Related Party Transactions - Additional Information (Detail)
$ / shares in Units, CAD in Millions
3 Months Ended 9 Months Ended
Oct. 01, 2017
USD ($)
Feb. 01, 2017
USD ($)
$ / shares
shares
Oct. 01, 2015
USD ($)
Sep. 30, 2017
USD ($)
$ / shares
Sep. 30, 2016
USD ($)
Sep. 30, 2017
USD ($)
$ / shares
Sep. 30, 2016
USD ($)
Feb. 01, 2017
CAD
Dec. 31, 2016
$ / shares
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]                  
Maximum period for reimbursement of offering cost           60 days      
Maximum offering cost rate           3.50%      
Reimbursement of offering cost           $ 0      
Property operating expenses – affiliates       $ 3,307,619 $ 1,860,606 8,145,469 $ 3,776,193    
Loans outstanding       $ 401,414,700   $ 401,414,700      
Toronto Merger                  
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]                  
Number of self storage facilities   5              
Canada | Tenant Reinsurance [Member]                  
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]                  
Business acquisition, percentage of net revenue earned       50.00%   50.00%      
Class A Common stock                  
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]                  
Common Stock, par value | $ / shares       $ 0.001   $ 0.001     $ 0.001
Class T Common stock                  
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]                  
Common Stock, par value | $ / shares       $ 0.001   $ 0.001     $ 0.001
Advisory Agreement                  
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]                  
Maximum period for reimbursement of offering cost           60 days      
Maximum offering cost rate           3.50%      
Reimbursement of offering cost           $ 0      
Gross proceeds from offering, threshold percentage of expenses for reimbursement       15.00%   15.00%      
Rate of acquisition fees of purchase price of contract       1.75%   1.75%      
Monthly asset management fee           0.05208%      
Monthly asset management fee one twelfth of less than one percentage of average invested assets           one-twelfth of 0.625%      
Disposition fees percentage of sale price of property           1.00%      
Operating expenses reimbursement percentage of average investment in assets           2.00%      
Operating expenses reimbursement percentage of net income           25.00%      
Operating expenses exceed limitation           12 months      
Maximum days for disclosure fact           60 days      
Percentage owned by affiliate           2.50%      
Advisory Agreement | Maximum                  
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]                  
Commission percentage of sale price of property           6.00%      
Dealer Manager                  
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]                  
Maximum dealer manager commission fee percentage of proceeds from Primary Offering           3.00%      
Underwriting commission           10.00%      
Dealer Manager | Class A Common stock                  
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]                  
Sale commission fees percentage of proceed from Primary Offering           7.00%      
Dealer Manager | Class T Common stock                  
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]                  
Sale commission fees percentage of proceed from Primary Offering           2.00%      
Monthly stockholder servicing fee accrual description           accrues daily in an amount equal to 1/365th of 1% of the purchase price per share      
Primary Offering Dealer Manager Agreement | Class A Common stock                  
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]                  
Percentage of gross proceeds from sale of shares           10.00%      
Primary Offering Dealer Manager Agreement | Class T Common stock                  
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]                  
Percentage of gross proceeds from sale of shares           10.00%      
SmartStop Asset Management                  
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]                  
Percentage of non-voting equity owned           15.00%      
Property Management Agreement                  
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]                  
Property management agreement termination description           The property management agreements had a three year term and automatically renewed for successive one year periods thereafter, unless we or our Property Manager provided prior written notice at least 90 days prior to the expiration of the term. In general, if we terminated a property management agreement without cause during the initial three year term, we would have been required to pay our Property Manager a termination fee equal to the Set-Up Amount, reduced by 1/36th of the Set-Up Amount for every full month of the term that had elapsed. After the end of the initial three year term, we could have terminated a property management agreement on 30 days prior written notice without payment of a termination fee. Our Property Manager could have terminated a property management agreement on 60 days prior written notice to us.      
Agreement date     Oct. 01, 2015            
Property Management Agreement | Canada                  
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]                  
Percentage of fee of property manager           6.00%      
Construction management fee           5.00%      
Cost of construction or capital improvement work           $ 10,000      
One time fee for property manager           3,750      
Property Management Agreement | Subsequent Event                  
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]                  
Agreement termination date Oct. 01, 2017                
Property Management Agreement | Maximum                  
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]                  
Signage and set-up costs associated with converting each property to extra space brand     $ 25,000            
Property Management Agreement | Minimum                  
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]                  
Property management monthly management fee     $ 2,500            
Property management monthly management fee percentage on gross revenue     6.00%            
Property Management Agreement | Minimum | Canada                  
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]                  
Our property management fee           $ 3,000      
Strategic Storage Trust Sub Property Management Limited Liability Company                  
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]                  
Property management agreement termination description           The sub-property management agreements also had a three year term and automatically renewed for successive one year periods thereafter, unless our Property Manager or Extra Space provided prior written notice at least 90 days prior to the expiration of the term. In general, if our Property Manager terminated a sub-property management agreement without cause during the initial three year term, it would have been required to pay Extra Space a termination fee equal to the Set-Up Amount, reduced by 1/36th of the Set-Up Amount for every full month of the term that had elapsed. After the end of the initial three year term, our Property Manager could have terminated a sub-property management agreement on 30 days prior written notice without payment of a termination fee. Extra Space could have terminated a sub-property management agreement on 60 days prior written notice to our Property Manager      
Sub property management agreement description           Under the sub-property management agreements, our Property Manager paid Extra Space a monthly management fee for each property equal to the greater of $2,500 or 6% of the gross revenues, plus reimbursement of Extra Space’s costs of managing the properties; provided, however that no management fee was due and payable to Extra Space for the months of January and July each year during the term.      
Strategic Storage Trust Sub Property Management Limited Liability Company | Minimum                  
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]                  
Property management monthly management fee     $ 2,500            
Property management monthly management fee percentage on gross revenue     6.00%            
Termination of Sub-property Manager | Property Operating Expenses – Affiliates                  
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]                  
Property operating expenses – affiliates       $ 800,000   $ 800,000      
Termination of Sub-property Manager | Subsequent Event | Property Operating Expenses – Affiliates                  
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]                  
Agreement termination date Oct. 01, 2017                
Property Management Agreement                  
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]                  
Property management agreement termination description           The property management agreements have a three year term and automatically renew for successive one year periods thereafter, unless we or our Property Manager provide prior written notice at least 90 days prior to the expiration of the term. After the end of the initial three year term, either party may terminate a property management agreement generally upon 60 days prior written notice.      
Property Management Agreement | Subsequent Event                  
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]                  
Agreement amendment effective date Oct. 01, 2017                
Percentage of fee of property manager 6.00%                
Construction management fee 5.00%                
Cost of construction or capital improvement work $ 10,000                
One time fee for property manager 3,750                
Property Management Agreement | Minimum | Subsequent Event                  
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]                  
Our property management fee $ 3,000                
Property Manager | Canada                  
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]                  
Business acquisition, percentage of net revenue earned       50.00%   50.00%      
SS Toronto | Toronto Merger                  
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]                  
Common Stock, par value | $ / shares   $ 0.001              
Consideration per share of common stock | $ / shares   $ 11.0651              
Business acquisition cash consideration transferred   $ 7,300,000              
Loans outstanding   38,400,000           CAD 50.1  
Acquisition fees incurred to the advisor   0              
Acquisition assumed other net liabilities   $ 800,000              
SS Toronto | Toronto Merger | Term Loan                  
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]                  
Guarantee obligations | CAD               34.8  
SS Toronto | Toronto Merger | Promissory Notes                  
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]                  
Guarantee obligations | CAD               CAD 17.7  
SS Toronto | Toronto Merger | Class A Units of Operating Partnership                  
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]                  
Operating partnership units issued per share of common stock   73.11%              
Business acquisition partnership units issued | shares   483,197