Revenues and Gross Profit - Total Revenues and Gross Profit by Product Line (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2017
Product Information [Line Items]
Total Revenues	$ 1,219,640	$ 1,087,732	$ 3,224,047	$ 2,995,116
Gross profit (loss)	312,984	291,678	739,293	712,838
Interproduct Revenues
Product Information [Line Items]
Total Revenues	(66,839)	(67,379)	(205,681)	(198,638)
Corporate
Product Information [Line Items]
Gross profit (loss)	(579)	3,446	4,474	3,321
Building Materials Business
Product Information [Line Items]
Total Revenues	1,146,117	1,023,827	3,008,300	2,792,606
Building Materials Business | Operating Segments
Product Information [Line Items]
Total Revenues	1,146,117	1,023,827	3,008,300	2,792,606
Gross profit (loss)	287,816	268,322	661,343	643,668
Building Materials Business | Operating Segments | Products and Services
Product Information [Line Items]
Total Revenues	1,073,853	962,598	2,822,910	2,621,728
Gross profit (loss)	287,863	267,310	660,911	641,628
Magnesia Specialties | Operating Segments
Product Information [Line Items]
Total Revenues	73,523	63,905	215,747	202,510
Gross profit (loss)	25,747	19,910	73,476	65,849
Magnesia Specialties | Operating Segments | Products and Services
Product Information [Line Items]
Total Revenues	68,365	59,889	201,390	189,918
Gross profit (loss)	26,823	21,272	76,756	69,425
Aggregates | Building Materials Business | Operating Segments | Reportable Subsegments | Products and Services
Product Information [Line Items]
Total Revenues	687,800	590,312	1,778,124	1,619,282
Gross profit (loss)	209,082	187,065	460,624	439,032
Cement | Building Materials Business | Operating Segments | Reportable Subsegments | Products and Services
Product Information [Line Items]
Total Revenues	98,223	88,470	300,554	280,961
Gross profit (loss)	32,543	27,459	97,582	87,608
Ready Mixed Concrete | Building Materials Business | Operating Segments | Reportable Subsegments | Products and Services
Product Information [Line Items]
Total Revenues	254,686	240,222	750,424	704,471
Gross profit (loss)	20,632	23,913	66,226	70,542
Asphalt and Paving | Building Materials Business | Operating Segments | Reportable Subsegments | Products and Services
Product Information [Line Items]
Total Revenues	99,983	110,973	199,489	215,652
Gross profit (loss)	25,606	28,873	36,479	44,446
Freight
Product Information [Line Items]
Total Revenues	77,422	65,245	199,747	183,470
Freight | Building Materials Business
Product Information [Line Items]
Total Revenues	72,264	61,229	185,390	170,878
Freight | Building Materials Business | Operating Segments
Product Information [Line Items]
Total Revenues	72,264	61,229	185,390	170,878
Gross profit (loss)	(47)	1,012	432	2,040
Freight | Magnesia Specialties | Operating Segments
Product Information [Line Items]
Total Revenues	5,158	4,016	14,357	12,592
Gross profit (loss)	$ (1,076)	$ (1,362)	$ (3,280)	$ (3,576)