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Marketable Securities - Schedule of Marketable Securities (Detail) (USD $)
In Millions, unless otherwise specified
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Schedule Of Available For Sale Securities [Line Items]    
Market value $ 2.7us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesCurrent $ 3.8us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesCurrent
Market value 255.6us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesNoncurrent 253.3us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesNoncurrent
Current Assets    
Schedule Of Available For Sale Securities [Line Items]    
Cost basis 2.7us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesAmortizedCost
/ us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis
= vhi_CurrentAssetsMember
3.8us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesAmortizedCost
/ us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis
= vhi_CurrentAssetsMember
Non Current Assets    
Schedule Of Available For Sale Securities [Line Items]    
Cost basis 255.8us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesAmortizedCost
/ us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis
= vhi_NonCurrentAssetsMember
253.3us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesAmortizedCost
/ us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis
= vhi_NonCurrentAssetsMember
Unrealized losses, net (0.2)us-gaap_AvailableforsaleSecuritiesGrossUnrealizedGainLoss1
/ us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis
= vhi_NonCurrentAssetsMember
 
Other    
Schedule Of Available For Sale Securities [Line Items]    
Market value 5.6us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesNoncurrent
/ us-gaap_SummaryOfInvestmentsOtherThanInvestmentsInRelatedPartiesByTypeAxis
= vhi_OtherMarketableSecuritiesMember
3.3us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesNoncurrent
/ us-gaap_SummaryOfInvestmentsOtherThanInvestmentsInRelatedPartiesByTypeAxis
= vhi_OtherMarketableSecuritiesMember
Other | Non Current Assets    
Schedule Of Available For Sale Securities [Line Items]    
Cost basis 5.8us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesAmortizedCost
/ us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis
= vhi_NonCurrentAssetsMember
/ us-gaap_SummaryOfInvestmentsOtherThanInvestmentsInRelatedPartiesByTypeAxis
= vhi_OtherMarketableSecuritiesMember
3.3us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesAmortizedCost
/ us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis
= vhi_NonCurrentAssetsMember
/ us-gaap_SummaryOfInvestmentsOtherThanInvestmentsInRelatedPartiesByTypeAxis
= vhi_OtherMarketableSecuritiesMember
Unrealized losses, net (0.2)us-gaap_AvailableforsaleSecuritiesGrossUnrealizedGainLoss1
/ us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis
= vhi_NonCurrentAssetsMember
/ us-gaap_SummaryOfInvestmentsOtherThanInvestmentsInRelatedPartiesByTypeAxis
= vhi_OtherMarketableSecuritiesMember
 
Amalgamated Sugar Company LLC    
Schedule Of Available For Sale Securities [Line Items]    
Market value 250.0us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesNoncurrent
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= vhi_AmalgamatedSugarCompanyLlcMember
250.0us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesNoncurrent
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= vhi_AmalgamatedSugarCompanyLlcMember
Amalgamated Sugar Company LLC | Non Current Assets    
Schedule Of Available For Sale Securities [Line Items]    
Cost basis $ 250.0us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesAmortizedCost
/ us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis
= vhi_NonCurrentAssetsMember
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= vhi_AmalgamatedSugarCompanyLlcMember
$ 250.0us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesAmortizedCost
/ us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis
= vhi_NonCurrentAssetsMember
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= vhi_AmalgamatedSugarCompanyLlcMember