Percentage of uncertain tax positions likelihood of being sustained.

No definition available.

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- Definition

Voting stock ownership percentage of all classes of voting stock required to maintain the right to designate one board member under the voting agreement.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

Amount charged to advertising expense for the period, which are expenses incurred with the objective of increasing revenue for a specified brand, product or product line.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 720

-SubTopic 35

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

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- Definition

The amount of expense recognized in the current period that reflects the allocation of the cost of tangible assets over the assets' useful lives. Includes production and non-production related depreciation.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 230

-SubTopic 10

-Section 45

-Paragraph 28

-Subparagraph (b)

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- Definition

The percentage of ownership of common stock or equity participation in the investee accounted for under the equity method of accounting.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 323

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 3

-Subparagraph (a)(1)

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- Definition

The amount of cash paid during the current period to foreign, federal, state, and local authorities as taxes on income.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 230

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6367179&loc=d3e4297-108586

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-Paragraph 25

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- Definition

The equity interest of noncontrolling shareholders, partners or other equity holders in consolidated entity.

+ References

No definition available.

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- Definition

The amount of cash received during the period as refunds for the overpayment of taxes.

+ References

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-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 230

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6367179&loc=d3e4297-108586

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-Topic 230

-SubTopic 10

-Section 45

-Paragraph 25

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- Definition

Useful life of long lived, physical assets used in the normal conduct of business and not intended for resale, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days. Examples include, but not limited to, land, buildings, machinery and equipment, office equipment, furniture and fixtures, and computer equipment.

+ References

No definition available.

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- Definition

The aggregate costs incurred (1) in a planned search or critical investigation aimed at discovery of new knowledge with the hope that such knowledge will be useful in developing a new product or service, a new process or technique, or in bringing about a significant improvement to an existing product or process; or (2) to translate research findings or other knowledge into a plan or design for a new product or process or for a significant improvement to an existing product or process whether intended for sale or the entity's use, during the reporting period charged to research and development projects, including the costs of developing computer software up to the point in time of achieving technological feasibility, and costs allocated in accounting for a business combination to in-process projects deemed to have no alternative future use.

+ References

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-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 985

-SubTopic 20

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6501960&loc=d3e128462-111756

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-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 730

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

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Summary of Significant Accounting Policies - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Equity method ownership percentage of Kronos Worldwide, Inc	30.00%
Depreciation expense	$ 3,600,000us-gaap_Depreciation	$ 3,300,000us-gaap_Depreciation	$ 3,200,000us-gaap_Depreciation
Uncertain tax positions	50.00%
Advertising costs	0us-gaap_AdvertisingExpense	0us-gaap_AdvertisingExpense	0us-gaap_AdvertisingExpense
Research, development and certain sales technical support costs	0us-gaap_ResearchAndDevelopmentExpense	0us-gaap_ResearchAndDevelopmentExpense	0us-gaap_ResearchAndDevelopmentExpense
Minimum \| Building
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Property and equipment, estimated useful lives	15 years
Minimum \| Equipment and Software
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Property and equipment, estimated useful lives	3 years
Maximum \| Building
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Property and equipment, estimated useful lives	40 years
Maximum \| Equipment and Software
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Property and equipment, estimated useful lives	20 years
Valhi Inc
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Equity method ownership percentage of Kronos Worldwide, Inc	83.00%
Net income tax refunds	100,000		200,000
Net income tax payments		$ 300,000
Contran Corporation
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Equity method ownership percentage of Kronos Worldwide, Inc	93.00%
Minimum ownership required to designate board member	5.00%
CompX
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Percentage of controlling interest owned	13.00%