Total Revenues and Gross Profit by Product Line (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2018	Mar. 31, 2017
Product Information [Line Items]
Total revenues	$ 802,004	$ 843,859
Gross profit (loss)	110,392	147,067
Interproduct Revenues
Product Information [Line Items]
Total revenues	(60,665)	(60,710)
Corporate
Product Information [Line Items]
Gross profit (loss)	1,884	(439)
Building Materials Business | Operating Segments
Product Information [Line Items]
Total revenues	732,742	775,282
Gross profit (loss)	84,619	125,191
Building Materials Business | Operating Segments | Products and Services
Product Information [Line Items]
Total revenues	688,436	728,014
Gross profit (loss)	84,738	124,784
Building Materials Business | Operating Segments | Freight
Product Information [Line Items]
Total revenues	44,306	47,268
Gross profit (loss)	(119)	407
Magnesia Specialties | Operating Segments
Product Information [Line Items]
Total revenues	69,262	68,577
Gross profit (loss)	23,889	22,315
Magnesia Specialties | Operating Segments | Products and Services
Product Information [Line Items]
Total revenues	64,869	64,302
Gross profit (loss)	25,063	23,354
Magnesia Specialties | Operating Segments | Freight
Product Information [Line Items]
Total revenues	4,393	4,275
Gross profit (loss)	(1,174)	(1,039)
Aggregates | Building Materials Business | Operating Segments | Reportable Subsegments | Products and Services
Product Information [Line Items]
Total revenues	425,016	451,055
Gross profit (loss)	53,002	78,954
Cement | Building Materials Business | Operating Segments | Reportable Subsegments | Products and Services
Product Information [Line Items]
Total revenues	89,183	93,554
Gross profit (loss)	23,734	30,780
Ready Mixed Concrete | Building Materials Business | Operating Segments | Reportable Subsegments | Products and Services
Product Information [Line Items]
Total revenues	218,537	222,378
Gross profit (loss)	15,641	19,790
Asphalt and Paving | Building Materials Business | Operating Segments | Reportable Subsegments | Products and Services
Product Information [Line Items]
Total revenues	16,365	21,737
Gross profit (loss)	$ (7,639)	$ (4,740)