CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2013	Mar. 31, 2012
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income (loss)	$ (48.2)	$ 119.5
Depreciation and amortization	18.6	15.7
Loss on prepayment of debt	6.6
Benefit plan expense greater (less) than cash funding requirements:
Defined benefit pension expense	1.3	0.1
Other postretirement benefit expense	(0.4)	(0.5)
Deferred income taxes	(34.9)	25.2
Other, net	2.8
Change in assets and liabilities:
Accounts and other receivables, net	(89.4)	(163.4)
Inventories, net	92.4	(126.1)
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	29.2	(8.0)
Accounts with affiliates	(45.4)	29.0
Income taxes	16.4	11.6
Other, net	6.9	1.3
Net cash used in operating activities	(34.3)	(114.4)
Cash flows from investing activities:
Capital expenditures	(20.2)	(34.6)
Capitalized permit costs	(0.2)	(0.9)
Purchases of marketable securities	(3.8)	(0.5)
Proceeds from:
Disposal of assets held for sale	1.6
Collection of note receivable	1.8
Change in restricted cash equivalents, net	0.8	(2.3)
Other, net	(0.3)	2.1
Net cash used in investing activities	(16.3)	(12.3)
Indebtedness:
Borrowings	214.8	108.5
Principal payments	(327.9)	(2.1)
Valhi cash dividends paid	(17.0)	(14.1)
Distributions to noncontrolling interest in subsidiaries	(4.7)	(4.7)
Other, net	0.2
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(134.6)	87.6
Cash and cash equivalents - net change from:
Operating, investing and financing activities	(185.2)	(39.1)
Effect of exchange rate on cash	(2.0)	0.4
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	366.9	96.4
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	179.7	57.7
Cash paid (received) for:
Interest, net of capitalized interest (including call premium paid)	14.9	7.4
Income taxes, net	(1.6)	23.9
Noncash investing activities:
Accrual for capital expenditures	4.4	6.1
Accrual for capitalized permit costs	0.1	3.5
Mutual Funds [Member]
Proceeds from:
Disposal of marketable securities		21.1
Other [Member]
Proceeds from:
Disposal of marketable securities	4.0	2.8
LPC [Member]
Benefit plan expense greater (less) than cash funding requirements:
Net distributions from (contributions to) Ti02 manufacturing joint venture, net	$ 9.8	$ (18.8)