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Commitments and Contingencies - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $) |  |  |  | 1 Months Ended |  |  | 6 Months Ended | 1 Months Ended | 6 Months Ended |  | 3 Months Ended
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Jun. 30, 2014 | Dec. 31, 2013 | Jun. 30, 2014 Other Environmental Cleanup Matters | Apr. 30, 2014 Collateral Trust Waste Control Specialists | Mar. 31, 2014 Collateral Trust Waste Control Specialists | Jun. 30, 2014 NL Environmental Remediation Sites Nl Named As Prp Or Defendant site | Jun. 30, 2014 NL Lead Pigment Litigation Cases | Jun. 30, 2014 NL California Lead Paint Litigation | Jun. 30, 2014 NL Product Liability And Occupational Exposure Litigation Claims Pending Claims Plaintiff Cases | Jun. 30, 2014 NL Product Liability And Occupational Exposure Litigation Claims Administratively Dismissed Claims Plaintiff | Apr. 30, 2014 Valhi Surety Bond Contran Waste Control Specialists | Jun. 30, 2014 Valhi Surety Bond Contran Waste Control Specialists | Dec. 31, 2013 Valhi Surety Bond Contran Waste Control Specialists | Sep. 30, 2014 Valhi Surety Bond Contran Quarterly Payment Waste Control Specialists Subsequent Event
Commitments And Contingent Liabilities [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Number of cases settled and dismissed and found not liable |  |  |  |  |  |  | 100 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Period by which loss contingency claims settled and dismissed |  |  |  |  |  |  | 20 years |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Payments for litigation |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 1,150,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |
Accrual for reasonably estimable environmental remediation and related matters | 126,800,000 | 122,700,000 | 8,600,000 |  |  | 118,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Number of sites associated with remediation ad related costs |  |  |  |  |  | 45 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Upper end range, estimate costs for remediation and related matters |  |  |  |  |  | 158,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Number of sites for which NL not currently able to estimate range of costs |  |  |  |  |  | 5 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Cases pending |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 1,130 |  |  |  |  |
Number of plaintiffs involved |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 1,643 | 8,298 |  |  |  |
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 | 8,400,000 |  | 1,300,000
Restricted cash |  |  |  |  | 18,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Decrease in restricted cash |  |  |  | $ 18,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Collateral trust as a percent of value of bonds |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 50.00% |  |  |

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- Definition 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. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 460 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 4 -Subparagraph (b)(1) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6851643&loc=d3e12069-110248 + Details
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- Definition 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. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 02 -Paragraph 1 -Article 5 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.1) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682 + Details
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