Fair Value Measurements and Financial Instruments - Financial Instruments not Carried at Fair Value (Detail) (USD $)	Jun. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Fair Value Balance Sheet Grouping Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash equivalents	$ 208,100,000	$ 395,900,000
Noncontrolling interest, Carrying amount	330,000,000	358,100,000
Valhi stockholders' equity, Carrying amount	606,900,000	733,600,000
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash equivalents, fair value	208,100,000	395,900,000
Kronos Worldwide, Inc. \| Common stock
Fair Value Balance Sheet Grouping Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Noncontrolling interest, Carrying amount	242,200,000	267,000,000
Noncontrolling interest	368,700,000	442,600,000
Kronos Worldwide, Inc. \| Note Payable \| Contran
Fair Value Balance Sheet Grouping Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Long term debt - Kronos note payable to Contran	180,000,000
Debt instrument, fair value	180,000,000
Kronos Worldwide, Inc. \| Term Loan
Fair Value Balance Sheet Grouping Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Loans, Carrying amount	98,600,000	384,500,000
Debt instrument, fair value	100,400,000	396,800,000
Kronos Worldwide, Inc. \| Bank Credit Facility
Fair Value Balance Sheet Grouping Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Variable rate bank credit facility, Carrying amount	26,100,000	13,200,000
Variable rate bank credit facility, Fair value	26,100,000	13,200,000
Snake River \| Fixed Rate Loans
Fair Value Balance Sheet Grouping Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Loans, Carrying amount	250,000,000	250,000,000
Debt instrument, fair value	250,000,000	250,000,000
WCS \| Fixed Rate Loans
Fair Value Balance Sheet Grouping Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Loans, Carrying amount	76,400,000	77,100,000
Debt instrument, fair value	76,400,000	77,100,000
Valhi \| Credit Facility \| Contran
Fair Value Balance Sheet Grouping Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Variable rate bank credit facility, Carrying amount	159,700,000	157,600,000
Variable rate bank credit facility, Fair value	159,700,000	157,600,000
CompX \| Common stock
Fair Value Balance Sheet Grouping Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Noncontrolling interest, Carrying amount	13,400,000	13,300,000
Noncontrolling interest	22,900,000	23,400,000
CompX \| Promissory Note
Fair Value Balance Sheet Grouping Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Variable rate promissory note, Carrying amount	18,000,000	18,500,000
Debt instrument, fair value	18,000,000	18,500,000
NL \| Common stock
Fair Value Balance Sheet Grouping Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Noncontrolling interest, Carrying amount	74,400,000	77,800,000
Noncontrolling interest	93,600,000	94,800,000
Valhi Inc \| Stockholders' Equity, Total
Fair Value Balance Sheet Grouping Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Valhi stockholders' equity, Carrying amount	606,900,000	733,600,000
Valhi stockholders' equity, Fair value	$ 4,659,500,000	$ 4,238,900,000

This element represents the portion of the balance sheet assertion valued at fair value by the entity whether such amount is presented as a separate caption or as a parenthetical disclosure. Additionally, this element may be used in connection with the fair value disclosures required in the footnote disclosures to the financial statements. The element may be used in both the balance sheet and disclosure in the same submission.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 825

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 10

-Subparagraph (a)

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- Definition

Amount of equity valued at fair value by the entity.

+ References

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-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 820

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

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- Definition

The carrying value as of the balance sheet date of the current and noncurrent portions 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.

+ References

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-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 944

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-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 19, 20, 22

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- Definition

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-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Glossary Line-of-Credit Arrangement

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6517033

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- Definition

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).

+ References

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-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

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-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

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-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 19, 20, 22

-Article 5

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- Definition

Carrying value as of the balance sheet date of notes payable (with maturities initially due after one year or beyond the operating cycle if longer), excluding current portion.

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-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 210

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-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22)

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-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 22

-Article 5

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- Definition

Total of all stockholders' equity (deficit) items, net of receivables from officers, directors, owners, and affiliates of the entity which is directly or indirectly attributable to that ownership interest in subsidiary equity which is not attributable to the parent (that is, noncontrolling interest, previously referred to as minority interest).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher AICPA

-Name Accounting Research Bulletin (ARB)

-Number 51

-Paragraph 26

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

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-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

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-Publisher AICPA

-Name Accounting Research Bulletin (ARB)

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-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

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- Definition

Including the current and noncurrent portions, aggregate carrying amount of all types of notes payable, as of the balance sheet date, with initial maturities beyond one year or beyond the normal operating cycle, if longer.

+ References

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- Definition

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Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 19, 20, 22

-Article 5

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-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 129

-Paragraph 2, 4

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

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-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

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- Definition

The carrying amounts of cash and cash equivalent items which are restricted as to withdrawal or usage. Restrictions may include legally restricted deposits held as compensating balances against borrowing arrangements, contracts entered into with others, or entity statements of intention with regard to particular deposits; however, time deposits and short-term certificates of deposit are not generally included in legally restricted deposits. Excludes compensating balance arrangements that are not agreements which legally restrict the use of cash amounts shown on the balance sheet. This element is for unclassified presentations; for classified presentations there is a separate and distinct element.

+ References

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-Publisher AICPA

-Name Audit and Accounting Guide (AAG)

-Number AAG-BRD

-Paragraph 80

-Subparagraph Exhibit 4-8, 3

-IssueDate 2006-05-01

-Chapter 4

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

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-Publisher FASB

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-Publisher SEC

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- Definition

Total of all stockholders' equity (deficit) items, net of receivables from officers, directors, owners, and affiliates of the entity which are attributable to the parent. The amount of the economic entity's stockholders' equity attributable to the parent excludes the amount of stockholders' equity which is allocable to that ownership interest in subsidiary equity which is not attributable to the parent (noncontrolling interest, minority interest). This excludes temporary equity and is sometimes called permanent equity.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher AICPA

-Name Accounting Research Bulletin (ARB)

-Number 51

-Paragraph A3

-Appendix A

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-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

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- Definition

Estimated Noncontrolling Interest Fair Value

+ References

No definition available.

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- Definition

Restricted Cash And Cash Equivalents Fair Value Disclosure

+ References

No definition available.

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