Business Segment Information - Segment Operating Performance (Detail) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	$ 416.1us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet	$ 462.4us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet
Cost of sales	326.8us-gaap_CostOfGoodsSold	376.6us-gaap_CostOfGoodsSold
Gross margin	89.3us-gaap_GrossProfit	85.8us-gaap_GrossProfit
Operating income (loss)	34.6us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss	22.8us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss
Securities earnings	6.7vhi_SecuritiesEarnings	6.8vhi_SecuritiesEarnings
Insurance recoveries	3.1us-gaap_InsuranceRecoveries	0.8us-gaap_InsuranceRecoveries
General expenses, net	(8.2)us-gaap_OtherGeneralExpense	(8.3)us-gaap_OtherGeneralExpense
Interest expense	(14.6)us-gaap_InterestExpense	(13.7)us-gaap_InterestExpense
Income before income taxes	21.6	8.4
Chemicals
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	365.1	420.1
Cost of sales	288.2	340.2
Gross margin	76.9	79.9
Operating income (loss)	34.0	27.6
Component Products
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	27.9	25.8
Cost of sales	19.3	18.0
Gross margin	8.6	7.8
Operating income (loss)	3.7	3.3
Waste Management
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	15.0	7.0
Cost of sales	12.1	10.7
Gross margin	2.9	(3.7)
Operating income (loss)	(2.9)	(8.5)
Real Estate Management And Development
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	8.1	9.5
Cost of sales	7.2	7.7
Gross margin	0.9	1.8
Operating income (loss)	$ (0.2)	$ 0.4

Total costs related to goods produced and sold during the reporting period.

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

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 03

-Paragraph 2

-Article 5

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 225

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- Definition

Aggregate revenue less cost of goods and services sold or operating expenses directly attributable to the revenue generation activity.

+ References

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- Definition

Sum of operating profit and nonoperating income or expense before Income or Loss from equity method investments, income taxes, extraordinary items, and noncontrolling interest.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

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-Paragraph 1

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- Definition

The amount recovered from insurance. These recoveries reduce costs and losses that are reported as a separate line item under operating expenses.

+ References

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- Definition

Amount of the cost of borrowed funds accounted for as interest expense.

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 835

-SubTopic 20

-Section 50

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-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 942

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-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-04.9)

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- Definition

The net result for the period of deducting operating expenses from operating revenues.

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No definition available.

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Amount of general expenses not normally included in Other Operating Costs and Expenses.

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- Definition

Total revenue from sale of goods and services rendered during the reporting period, in the normal course of business, reduced by sales returns and allowances, and sales discounts.

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- Definition

Aggregate nonoperating income amounts earned from investment securities including dividends, interest on securities, profits (losses) on securities and net and miscellaneous other income items.

+ References

No definition available.

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