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Summary of Significant Accounting Policies - Additional Information (Detail) | 3 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended
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May. 31, 2015 USD ($) | May. 31, 2010 USD ($) | May. 31, 2015 USD ($) Entity Segment | May. 31, 2014 USD ($) Entity | May. 31, 2013 USD ($) | May. 31, 2012 USD ($) shares
Significant Of Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Carrying value of retained interest in SPHC |  | $ 0 |  |  |  |
Net loss from deconsolidation of business |  | $ (7,900,000) |  |  |  |
Amount funded for trust as per agreement | $ 450,000,000 |  | $ 450,000,000 |  |  |
Revolving credit facility, maximum borrowing capacity | 800,000,000 |  | 800,000,000 |  |  |
Initial payment for long term debt |  |  | 450,000,000 |  |  |
Business combination, total consideration transferred |  |  | 772,600,000 |  |  |
Business acquisition, preliminary fair value of goodwill | 1,215,688,000 |  | 1,215,688,000 | $ 1,147,374,000 | $ 1,113,831,000 |
Business acquisition, preliminary fair value of intangible assets | 26,781,000 |  | $ 26,781,000 | $ 19,462,000 |  |
Number of business acquisition | Entity |  |  | 6 | 4 |  |
Number of reportable segments | Segment |  |  | 2 |  |  |
Net transactional foreign exchange losses |  |  | $ 22,300,000 | $ 17,700,000 |  |
Bad debt expense |  |  | 4,900,000 | 7,600,000 | 18,800,000 |
Advertising cost |  |  | 40,800,000 | 49,600,000 | 43,200,000 |
Research and development cost |  |  | 56,700,000 | 54,600,000 | 49,300,000 |
Impairment loss on equity method investment |  |  | 2,023,000 | 2,888,000 | (44,671,000) |
Impairment of investments |  |  |  |  | 51,092,000 |
Impact of adjustment for accumulated foreign currency translation |  |  |  |  | (6,100,000) |
Unremitted foreign earnings possible could repatriate | 347,500,000 |  | 419,100,000 |  |  |
Provision for deferred income taxes on unremitted foreign earnings | 106,227,000 |  | 106,227,000 | 2,500,000 |  |
Deferred tax liability, unremitted foreign earnings | 108,508,000 |  | 108,508,000 | 2,500,000 |  |
Foreign subsidiary undistributed earnings | 864,000,000 |  | 864,000,000 |  |  |
Deferred debt cost, Current | 3,000,000 |  | 3,000,000 | 2,800,000 |  |
Deferred debt costs, long term net | $ 11,500,000 |  | $ 11,500,000 | 9,900,000 |  |
RPM Holdco |  |  |  |  |  |
Significant Of Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Equity method investment, ownership percentage | 21.39% |  | 21.39% |  |  |
Business acquisition, allocation of total consideration | $ 208,400,000 |  | $ 208,400,000 |  |  |
Business acquisition, preliminary fair value of goodwill | 118,700,000 |  | 118,700,000 |  |  |
Business acquisition, preliminary fair value of intangible assets | 176,000,000 |  | 176,000,000 |  |  |
Business acquisition, preliminary fair value of income tax assets | 271,700,000 |  | 271,700,000 |  |  |
Business acquisition, preliminary fair value of net deferred tax liabilities | 72,300,000 |  | 72,300,000 |  |  |
RPM Holdco | Indefinite-Lived Trade Names |  |  |  |  |  |
Significant Of Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Business acquisition, preliminary fair value of intangible assets | 52,700,000 |  | 52,700,000 |  |  |
RPM Holdco | Formulas |  |  |  |  |  |
Significant Of Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Business acquisition, preliminary fair value of intangible assets | 2,600,000 |  | 2,600,000 |  |  |
RPM Holdco | Customer Relationships |  |  |  |  |  |
Significant Of Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Business acquisition, preliminary fair value of intangible assets | 118,700,000 |  | 118,700,000 |  |  |
RPM Holdco | Definite-Lived Trade Names |  |  |  |  |  |
Significant Of Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Business acquisition, preliminary fair value of intangible assets | 2,000,000 |  | 2,000,000 |  |  |
Specialty Products Holding Corp. (SPHC) |  |  |  |  |  |
Significant Of Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Unremitted foreign earnings possible could repatriate |  |  | 32,400,000 |  |  |
Specialty Products Holding Corp. (SPHC) | RPM Holdco |  |  |  |  |  |
Significant Of Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Business acquisition, allocation of total consideration | 564,200,000 |  | 564,200,000 |  |  |
Other Long-Term Liabilities |  |  |  |  |  |
Significant Of Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Bankruptcy Note, net present value | 328,000,000 |  | 328,000,000 |  |  |
Third Party |  |  |  |  |  |
Significant Of Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Shipping costs |  |  | 142,900,000 | 133,000,000 | 125,600,000 |
Second Anniversary |  |  |  |  |  |
Significant Of Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Amount funded for trust as per agreement | 102,500,000 |  | 102,500,000 |  |  |
Third Anniversary |  |  |  |  |  |
Significant Of Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Amount funded for trust as per agreement | 120,000,000 |  | 120,000,000 |  |  |
Fourth Anniversary |  |  |  |  |  |
Significant Of Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Amount funded for trust as per agreement | 125,000,000 |  | 125,000,000 |  |  |
UNITED STATES |  |  |  |  |  |
Significant Of Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Unremitted foreign earnings possible could repatriate |  |  | 39,200,000 |  |  |
Kemrock Industries and Exports Limited |  |  |  |  |  |
Significant Of Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Equity method investment, ownership percentage |  |  |  |  |  | 23.00%
Loans deemed uncollectible, recorded as loss |  |  |  |  | 9,000,000 |
Impairment loss on equity method investment |  |  |  |  | (55,900,000) |
Equity method investment, carrying value | 0 |  | 0 | 0 |  |
Kemrock global depository receipts |  |  |  |  |  |
Significant Of Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Acquisition of equity method investment, shares | shares |  |  |  |  |  | 693,072
Purchase of global depository receipt, value |  |  |  |  |  | $ 7,200,000
Consumer Segment |  |  |  |  |  |
Significant Of Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Business acquisition, preliminary fair value of goodwill | $ 573,053,000 |  | $ 573,053,000 | $ 575,216,000 | 549,013,000 |
Number of reportable segments | Entity |  |  | 2 | 2 |  |
Industrial Reportable Segment |  |  |  |  |  |
Significant Of Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Number of reportable segments | Entity |  |  | 4 | 2 |  |
Conversion option, Kemrock 5.5% bonds |  |  |  |  |  |
Significant Of Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Investment in affiliate |  |  |  |  |  | $ 22,700,000
Investment in affiliate, interest rate |  |  |  |  |  | 5.50%
Debt securities, conversion date, earliest date |  |  |  |  |  | Jun. 04, 2012
Debt securities, conversion date, latest date |  |  |  |  |  | Jun. 12, 2017
Conversion option, Kemrock 5.5% bonds | Kemrock Industries and Exports Limited |  |  |  |  |  |
Significant Of Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Impairment of investments |  |  |  |  | $ 13,700,000 |

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