Condensed Consolidating Financial Information (Details 2) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011
Condensed consolidating statement of operations
Net income	$ 9.1	$ 6.7	$ 30.7	$ 21.4
Unrealized foreign currency translation gain (loss)	6.2	(11.0)	(0.8)	4.7
Net gain from pension and other postretirement benefit liabilities			1.1	0.1
Reclassification of amortization of adjustments to pension and other postretirement benefit liabilities recognized in net periodic benefit cost	1.2	0.6	3.7	1.8
SERP settlement charge			3.5
Curtailment loss			0.3
Unrealized loss on "available-for-sale" securities		(0.1)	0.1
Income (loss) from other comprehensive income items	7.4	(10.5)	7.9	6.6
Provision (benefit) for income taxes	0.4	0.2	3.3	0.7
Other comprehensive income (loss)	7.0	(10.7)	4.6	5.9
Comprehensive income (loss)	16.1	(4.0)	35.3	27.3
Neenah Paper, Inc.
Condensed consolidating statement of operations
Net income	9.1	6.7	30.7	21.4
Net gain from pension and other postretirement benefit liabilities			5.3	0.1
Reclassification of amortization of adjustments to pension and other postretirement benefit liabilities recognized in net periodic benefit cost	0.4	0.4	1.4	1.1
SERP settlement charge			3.5
Curtailment loss			0.2
Unrealized loss on "available-for-sale" securities		(0.1)	0.1
Income (loss) from other comprehensive income items	0.4	0.3	10.5	1.2
Provision (benefit) for income taxes	0.1	0.1	4.0	0.4
Other comprehensive income (loss)	0.3	0.2	6.5	0.8
Comprehensive income (loss)	9.4	6.9	37.2	22.2
Guarantor Subsidiaries
Condensed consolidating statement of operations
Net income	2.2	2.5	8.3	8.3
Unrealized foreign currency translation gain (loss)	(0.2)	0.3	(0.2)	0.2
Net gain from pension and other postretirement benefit liabilities			(4.2)
Reclassification of amortization of adjustments to pension and other postretirement benefit liabilities recognized in net periodic benefit cost	0.8	0.2	2.3	0.7
Curtailment loss			0.1
Income (loss) from other comprehensive income items	0.6	0.5	(2.0)	0.9
Provision (benefit) for income taxes	0.3	0.1	(0.7)	0.3
Other comprehensive income (loss)	0.3	0.4	(1.3)	0.6
Comprehensive income (loss)	2.5	2.9	7.0	8.9
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Condensed consolidating statement of operations
Net income	2.9	2.6	15.4	12.5
Unrealized foreign currency translation gain (loss)	6.4	(11.3)	(0.6)	4.5
Income (loss) from other comprehensive income items	6.4	(11.3)	(0.6)	4.5
Other comprehensive income (loss)	6.4	(11.3)	(0.6)	4.5
Comprehensive income (loss)	9.3	(8.7)	14.8	17.0
Consolidating Adjustments
Condensed consolidating statement of operations
Net income	(5.1)	(5.1)	(23.7)	(20.8)
Comprehensive income (loss)	$ (5.1)	$ (5.1)	$ (23.7)	$ (20.8)