XML 50 R40.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT
v3.5.0.2

Marketable Securities - Additional Information (Detail) - Valhi Inc - Common stock - $ / shares shares in Millions | Sep. 30, 2016 | Dec. 31, 2015
--- | --- | ---
Schedule Of Available For Sale Securities [Line Items] |  |
Outstanding common stock, shares | 14.4 | 14.4
Common stock quoted market price per share | $ 2.30 | $ 1.34

X
- Definition Balance held at close of period in number of shares. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 946 -SubTopic 320 -Section S99 -Paragraph 4 -Subparagraph (SX 210.12-12C.Column B) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=50485924&loc=d3e611225-123010 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 946 -SubTopic 320 -Section S99 -Paragraph 6 -Subparagraph (SX 210.12-14.Column B) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=50485924&loc=d3e611322-123010 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 946 -SubTopic 320 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.12-12.Column B) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=50485924&loc=d3e611133-123010 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_InvestmentOwnedBalanceShares
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | instant

X
- 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_ScheduleOfAvailableForSaleSecuritiesLineItems
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Price of a single share of a number of saleable stocks of a company. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_SharePrice
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | num:perShareItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | instant

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

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis=us-gaap_CommonStockMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |