Number of operating segments. An operating segment is a component of an enterprise: (a) that engages in business activities from which it may earn revenues and incur expenses (including revenues and expenses relating to transactions with other components of the same enterprise), (b) whose operating results are regularly reviewed by the enterprise's chief operating decision maker to make decisions about resources to be allocated to the segment and assess its performance, and (c) for which discrete financial information is available. An operating segment may engage in business activities for which it has yet to earn revenues, for example, start-up operations may be operating segments before earning revenues.

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_NumberOfOperatingSegments
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Segment Information - Additional Information (Detail) - Segment	3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Aug. 31, 2016	Aug. 31, 2015	May 31, 2016
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Number of reportable segments	3
Number of operating segments	7
Maximum \| Industrial Segment \| Performance Coatings Group
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Percentage of consolidated net sales, income before income taxes and identifiable assets			1.00%
Maximum \| Industrial and Specialty Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Percentage of change impact on net sales and income before income taxes		10.00%