CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income	$ 78.2	$ 301.0	$ 302.6
Depreciation and amortization	56.8	58.4	59.0
Net (gain) loss from:
Sale of business	(3.0)	(58.4)
Land sales	(4.4)	(12.5)
Securities transactions, net	(0.3)	(12.4)	(0.1)
Disposal of property and equipment, net	0.3	0.3	0.5
Noncash interest expense	2.4	2.0	2.5
Benefit plan expense greater than cash funding	8.9	5.7	10.5
Deferred income taxes	7.4	(73.5)	(293.2)
Loss on prepayment of debt			7.1
Payment for termination of interest rate swap contract			(3.3)
Long-lived asset impairment			170.6
Distributions from (contributions to) TiO2 manufacturing joint venture, net	(9.3)	4.0	(6.0)
Other, net	7.7	13.9
Change in assets and liabilities:
Accounts and other receivables, net	8.6	(11.1)	(47.5)
Land held for development, net	1.1	7.8	6.6
Inventories, net	(8.5)	(137.3)	(5.5)
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	(14.6)	65.7	12.9
Income taxes	(1.4)	(18.2)	19.5
Accounts with affiliates	(1.2)	19.5	35.2
Other noncurrent assets	(6.1)	2.6	(0.9)
Other noncurrent liabilities	54.2	13.0	3.7
Other, net	0.4	(5.0)	(14.9)
Net cash provided by operating activities	177.2	165.5	259.3
Cash flows from investing activities:
Capital expenditures	(59.9)	(61.4)	(71.3)
Proceeds from sale of business	2.9
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash and cash equivalents of business at time of sale	(0.5)	(28.9)
Capitalized permit costs			(2.2)
Purchases of marketable securities	(4.9)	(4.4)	(9.7)
Proceeds from land sales	4.6	19.5
Proceeds from disposal of marketable securities	4.3	18.2	9.0
Other, net	2.8		(0.2)
Net cash used in investing activities	(50.7)	(57.0)	(74.4)
Indebtedness:
Borrowings	14.9		748.1
Principal payments	(11.2)	(12.6)	(600.2)
Deferred financing costs paid			(9.0)
Valhi cash dividends paid	(27.1)	(27.1)	(27.2)
Distributions to noncontrolling interest in subsidiaries	(37.6)	(20.1)	(18.1)
Subsidiary treasury stock acquired	(3.1)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(64.1)	(59.8)	93.6
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash and cash equivalents - net change from operating, investing and financing activities	62.4	48.7	278.5
Effect of exchange rates on cash	(2.3)	(14.4)	14.4
Net change for the year	60.1	34.3	292.9
Balance at beginning of year	523.7	489.4	196.5
Balance at end of year	583.8	523.7	489.4
Cash paid for:
Interest, net of amounts capitalized	37.9	53.9	59.3
Income taxes, net	33.4	68.5	62.3
Noncash investing activities:
Changes in accruals for capital expenditures	9.1	5.4	9.4
Sale of investment in Amalgamated Sugar Company LLC		250.0
Receivable from sale of business	$ 0.3
Noncash financing activities:
Trade payable to affiliate converted to indebtedness		36.3
Deemed repayment of Snake River Sugar Company indebtedness		$ (250.0)
Borrowings paid directly to lender to settle refinanced indebtedness			9.3
Principal payments paid directly by lender			(8.4)
Borrowings paid directly to lender for debt issuance costs			$ (0.9)