For an entity that discloses a concentration risk in relation to quantitative amount, which serves as the "benchmark" (or denominator) in the equation, this concept represents the concentration percentage derived from the division.

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Amount of cash inflow associated with funds that are not available for withdrawal or use (such as funds held in escrow) and are associated with underlying transactions that are classified as investing activities.

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The amount or range of possible amounts of gain that could be realized upon the resolution of a contingency.

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Maximum potential amount of future payments (undiscounted) the guarantor could be required to make under the guarantee or each group of similar guarantees before reduction for potential recoveries under recourse or collateralization provisions.

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Amount of rent expense incurred for leased assets, including but not limited to, furniture and equipment, that is not directly or indirectly associated with the manufacture, sale or creation of a product or product line.

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Number of plaintiffs that have filed claims pertaining to a loss contingency.

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Number of pending claims pertaining to a loss contingency.

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The cash outflow for the purchase of investments that will be held in a decommissioning trust fund.

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Minimum amount of purchase arrangement in which the entity has agreed to expend funds to procure goods or services from a supplier.

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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.

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The aggregate total costs related to selling a firm's product and services, as well as all other general and administrative expenses. Direct selling expenses (for example, credit, warranty, and advertising) are expenses that can be directly linked to the sale of specific products. Indirect selling expenses are expenses that cannot be directly linked to the sale of specific products, for example telephone expenses, Internet, and postal charges. General and administrative expenses include salaries of non-sales personnel, rent, utilities, communication, etc.

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Commitments and contingent liabilities.

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Cumulative payments to collateral trust percentage of bond.

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Number of customers.

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Quarterly cash payments to trust percentage of bond.

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Percentage of tax increment generated that is eligible for reimbursement.

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Commitments and Contingencies - Other Litigation and Other Matters - Additional Information (Detail)	1 Months Ended		6 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Apr. 30, 2021	Apr. 30, 2014 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) Cases Plaintiff Customer	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2013 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2014 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2011
Commitments And Contingent Liabilities [Line Items]
General and administrative				$ 269,700,000	$ 276,100,000	$ 375,100,000
Rent expense				$ 16,100,000	$ 16,600,000	$ 15,800,000
Chemicals \| TiO2 Product
Commitments And Contingent Liabilities [Line Items]
Sale of TiO2, number of customers \| Customer				4,000
Chemicals \| Customer Concentration Risk \| Behr Process Corporation \| Net Sales
Commitments And Contingent Liabilities [Line Items]
Concentration risk percentage				10.00%	10.00%	10.00%
Component Products Segment \| Customer Concentration Risk \| Top Ten Customers \| Net Sales
Commitments And Contingent Liabilities [Line Items]
Concentration risk percentage				48.00%	47.00%	42.00%
Component Products \| Customer Concentration Risk \| Harley Davidson Inc \| Net Sales \| Security Products Reporting Unit
Commitments And Contingent Liabilities [Line Items]
Concentration risk percentage				12.00%	12.00%	12.00%
Component Products \| Customer Concentration Risk \| United States Postal Service \| Net Sales \| Security Products Reporting Unit
Commitments And Contingent Liabilities [Line Items]
Concentration risk percentage				13.00%	13.00%
Waste Management \| Customer Concentration Risk \| Net Sales \| Minimum
Commitments And Contingent Liabilities [Line Items]
Concentration risk percentage				10.00%	10.00%	10.00%
Waste Management \| Customer Concentration Risk \| Tennessee Valley Authority \| Net Sales
Commitments And Contingent Liabilities [Line Items]
Concentration risk percentage						30.00%
Waste Management \| Customer Concentration Risk \| Studsvik, Inc. \| Net Sales
Commitments And Contingent Liabilities [Line Items]
Concentration risk percentage						15.00%
Waste Management \| Customer Concentration Risk \| Department of Energy \| Net Sales
Commitments And Contingent Liabilities [Line Items]
Concentration risk percentage						10.00%
Waste Management \| Customer Concentration Risk \| Zion Solutions \| Net Sales
Commitments And Contingent Liabilities [Line Items]
Concentration risk percentage				11.00%	18.00%
Waste Management \| Customer Concentration Risk \| Sacramento Municipal Utility District \| Net Sales
Commitments And Contingent Liabilities [Line Items]
Concentration risk percentage					23.00%
Waste Management \| Customer Concentration Risk \| Exelon Generation \| Net Sales
Commitments And Contingent Liabilities [Line Items]
Concentration risk percentage				19.00%
Waste Management \| Customer Concentration Risk \| U.S. Department of Energy \| Net Sales
Commitments And Contingent Liabilities [Line Items]
Concentration risk percentage				16.00%
Waste Management \| Customer Concentration Risk \| Nuclear Waste Partnership \| Net Sales
Commitments And Contingent Liabilities [Line Items]
Concentration risk percentage				12.00%
Waste Management \| Customer Concentration Risk \| Arizona Public Service \| Net Sales
Commitments And Contingent Liabilities [Line Items]
Concentration risk percentage				12.00%
Real Estate Management And Development \| Customer Concentration Risk \| Net Sales \| Minimum
Commitments And Contingent Liabilities [Line Items]
Concentration risk percentage				10.00%	10.00%
Real Estate Management And Development \| Customer Concentration Risk \| Greystone Nevada \| Net Sales
Commitments And Contingent Liabilities [Line Items]
Concentration risk percentage					23.00%
Real Estate Management And Development \| Customer Concentration Risk \| Woodside Homes of Nevada \| Net Sales
Commitments And Contingent Liabilities [Line Items]
Concentration risk percentage					25.00%
Real Estate Management And Development \| Customer Concentration Risk \| Richmond Homes of Nevada \| Net Sales
Commitments And Contingent Liabilities [Line Items]
Concentration risk percentage				27.00%	20.00%
Real Estate Management And Development \| Customer Concentration Risk \| City of Henderson \| Net Sales
Commitments And Contingent Liabilities [Line Items]
Concentration risk percentage				15.00%	12.00%
Real Estate Management And Development \| Customer Concentration Risk \| LV East Gibson, LLC \| Net Sales
Commitments And Contingent Liabilities [Line Items]
Concentration risk percentage				17.00%
Real Estate Management And Development \| Customer Concentration Risk \| Prologis, L.P \| Net Sales
Commitments And Contingent Liabilities [Line Items]
Concentration risk percentage				11.00%
TiO2 \| Chemicals \| TiO2 Product \| Net Sales
Commitments And Contingent Liabilities [Line Items]
Concentration risk percentage				90.00%	90.00%	90.00%
TiO2 \| Chemicals \| Customer Concentration Risk \| Top Ten Customers \| Net Sales
Commitments And Contingent Liabilities [Line Items]
Concentration risk percentage				34.00%	35.00%	34.00%
Feedstock Ore \| Chemicals
Commitments And Contingent Liabilities [Line Items]
Minimum purchase commitments				$ 865,000,000
Other Supply And Service Contracts \| Chemicals
Commitments And Contingent Liabilities [Line Items]
Minimum purchase commitments				147,000,000
Valhi \| Surety Bond \| Contran \| Waste Control Specialists
Commitments And Contingent Liabilities [Line Items]
Surety bond purchased from third party insurance company		$ 85,300,000				$ 32,200,000
Collateral trust as a percent of value of bonds								2.50%
Cash payments to collateral trust		2,000,000		$ 16,100,000
Valhi \| Surety Bond \| Contran \| Scenario, Forecast \| Waste Control Specialists
Commitments And Contingent Liabilities [Line Items]
Collateral trust as a percent of value of bonds	50.00%
Valhi \| Surety Bond \| Contran \| Quarterly Payment \| Waste Control Specialists
Commitments And Contingent Liabilities [Line Items]
Cash payments to collateral trust			$ 1,300,000
Valhi \| Second Collateral Trust \| Contran \| Waste Control Specialists
Commitments And Contingent Liabilities [Line Items]
Restricted cash							$ 18,000,000
Decrease in restricted cash		$ 18,000,000
City of Henderson Redevelopment Agency \| OPA
Commitments And Contingent Liabilities [Line Items]
Tax increment reimbursement percentage				75.00%
City of Henderson Redevelopment Agency \| Maximum \| OPA
Commitments And Contingent Liabilities [Line Items]
Reimbursement revenue				$ 209,000,000
Product Liability And Occupational Exposure Litigation Claims \| NL
Commitments And Contingent Liabilities [Line Items]
Cases pending \| Cases				102
Product Liability And Occupational Exposure Litigation Claims \| NL \| Pending Claims
Commitments And Contingent Liabilities [Line Items]
Number of plaintiffs involved \| Plaintiff				588
Product Liability And Occupational Exposure Litigation Claims \| NL \| Administratively Dismissed Claims
Commitments And Contingent Liabilities [Line Items]
Number of plaintiffs involved \| Plaintiff				8,692
Pricing Litigation Settlement \| Kronos Worldwide, Inc.
Commitments And Contingent Liabilities [Line Items]
Case conclusion settlement amount						35,000,000
General and administrative						$ 35,000,000