<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2006-11-29</periodOfReport>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000032017</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>ELKCORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>ELK</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001156866</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>MCMAHAN MICHAEL L</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>14911 QUORUM DRIVE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>SUITE 600</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>DALLAS</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>TX</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>75254-1491</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Incentive Stock Option (Right to Buy)</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>25.12</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2006-11-29</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>2965</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>25.12</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2006-11-29</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2016-10-31</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>2965</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>2965</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Granted as part of independent directors' annual compensation under the 2004 Amended and Restated ElkCorp Equity Incentive Compensation Plan and approved by the Board of Directors at its annual organizational meeting on October 31, 2006, subject to a contingency which lapsed on November 29, 2006.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Michael L. McMahan</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2006-12-01</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
