Revenues and Gross Profit - Total Revenues and Gross Profit by Product Line (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2017
Product Information [Line Items]
Total Revenues	$ 1,202,403	$ 1,063,524	$ 2,004,407	$ 1,907,383
Gross profit (loss)	315,917	274,094	426,309	421,160
Interproduct Revenues
Product Information [Line Items]
Total Revenues	(78,178)	(70,549)	(138,843)	(131,258)
Corporate
Product Information [Line Items]
Gross profit (loss)	3,168	314	5,053	(125)
Building Materials Business
Product Information [Line Items]
Total Revenues	1,129,441	993,495	1,862,183	1,768,778
Building Materials Business | Operating Segments
Product Information [Line Items]
Total Revenues	1,129,441	993,495	1,862,183	1,768,778
Gross profit (loss)	288,907	250,156	373,526	375,346
Building Materials Business | Operating Segments | Products and Services
Product Information [Line Items]
Total Revenues	1,060,620	931,115	1,749,057	1,659,130
Gross profit (loss)	288,309	249,535	373,046	374,318
Magnesia Specialties | Operating Segments
Product Information [Line Items]
Total Revenues	72,962	70,029	142,224	138,605
Gross profit (loss)	23,842	23,624	47,730	45,939
Magnesia Specialties | Operating Segments | Products and Services
Product Information [Line Items]
Total Revenues	68,157	65,728	133,025	130,029
Gross profit (loss)	24,870	24,798	49,933	48,153
Aggregates | Building Materials Business | Operating Segments | Reportable Subsegments | Products and Services
Product Information [Line Items]
Total Revenues	665,308	577,913	1,090,324	1,028,968
Gross profit (loss)	198,540	173,012	251,542	251,967
Cement | Building Materials Business | Operating Segments | Reportable Subsegments | Products and Services
Product Information [Line Items]
Total Revenues	113,148	98,937	202,331	192,491
Gross profit (loss)	41,305	29,369	65,038	60,148
Ready Mixed Concrete | Building Materials Business | Operating Segments | Reportable Subsegments | Products and Services
Product Information [Line Items]
Total Revenues	277,202	241,871	495,738	464,249
Gross profit (loss)	29,952	26,840	45,593	46,630
Asphalt and Paving | Building Materials Business | Operating Segments | Reportable Subsegments | Products and Services
Product Information [Line Items]
Total Revenues	83,140	82,943	99,507	104,680
Gross profit (loss)	18,512	20,314	10,873	15,573
Freight
Product Information [Line Items]
Total Revenues	73,626	66,681	122,325	118,224
Freight | Building Materials Business
Product Information [Line Items]
Total Revenues	68,821	62,380	113,126	109,648
Freight | Building Materials Business | Operating Segments
Product Information [Line Items]
Total Revenues	68,821	62,380	113,126	109,648
Gross profit (loss)	598	621	480	1,028
Freight | Magnesia Specialties | Operating Segments
Product Information [Line Items]
Total Revenues	4,805	4,301	9,199	8,576
Gross profit (loss)	$ (1,028)	$ (1,174)	$ (2,203)	$ (2,214)