities	$ 107.6