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Income Taxes - Changes in Uncertain Tax Positions (Detail) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2014 | Dec. 31, 2013 | Dec. 31, 2012
Unrecognized tax benefits: |  |  |
Amount beginning of year | $ 47.9 us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefits | $ 33.4 us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefits | $ 23.0 us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefits
Net increase (decrease): |  |  |
Tax positions taken in prior periods | (19.6)us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncreasesResultingFromPriorPeriodTaxPositions | 0.5 us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncreasesResultingFromPriorPeriodTaxPositions | 1.1 us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncreasesResultingFromPriorPeriodTaxPositions
Tax positions taken in current period | 3.6 us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncreasesResultingFromCurrentPeriodTaxPositions | 11.3 us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncreasesResultingFromCurrentPeriodTaxPositions | 11.0 us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncreasesResultingFromCurrentPeriodTaxPositions
Settlements with taxing authorities—cash paid |  |  | (0.1)us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsDecreasesResultingFromSettlementsWithTaxingAuthorities
Lapse due to applicable statute of limitations | (0.7)us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsReductionsResultingFromLapseOfApplicableStatuteOfLimitations | 3.4 us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsReductionsResultingFromLapseOfApplicableStatuteOfLimitations | (1.8)us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsReductionsResultingFromLapseOfApplicableStatuteOfLimitations
Changes in currency exchange rates | (1.1)vhi_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncreasesDecreasesResultingFromCurrencyTranslation | (0.8)vhi_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncreasesDecreasesResultingFromCurrencyTranslation | 0.2 vhi_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncreasesDecreasesResultingFromCurrencyTranslation
Amount at end of year | 30.1 us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefits | 47.9 us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefits | 33.4 us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefits
Basic Management Inc And Landwell |  |  |
Net increase (decrease): |  |  |
Acquisition of BMI and LandWell |  | $ 0.1 us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncreasesResultingFromAcquisition / us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis = vhi_BasicManagementIncAndLandwellMember |

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- Definition Amount of unrecognized tax benefits pertaining to uncertain tax positions taken in tax returns. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Glossary Unrecognized Tax Benefit -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6527854 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 15A -Subparagraph (a) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=SL6600010-109319 + Details
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- Definition Amount of decrease in unrecognized tax benefits resulting from settlements with taxing authorities. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 15A -Subparagraph (a)(3) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=SL6600010-109319 + Details
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- Definition Amount of increase in unrecognized tax benefits resulting from acquisitions. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition Amount of increase in unrecognized tax benefits resulting from tax positions that have been or will be taken in current period tax return. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 15A -Subparagraph (a)(2) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=SL6600010-109319 + Details
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- Definition Amount of increase in unrecognized tax benefits resulting from tax positions taken in prior period tax returns. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 15A -Subparagraph (a)(1) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=SL6600010-109319 + Details
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- Definition Amount of decrease in unrecognized tax benefits resulting from lapses of applicable statutes of limitations. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 15A -Subparagraph (a)(4) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=SL6600010-109319 + Details
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