Schedule of Condensed Consolidating Balance Sheet (Detail) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 167,908	$ 343,637	$ 58,015	$ 97,190
Short-term investments	128,197
Receivables, net	107,699	105,271
Inventories, net	452,173	430,088
Cost in excess of billings	7,538	5,377
Deferred income taxes	32,040	32,032
Assets of discontinued operations	1,460	5,274
Other current assets	20,424	16,947
Total current assets	917,439	938,626
Property, plant, and equipment, net	371,450	372,340
Goodwill	130,254	117,578
Other intangible assets, net	57,516	53,754
Other noncurrent assets	23,684	23,247
Total assets	1,500,343	1,505,545
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	81,181	79,039
Accrued wages and other employee costs	23,090	29,787
Unearned revenue	16,632	15,625
Liabilities of discontinued operations		458
Other accrued liabilities	24,347	22,574
Total current liabilities	145,250	147,483
Long-term debt	434,209	430,300
Liability for post-retirement benefits	43,640	43,447
Liability for pension benefits	13,454	13,787
Deferred income taxes	74,666	74,078
Unearned revenue	10,204	10,470
Other noncurrent liabilities	11,318	12,006
Total liabilities	732,741	731,571
Shareholders' equity	767,602	773,974
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	1,500,343	1,505,545
RTI International Metals, Inc.
Current assets:
Receivables, net	1,153	786
Deferred income taxes	27,193	31,656
Other current assets	11,653	9,425
Total current assets	39,999	41,867
Property, plant, and equipment, net	2,407	2,328
Other noncurrent assets	10,570	11,025
Intercompany investments	1,244,394	1,240,671
Total assets	1,297,370	1,295,891
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	1,825	1,948
Accrued wages and other employee costs	4,242	6,598
Other accrued liabilities	12,636	6,800
Total current liabilities	18,703	15,346
Long-term debt	427,036	422,634
Liability for pension benefits	6,040	5,943
Deferred income taxes	70,595	70,006
Other noncurrent liabilities	7,394	7,988
Total liabilities	529,768	521,917
Shareholders' equity	767,602	773,974
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	1,297,370	1,295,891
Guarantor Subsidiaries
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	136,217	312,202	50,601	87,283
Short-term investments	128,197
Receivables, net	62,289	57,397
Inventories, net	277,630	265,621
Cost in excess of billings	4,323	3,800
Deferred income taxes	2,580
Other current assets	2,786	2,984
Total current assets	614,022	642,004
Property, plant, and equipment, net	288,374	292,033
Goodwill	80,558	79,705
Other intangible assets, net	30,611	31,184
Other noncurrent assets	7,184	7,184
Intercompany investments	26,971	26,623
Total assets	1,047,720	1,078,733
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	57,136	54,111
Accrued wages and other employee costs	11,994	14,093
Unearned revenue		288
Other accrued liabilities	3,854	5,101
Total current liabilities	72,984	73,593
Long-term debt	493	738
Intercompany debt	327,477	357,144
Liability for post-retirement benefits	43,640	43,447
Liability for pension benefits	7,255	7,685
Other noncurrent liabilities	3,658	3,763
Total liabilities	455,507	486,370
Shareholders' equity	592,213	592,363
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	1,047,720	1,078,733
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	31,691	31,435	7,414	9,907
Receivables, net	72,573	69,847
Inventories, net	174,543	164,467
Cost in excess of billings	3,215	1,577
Deferred income taxes	2,267	376
Assets of discontinued operations	1,460	5,274
Other current assets	5,985	4,538
Total current assets	291,734	277,514
Property, plant, and equipment, net	80,669	77,979
Goodwill	49,696	37,873
Other intangible assets, net	26,905	22,570
Other noncurrent assets	5,930	5,038
Intercompany investments	6,696	5,721
Total assets	461,630	426,695
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	50,536	45,739
Accrued wages and other employee costs	6,854	9,096
Unearned revenue	16,632	15,337
Liabilities of discontinued operations		458
Other accrued liabilities	7,857	10,673
Total current liabilities	81,879	81,303
Long-term debt	6,680	6,928
Intercompany debt	137,369	106,633
Liability for pension benefits	159	159
Deferred income taxes	4,071	4,072
Unearned revenue	10,204	10,470
Other noncurrent liabilities	266	255
Total liabilities	240,628	209,820
Shareholders' equity	221,002	216,875
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	461,630	426,695
Eliminations
Current assets:
Receivables, net	(28,316)	(22,759)
Total current assets	(28,316)	(22,759)
Intercompany investments	(1,278,061)	(1,273,015)
Total assets	(1,306,377)	(1,295,774)
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	(28,316)	(22,759)
Total current liabilities	(28,316)	(22,759)
Intercompany debt	(464,846)	(463,777)
Total liabilities	(493,162)	(486,536)
Shareholders' equity	(813,215)	(809,238)
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	$ (1,306,377)	$ (1,295,774)