CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income (loss)	$ 79.5us-gaap_ProfitLoss	$ (126.9)us-gaap_ProfitLoss	$ 222.1us-gaap_ProfitLoss
Depreciation and amortization	78.4us-gaap_DepreciationAndAmortization	74.5us-gaap_DepreciationAndAmortization	69.4us-gaap_DepreciationAndAmortization
Net (gain) loss from:
Bargain purchase and remeasurement of our existing investment in acquiree		(54.6)
Litigation settlement			(14.7)
Sale of discontinued operations			(23.7)
Securities transactions, net	(0.3)us-gaap_GainLossOnSaleOfSecuritiesNet	(0.2)us-gaap_GainLossOnSaleOfSecuritiesNet	(21.8)us-gaap_GainLossOnSaleOfSecuritiesNet
Disposal of property and equipment, net	0.9	0.5	(1.5)
Loss on prepayment of debt, net		8.9	7.2
Call premium paid			(6.2)
Assets held for sale write-down			1.2
Goodwill impairment			6.4us-gaap_GoodwillImpairmentLoss
Noncash interest expense	2.3	1.5	2.6
Benefit plan expense greater (less) than cash funding	(3.1)	7.0	(4.7)
Deferred income taxes	10.0us-gaap_DeferredIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	(114.8)us-gaap_DeferredIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	51.5us-gaap_DeferredIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit
Equity in joint venture earnings		(0.5)	0.2
Net distributions from (contributions to) TiO2 manufacturing joint venture, net	10.6	10.9	(20.7)
Other, net	8.0us-gaap_OtherNoncashIncomeExpense	6.5us-gaap_OtherNoncashIncomeExpense	(3.1)us-gaap_OtherNoncashIncomeExpense
Change in assets and liabilities:
Accounts and other receivables, net	(27.2)	22.9	(6.7)
Land held for development, net	(6.8)
Inventories, net	(55.1)us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInInventories	220.0us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInInventories	(184.6)us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInInventories
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	(26.4)	73.4	(44.2)
Income taxes	5.4	(9.6)	(20.0)
Accounts with affiliates	(13.2)	(18.7)	65.4
Other noncurrent assets	2.8	(2.1)	(11.7)
Other noncurrent liabilities	4.8	0.2	11.8
Other, net	(3.3)	18.2	(2.3)
Net cash provided by operating activities	67.3	117.1	71.9
Cash flows from investing activities:
Capital expenditures	(72.7)	(74.6)	(98.8)
Capitalized permit costs	(0.3)vhi_PaymentsToAcquireCapitalizedPermit	(1.5)vhi_PaymentsToAcquireCapitalizedPermit	(4.1)vhi_PaymentsToAcquireCapitalizedPermit
Acquisition of a businesses		(5.3)
Cash of discontinued operations			(5.4)
Cash of businesses acquired		27.4us-gaap_CashAcquiredFromAcquisition
Purchases of marketable securities	(16.3)	(7.9)	(11.7)
Proceeds from:
Sale of business			58.0
Real estate-related litigation settlement			15.6us-gaap_ProceedsFromLegalSettlements
Collection of real-estate related note receivable		3.0
Disposal of assets held for sale		1.6	3.6
Loan to affiliate:
Loan			(52.8)
Collection			64.0
Change in restricted cash equivalents, net	18.6	(9.9)	(15.7)
Other, net	0.5	(0.1)	7.1
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(55.1)	(56.2)	100.9
Indebtedness:
Borrowings	515.6us-gaap_ProceedsFromOtherDebt	493.8us-gaap_ProceedsFromOtherDebt	732.8us-gaap_ProceedsFromOtherDebt
Principal payments	(343.1)us-gaap_RepaymentsOfOtherDebt	(693.3)us-gaap_RepaymentsOfOtherDebt	(546.0)us-gaap_RepaymentsOfOtherDebt
Deferred financing costs paid	(6.1)us-gaap_PaymentsOfFinancingCosts		(7.2)us-gaap_PaymentsOfFinancingCosts
Valhi cash dividends paid	(37.3)us-gaap_PaymentsOfDividendsCommonStock	(67.9)us-gaap_PaymentsOfDividendsCommonStock	(65.0)us-gaap_PaymentsOfDividendsCommonStock
Distributions to noncontrolling interest in subsidiaries	(18.9)	(18.2)	(18.6)
Purchase of Kronos common stock		(0.7)us-gaap_PaymentsForRepurchaseOfEquity
Other, net		0.1
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	110.2	(286.2)	96.0
Net increase (decrease)	122.4	(225.3)	268.8
Cash and cash equivalents—net change from:
Net increase (decrease)	122.4	(225.3)	268.8
Effect of exchange rates on cash	(9.4)	1.2	1.7
Net change for the year	113.0	(224.1)	270.5
Balance at beginning of year	142.8	366.9	96.4
Balance at end of year	255.8	142.8	366.9
Cash paid for:
Interest, net of amounts capitalized (including call premium paid)	53.9us-gaap_InterestPaidNet	55.0us-gaap_InterestPaidNet	65.5us-gaap_InterestPaidNet
Income taxes, net	33.4us-gaap_IncomeTaxesPaidNet	15.6us-gaap_IncomeTaxesPaidNet	71.0us-gaap_IncomeTaxesPaidNet
Noncash investing activities:
Change in accruals for capital expenditures	6.5	4.6	16.1
Capital lease additions	8.9us-gaap_CapitalLeaseObligationsIncurred
Noncash Amounts Issued In Connection With Business Combination
Noncash financing activities:
Promissory note		19.1
Deferred payment obligation		8.2
Construction retainage payable converted into note payable
Noncash financing activities:
Promissory note		2.8
Mutual Funds
Proceeds from:
Disposal of marketable securities			21.1
Other
Proceeds from:
Disposal of marketable securities	15.1	11.1	12.4
TIMET
Proceeds from:
Disposal of marketable securities			$ 107.6

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Amount of cash inflow (outflow) from investing activities, including discontinued operations. Investing activity cash flows include making and collecting loans and acquiring and disposing of debt or equity instruments and property, plant, and equipment and other productive assets.

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The fair value of notes issued in noncash investing and financing activities.

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Amount of cash outflow in the form of ordinary dividends to common shareholders of the parent entity.

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Cash outflow for purchase of trading, available-for-sale securities and held-to-maturity securities.

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Cash received for the settlement of litigation during the current period.

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The cash inflow associated with the aggregate amount received by the entity through sale or maturity of marketable securities (held-to-maturity or available-for-sale) during the period.

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The cash inflow associated with the sale of debt and equity securities classified as available-for-sale securities.

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The cash inflow from the sale of formerly productive land held for sale, anything permanently fixed to it, including buildings, structures on it, and so forth.

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The consolidated profit or loss for the period, net of income taxes, including the portion attributable to the noncontrolling interest.

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The cash outflow for the payment of other borrowing not otherwise defined in the taxonomy.

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The aggregate gain recognized consisting of: (1) In a business combination achieved in stages, the amount of gain recognized by the entity as a result of remeasuring to fair value the equity interest in the acquiree it held before the business combination; and (2) In a business combination in which the amount of net identifiable assets acquired and liabilities assumed exceeds the aggregate consideration transferred or to be transferred (as defined), the amount of gain recognized by the entity.

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Defined benefit plan net periodic benefit cost greater than or in excess of cash funding during the period.

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This item represents disclosure of the net amount of dividends or other distributions received from and (contributions to) unconsolidated subsidiaries, certain corporate joint ventures, and certain noncontrolled corporation; these investments are accounted for under the equity method of accounting. This element excludes distributions that constitute a return of investment, which are classified as investing activities.

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The increase (decrease) during the reporting period in the amounts payable to vendors for capital expenditure obligations incurred but not paid.

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The cash outflow associated with the application and renewal of specialized hazardous waste disposal permits.

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