Percentage points added to the reference rate to compute the variable rate on the debt instrument.

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentBasisSpreadOnVariableRate1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The average effective interest rate during the reporting period.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 835

-SubTopic 30

-Section 45

-Paragraph 2

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6451184&loc=d3e28551-108399

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 210

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22(a)(1))

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateDuringPeriod
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Effective interest rate for the funds borrowed under the debt agreement considering interest compounding and original issue discount or premium.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 210

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22(a)(1))

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 835

-SubTopic 30

-Section 45

-Paragraph 2

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6451184&loc=d3e28551-108399

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Date when the debt instrument is scheduled to be fully repaid, in CCYY-MM-DD format.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentMaturityDate
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:dateItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of the required periodic payments applied to principal.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentPeriodicPaymentPrincipal
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The amount of debt discount that was originally recognized at the issuance of the instrument that has yet to be amortized.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 835

-SubTopic 30

-Section 45

-Paragraph 1A

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6451184&loc=d3e28541-108399

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 835

-SubTopic 30

-Section 55

-Paragraph 8

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=34725769&loc=d3e28878-108400

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Expenses paid for obtaining loans which includes expenses such as application and origination fees.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LoanProcessingFee
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Call premium to be paid if call option is exercised within six months of debt instrument origination, stated as a percentage of the aggregate principal prepaid.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	vhi_DebtInstrumentCallPremiumPaymentCallWithinSixMonthsPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	vhi_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	dei_LegalEntityAxis=vhi_KronosMember
Namespace Prefix:
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Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=vhi_TwentyFourteenTermLoanAmendedMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis=us-gaap_NotesPayableOtherPayablesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_VariableRateAxis=us-gaap_LondonInterbankOfferedRateLIBORMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_VariableRateAxis=us-gaap_BaseRateMember
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Data Type:	na
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Period Type:

- Details

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Long-Term Debt - Kronos Term Loan - Additional Information (Detail) - Kronos Worldwide, Inc. - USD ($)			6 Months Ended
	May. 21, 2015	Feb. 18, 2014	Jun. 30, 2015
2014 Term Loan, Amended 2015
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Loans maturity period	Feb. 28, 2020
2014 Term Loan, Amended 2015 \| Notes Payable, Other Payables
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Call premium percentage	1.00%
Refinancing fee	$ 750,000
Debt instrument, average interest rate during period			4.00%
Debt instrument, Interest rate at period end			4.58%
Unamortized discount balance			$ 1,300,000
Quarterly aggregate principal repayments			$ 1,800,000
2014 Term Loan, Amended 2015 \| LIBOR \| Notes Payable, Other Payables
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument basis spread on variable rate	3.00%
2014 Term Loan, Amended 2015 \| Base Rate \| Notes Payable, Other Payables
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument basis spread on variable rate	2.00%
2014 Term Loan \| LIBOR \| Notes Payable, Other Payables
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument basis spread on variable rate		3.75%
2014 Term Loan \| Base Rate \| Notes Payable, Other Payables
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument basis spread on variable rate		2.75%