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v3.5.0.2

Related Party Transactions - Additional Information (Detail) - USD ($) | 9 Months Ended |
--- | --- | ---
Sep. 30, 2016 | Aug. 03, 2016
Related Party Transaction [Line Items] |  |
Note receivable from affiliate | $ 10,700,000 |
Unsecured Revolving Promissory Note Receivable | Valhi Inc | CompX |  |
Related Party Transaction [Line Items] |  |
Maximum loan amount |  | $ 40,000,000
Interest rate on loans repayment |  | 1.00%
Interest rate on loans basis | prime |
Note receivable from affiliate | $ 10,700,000 |

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- Definition Maximum lending capacity under the terms noted per the related party credit facility. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | nl_LineOfCreditFacilityMaximumLendingCapacity
Namespace Prefix: | nl_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | instant

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- Definition Amount of receivables due from an entity that is affiliated with the reporting entity by means of direct or indirect ownership, due after 1 year (or 1 business cycle). + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 850 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 4 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6457730&loc=d3e39622-107864 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 946 -SubTopic 210 -Section S99 -Paragraph 3 -Subparagraph (SX 210.6-06(3)(a)(3)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6488278&loc=d3e604059-122996 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 235 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.4-08(k)(1)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26873400&loc=d3e23780-122690 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 850 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (d) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6457730&loc=d3e39549-107864 Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 850 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6457730&loc=d3e39599-107864 Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 942 -SubTopic 210 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03(10)(3)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6876686&loc=d3e534808-122878 Reference 7: 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(11)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682 Reference 8: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 944 -SubTopic 210 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03(3)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910 + Details
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Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | instant

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- Definition The percentage points (also referred to as 'margin') added to the reference rate as stated in the loan agreement and used to compute the variable rate on the loans receivable. For instance, the loan agreement might state that the interest rate the borrower is obligated to pay is the London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) plus three quarters (3/4) of a percentage point adjusted quarterly (each three months). LIBOR in this example is the index or reference rate, 3/4 percentage point is the margin, the reference rate plus the margin is the fully indexed rate. This element would be used to report separately the margin. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_LoansReceivableBasisSpreadOnVariableRate
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | num:percentItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | instant

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- Definition The reference rate for the variable rate of the loans receivable, such as LIBOR or the US Treasury rate and the maturity of the reference rate used, such as three months or six months LIBOR. + References No definition available. + Details
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Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

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- Definition Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionLineItems
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

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- Details
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Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

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- Details
Name: | us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis=nl_ValhiIncMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

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- Details
Name: | dei_LegalEntityAxis=nl_CompXInternationalIncMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |