Revenues and Gross Profit - Total Revenues and Gross Profit by Product Line (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2019	Mar. 31, 2018
Product Information [Line Items]
Total revenues	$ 938,955	$ 802,004
Gross profit (loss)	142,907	110,392
Interproduct Revenues
Product Information [Line Items]
Total revenues	(58,361)	(60,665)
Corporate
Product Information [Line Items]
Gross profit (loss)	(474)	1,884
Building Materials Business
Product Information [Line Items]
Total revenues	864,881	732,742
Building Materials Business | Operating Segments
Product Information [Line Items]
Total revenues	864,881	732,742
Gross profit (loss)	117,839	84,619
Building Materials Business | Operating Segments | Products and Services
Product Information [Line Items]
Total revenues	809,131	688,436
Gross profit (loss)	118,004	84,738
Magnesia Specialties | Operating Segments
Product Information [Line Items]
Total revenues	74,074	69,262
Gross profit (loss)	25,542	23,889
Magnesia Specialties | Operating Segments | Products and Services
Product Information [Line Items]
Total revenues	69,174	64,869
Gross profit (loss)	26,607	25,063
Aggregates | Building Materials Business | Operating Segments | Reportable Subsegments | Products and Services
Product Information [Line Items]
Total revenues	541,473	425,016
Gross profit (loss)	97,562	53,002
Cement | Building Materials Business | Operating Segments | Reportable Subsegments | Products and Services
Product Information [Line Items]
Total revenues	99,017	89,183
Gross profit (loss)	13,779	23,734
Ready Mixed Concrete | Building Materials Business | Operating Segments | Reportable Subsegments | Products and Services
Product Information [Line Items]
Total revenues	211,156	218,537
Gross profit (loss)	14,492	15,641
Asphalt and Paving | Building Materials Business | Operating Segments | Reportable Subsegments | Products and Services
Product Information [Line Items]
Total revenues	15,846	16,365
Gross profit (loss)	(7,829)	(7,639)
Freight
Product Information [Line Items]
Total revenues	60,650	48,699
Freight | Building Materials Business
Product Information [Line Items]
Total revenues	55,750	44,306
Freight | Building Materials Business | Operating Segments
Product Information [Line Items]
Total revenues	55,750	44,306
Gross profit (loss)	(165)	(119)
Freight | Magnesia Specialties | Operating Segments
Product Information [Line Items]
Total revenues	4,900	4,393
Gross profit (loss)	$ (1,065)	$ (1,174)