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Income Taxes - Additional Information (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands |  | 3 Months Ended | 6 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended |
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Jun. 30, 2017 | Dec. 31, 2019 | Sep. 30, 2018 | Mar. 31, 2018 | Dec. 31, 2017 | Sep. 30, 2017 | Dec. 31, 2017 | Jun. 30, 2017 | Dec. 31, 2019 | Dec. 31, 2018 | Dec. 31, 2017 | Dec. 31, 2016
Income Tax Disclosure [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Dividends received from Kronos Worldwide, Inc. |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 25,356 | $ 23,948 | $ 21,132 |
Unrecognized tax benefits, if recognize which would affect effective tax rate |  | $ 7,300 |  |  |  |  |  |  | 7,300 |  |  |
Uncertain tax position |  | 4,053 |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 4,053 | $ 7,312 |  |
U.S. federal corporate income tax rate |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 21.00% | 21.00% | 35.00% |
Deferred income tax benefit from change in enacted tax rate |  |  |  |  | $ (37,500) |  |  |  |  | $ 800 | $ (37,500) |
Currently payable (receivable) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 200 | (200) | (100) |
Income tax expense (benefit) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (579) | 15,361 | 5,634 |
Current payable to affiliate |  | 801 |  |  |  |  |  |  | 801 | 567 |  |
Cash tax refund |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 200 | 1,700 |  |
Federal Income Tax Purposes |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Income Tax Disclosure [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Net operating loss carryforwards |  | $ 15,500 |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 15,500 |  |  |
Annual usage limitation |  | 80.00% |  |  |  |  |  |  | 80.00% |  |  |
Net operating loss carryforwards expiration description |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | an indefinite carryforward period subject to an 80% annual usage limitation |  |  |
Kronos |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Income Tax Disclosure [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Dividends received from Kronos Worldwide, Inc. |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 25,400 | 23,900 | 21,100 |
Kronos | Germany |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Income Tax Disclosure [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Net income tax benefit |  | $ 3,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Current cash tax benefit |  | 1,500 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Non-cash deferred income tax benefit |  | 1,500 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Deferred income tax expense resulting from decrease in trade tax rate |  | 5,500 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Kronos | Expected Future Periods Net Operating Loss Utilization |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Income Tax Disclosure [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Increase (decrease) in non-cash deferred income tax asset valuation allowance | $ (149,900) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Kronos | Effect of Currency Exchange Rates |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Income Tax Disclosure [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Increase (decrease) in non-cash deferred income tax asset valuation allowance |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (13,700) |
Kronos | German |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Income Tax Disclosure [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Deferred income tax asset valuation allowance |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 153,000
Kronos | German | Expected Future Periods Net Operating Loss Utilization |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Income Tax Disclosure [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Increase (decrease) in non-cash deferred income tax asset valuation allowance | (141,900) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Kronos | Belgium |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Income Tax Disclosure [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Deferred income tax asset valuation allowance |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 20,000
Kronos | Belgium | Expected Future Periods Net Operating Loss Utilization |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Income Tax Disclosure [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Increase (decrease) in non-cash deferred income tax asset valuation allowance | $ (8,000) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Kronos | Non-US |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Income Tax Disclosure [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Deferred income tax asset valuation allowance |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 173,000
Increase (decrease) in non-cash deferred income tax asset valuation allowance |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ (186,700) |
Kronos | Non-US | Current Periods Net Operating Loss Utilization |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Income Tax Disclosure [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Increase (decrease) in non-cash deferred income tax asset valuation allowance |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ (24,100) | $ (12,700) |  |  |  |
Kronos | European and Candadian Subsidiaries | Undistributed Earnings Previously Considered to be Permanently Reinvested |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Income Tax Disclosure [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Aggregate provisional non-cash deferred income tax expense (benefit) |  |  |  |  | 4,500 |  |  |  |  | 2,400 |  |
Kronos | One Non US Subsidiary | Expected Future Periods Net Operating Loss Utilization | Valuation Allowance of Deferred Tax Assets | Non-cash Deferred Income Tax Benefit |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Income Tax Disclosure [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Increase (decrease) in non-cash deferred income tax asset valuation allowance |  |  |  |  | (18,700) |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Kronos | Deferred Tax Liability Non Current |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Income Tax Disclosure [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Uncertain tax position |  | 3,300 |  |  |  |  |  |  | 3,300 |  |  |
Kronos | Corporate Tax Purposes | German |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Income Tax Disclosure [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Net operating loss carryforwards |  | 501,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  | 501,000 |  |  |
Kronos | Corporate Tax Purposes | Belgium |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Income Tax Disclosure [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Net operating loss carryforwards |  | 8,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  | 8,000 |  |  |
Kronos | GILTI | United States |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Income Tax Disclosure [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Currently payable (receivable) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 2,400 | $ 3,700 |  |
Kronos European Subsidiaries | Valhi |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Income Tax Disclosure [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Income tax liability payable period |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 8 years |  |  |
Kronos European Subsidiaries | Valhi | Income Tax Payable |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Income Tax Disclosure [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Payable to affiliate |  | 62,600 |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 62,600 |  |  |
Noncurrent payable to affiliate |  | 56,600 |  |  |  |  |  |  | 56,600 |  |  |
Current payable to affiliate |  | $ 6,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  | 6,000 |  |  |
Kronos European Subsidiaries | Transition Tax |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Income Tax Disclosure [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Currently payable (receivable) |  |  |  |  | $ 76,200 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Current income tax expense payment period |  |  |  |  | 8 years |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Income tax expense (benefit) |  |  | $ 1,700 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Kronos Canadian Subsidiary | Canada-Germany APA |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Income Tax Disclosure [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Non-cash income tax benefit |  |  |  |  |  | $ 8,100 |  |  | $ 8,600 |  |  |
Kronos Canadian Subsidiary | Canada Revenue Agency | Canada-Germany APA | Earliest Tax Year |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Income Tax Disclosure [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Effective tax year |  |  |  |  |  | 2005 |  |  |  |  |  |
Kronos Canadian Subsidiary | Canada Revenue Agency | Canada-Germany APA | Latest Tax Year |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Income Tax Disclosure [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Effective tax year |  |  |  |  |  | 2017 |  |  |  |  |  |
Kronos Canadian Subsidiary | German | Canada-Germany APA |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Income Tax Disclosure [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Non-cash income tax benefit |  |  |  |  |  | $ 2,600 |  |  |  |  |  |
Cash tax refund |  |  |  |  |  | $ 600 |  |  |  |  |  |
Kronos German Subsidiary | Germany Revenue Agency | Germany- Canada APA | Earliest Tax Year |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Income Tax Disclosure [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Effective tax year |  |  |  | 2005 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Kronos German Subsidiary | Germany Revenue Agency | Germany- Canada APA | Latest Tax Year |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Income Tax Disclosure [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Effective tax year |  |  |  | 2017 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Kronos Canadian And German Subsidiaries | Germany- Canada APA |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Income Tax Disclosure [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Non-cash income tax benefit |  |  |  | $ 1,400 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |

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