Supplemental Cash Flow Information - Additional Information Relating to Cash Flow Activities (Detail) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Cash payments (refunds) for:
Interest on long-term debt and other	$ 21,063us-gaap_InterestPaid	$ 451us-gaap_InterestPaid	$ 4,325us-gaap_InterestPaid
Income taxes, net	(3,999)us-gaap_IncomeTaxesPaidNet	13,320us-gaap_IncomeTaxesPaidNet	21,766us-gaap_IncomeTaxesPaidNet
Noncash investing and financing activities:
Insurance claims receivable associated with property, plant and equipment		249	546
Other assets, accounts payable, other liabilities, and long-term debt associated with additions of property, plant and equipment	34,636	14,465	15,522
Accounts payable, long-term debt associated with additions of capitalized internal-use software and software development	5,303lxu_NoncashCapitalizedSoftwareAdditions	4,011lxu_NoncashCapitalizedSoftwareAdditions
Secured term loan extinguished		66,563
Debt issuance costs incurred associated with senior secured notes		6,498
Debt issuance costs written off associated with secured term loan		630
Prepayment premium incurred associated with secured term loan		$ 666

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Noncash additions of capitalized internal-use software and software development.

+ References

No definition available.

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- Definition

The amount of a prepayment Premium to terminate debt made during a noncash or partial noncash transaction.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

The amount of principal payments made during a noncash or partial noncash transaction.

+ References

No definition available.

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- Definition

Future cash inflow associated with the disposal of the net book value of the damaged property, plant and equipment included in insurance claim.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

Future cash outflow to pay for purchases of fixed assets that have occurred.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 230

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 5

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-Topic 230

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 3

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- Definition

The amount of debt issuance costs that were incurred during a noncash or partial noncash transaction.

+ References

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- Definition

The amount of cash paid during the current period to foreign, federal, state, and local authorities as taxes on income, net of any cash received during the current period as refunds for the overpayment of taxes.

+ References

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- Definition

The amount of cash paid for interest during the period.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 230

-SubTopic 10

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-Paragraph 25

-Subparagraph (e)

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- Definition

Write-off of amounts previously capitalized as debt issuance cost in an extinguishment of debt.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 225

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.8)

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