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

    <schemaVersion>X0206</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>3</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2013-12-28</periodOfReport>

    <noSecuritiesOwned>0</noSecuritiesOwned>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000059255</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>VALHI INC /DE/</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>VHI</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001600851</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Harold C. Simmons Family Trust No. 2</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>THREE LINCOLN CENTER, 5430 LBJ FREEWAY</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>SUITE 1700</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>DALLAS</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>TX</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>75240</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001600848</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Harold C. Simmons Family Trust No. 1</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>THREE LINCOLN CENTER, 5430 LBJ FREEWAY</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>SUITE 1700</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>DALLAS</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>TX</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>75240</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001302221</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Simmons Annette C</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>5430 LBJ FREEWAY, SUITE 1700</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>DALLAS</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>TX</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>75240</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001599736</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Simmons Lisa K</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>THREE LINCOLN CENTER, 5430 LBJ FREEWAY</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>SUITE 1700</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>DALLAS</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>TX</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>75240</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001520515</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>CONNELLY SERENA S</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>THREE LINCOLN CENTER, 5430 LBJ FREEWAY</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>SUITE 1700</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>DALLAS</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>TX</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>75240</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>318156746</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>By VHC</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>2689394</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>87900</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>By Grandchildren's Trust</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>1212</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Directly held by Valhi Holding Company.  See the Additional Information filed as Exhibit 99 to this statement for a description of the relationship of additional persons who may be deemed to beneficially own these shares</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Consists of 1,870,850 shares held directly by the estate of Harold C. Simmons of which Annette C. Simmons is the independent executor and the designated legatee of these shares and 818,514 shares she holds directly.  See the Additional Information filed as Exhibit 99 to this statement for a description of the relationships among the reporting owners.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Directly held by The Annette Simmons Granchildren's Trust.  See the Additional Information filed as Exhibit 99 to this statement for a description of the relationships to the persons joining in this filing to beneficially own these shares.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">Directly held by Serena S. Connelly.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks>Exhibit Index
99 Additional Information
Exhibit 24.1 Lisa K. Simmons Power of Attorney
Exhibit 24.2 Serena S. Connelly Power of Attorney
Exhibit 24.3 Harold C. Simmons Family Trust No. 1 Power of Attorney
Exhibit 24.4 Harold C. Simmons Family Trust No. 2 Power of Attorney
Exhibit 24.5 Annette C. Simmons Power of Attorney</remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>A. Andrew R. Louis, Attorney-in-fact, for Lisa K. Simmons, Co-Trustee of the Harold C. Simmons Family Trust No. 1</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2014-02-25</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>A. Andrew R. Louis, Attorney-in-fact, for Serena S. Connelly, Co-Trustee of the Harold C. Simmons Family Trust No. 1</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2014-02-25</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>A. Andrew R. Louis, Attorney-in-fact, for Lisa K. Simmons, Co-Trustee of the Harold C. Simmons Family Trust No. 2</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2014-02-25</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>A. Andrew R. Louis, Attorney-in-fact, for Serena S.Connelly, Co-Trustee of the Harold C. Simmons Family Trust No. 2</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2014-02-25</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>A. Andrew R. Louis, Attorney-in-fact, for Annette C. Simmons</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2014-02-25</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
