Guarantor Non-Guarantor Subsidiary Financial Information Level 4 (Details) - Consolidating Balance Sheets (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Jun. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Current assets
Cash and cash equivalents (including restricted cash of $3)	$ 336	$ 431
Short-term investments	5	7
Accounts receivable, net	695	592
Finished and in-process goods	310	254
Raw materials and supplies	126	103
Other current assets	69	72
Total current assets	1,541	1,459
Other assets, net	168	169
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net	1,147	1,209
Goodwill	166	167
Other intangible assets, net	96	104
Total assets	3,118	3,108
Current liabilities
Accounts and drafts payable	490	393
Debt payable within one year	65	117
Affiliated debt payable within one year	2	2
Interest payable	66	61
Income taxes (receivable) payable	8	15
Accrued payroll and incentive compensation	38	57
Other current liabilities	137	132
Total current liabilities	806	777
Long-term debt	3,430	3,420
Long-term pension and post employment benefit obligations	212	223
Deferred income taxes	60	72
Other long-term liabilities	152	156
Advance from affiliates	225	225
Total liabilities	4,885	4,873
Total Momentive Specialty Chemicals Inc. shareholder’s (deficit) equity	(1,768)	(1,766)
Noncontrolling interest	1	1
Total deficit	(1,767)	(1,765)
Total liabilities and deficit	3,118	3,108
Momentive Specialty Chemicals Inc. [Member]
Current assets
Cash and cash equivalents (including restricted cash of $3)	255	221
Short-term investments	0	0
Accounts receivable, net	207	206
Finished and in-process goods	124	116
Raw materials and supplies	44	33
Other current assets	19	27
Total current assets	649	603
Other assets, net	85	107
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net	494	504
Goodwill	93	93
Other intangible assets, net	56	59
Total assets	1,377	1,366
Current liabilities
Accounts and drafts payable	173	134
Intercompany Accounts (Receivable) Payable	28	(24)
Debt payable within one year	11	17
Intercompany Loans (Receivable) Payable	(118)	35
Affiliated debt payable within one year	2	2
Interest payable	12	14
Income taxes (receivable) payable	(7)	1
Accrued payroll and incentive compensation	9	26
Other current liabilities	75	69
Total current liabilities	185	274
Long-term debt	868	1,134
Intercompany loans payable (receivable)	1,650	1,254
Long-term pension and post employment benefit obligations	90	99
Deferred income taxes	15	30
Other long-term liabilities	112	116
Advance from affiliates	225	225
Total liabilities	3,145	3,132
Total Momentive Specialty Chemicals Inc. shareholder’s (deficit) equity	(1,768)	(1,766)
Noncontrolling interest	0	0
Total deficit	(1,768)	(1,766)
Total liabilities and deficit	1,377	1,366
Subsidiary Issuers [Member]
Current assets
Cash and cash equivalents (including restricted cash of $3)	0	0
Short-term investments	0	0
Accounts receivable, net	0	0
Finished and in-process goods	0	0
Raw materials and supplies	0	0
Other current assets	0	0
Total current assets	0	0
Other assets, net	45	36
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net	0	0
Goodwill	0	0
Other intangible assets, net	0	0
Total assets	45	36
Current liabilities
Accounts and drafts payable	0	0
Intercompany Accounts (Receivable) Payable	(51)	(42)
Debt payable within one year	0	0
Intercompany Loans (Receivable) Payable	0	0
Affiliated debt payable within one year	0	0
Interest payable	53	44
Income taxes (receivable) payable	0	0
Accrued payroll and incentive compensation	0	0
Other current liabilities	0	0
Total current liabilities	2	2
Long-term debt	2,137	1,688
Intercompany loans payable (receivable)	(2,341)	(1,903)
Long-term pension and post employment benefit obligations	0	0
Deferred income taxes	2	2
Other long-term liabilities	6	6
Advance from affiliates	0	0
Total liabilities	(194)	(205)
Total Momentive Specialty Chemicals Inc. shareholder’s (deficit) equity	239	241
Noncontrolling interest	0	0
Total deficit	239	241
Total liabilities and deficit	45	36
Combined Subsidiary Guarantors [Member]
Current assets
Cash and cash equivalents (including restricted cash of $3)	0	0
Short-term investments	0	0
Accounts receivable, net	0	0
Finished and in-process goods	0	0
Raw materials and supplies	0	0
Other current assets	0	0
Total current assets	0	0
Other assets, net	29	40
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net	0	0
Goodwill	0	0
Other intangible assets, net	0	0
Total assets	29	40
Current liabilities
Accounts and drafts payable	0	0
Intercompany Accounts (Receivable) Payable	1	1
Debt payable within one year	0	0
Intercompany Loans (Receivable) Payable	0	0
Affiliated debt payable within one year	0	0
Interest payable	0	0
Income taxes (receivable) payable	0	0
Accrued payroll and incentive compensation	0	0
Other current liabilities	0	0
Total current liabilities	1	1
Long-term debt	0	0
Intercompany loans payable (receivable)	(19)	(16)
Long-term pension and post employment benefit obligations	0	0
Deferred income taxes	0	0
Other long-term liabilities	0	0
Advance from affiliates	0	0
Total liabilities	(18)	(15)
Total Momentive Specialty Chemicals Inc. shareholder’s (deficit) equity	47	55
Noncontrolling interest	0	0
Total deficit	47	55
Total liabilities and deficit	29	40
Combined Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Current assets
Cash and cash equivalents (including restricted cash of $3)	81	210
Short-term investments	5	7
Accounts receivable, net	488	386
Finished and in-process goods	186	138
Raw materials and supplies	82	70
Other current assets	50	45
Total current assets	892	856
Other assets, net	98	89
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net	653	705
Goodwill	73	74
Other intangible assets, net	40	45
Total assets	1,756	1,769
Current liabilities
Accounts and drafts payable	317	259
Intercompany Accounts (Receivable) Payable	22	65
Debt payable within one year	54	100
Intercompany Loans (Receivable) Payable	118	(35)
Affiliated debt payable within one year	0	0
Interest payable	1	3
Income taxes (receivable) payable	15	14
Accrued payroll and incentive compensation	29	31
Other current liabilities	62	63
Total current liabilities	618	500
Long-term debt	425	598
Intercompany loans payable (receivable)	710	665
Long-term pension and post employment benefit obligations	122	124
Deferred income taxes	43	40
Other long-term liabilities	34	34
Advance from affiliates	0	0
Total liabilities	1,952	1,961
Total Momentive Specialty Chemicals Inc. shareholder’s (deficit) equity	(197)	(193)
Noncontrolling interest	1	1
Total deficit	(196)	(192)
Total liabilities and deficit	1,756	1,769
Eliminations [Member]
Current assets
Cash and cash equivalents (including restricted cash of $3)	0	0
Short-term investments	0	0
Accounts receivable, net	0	0
Finished and in-process goods	0	0
Raw materials and supplies	0	0
Other current assets	0	0
Total current assets	0	0
Other assets, net	(89)	(103)
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net	0	0
Goodwill	0	0
Other intangible assets, net	0	0
Total assets	(89)	(103)
Current liabilities
Accounts and drafts payable	0	0
Intercompany Accounts (Receivable) Payable	0	0
Debt payable within one year	0	0
Intercompany Loans (Receivable) Payable	0	0
Affiliated debt payable within one year	0	0
Interest payable	0	0
Income taxes (receivable) payable	0	0
Accrued payroll and incentive compensation	0	0
Other current liabilities	0	0
Total current liabilities	0	0
Long-term debt	0	0
Intercompany loans payable (receivable)	0	0
Long-term pension and post employment benefit obligations	0	0
Deferred income taxes	0	0
Other long-term liabilities	0	0
Advance from affiliates	0	0
Total liabilities	0	0
Total Momentive Specialty Chemicals Inc. shareholder’s (deficit) equity	(89)	(103)
Noncontrolling interest	0	0
Total deficit	(89)	(103)
Total liabilities and deficit	(89)	(103)
Consolidated [Member]
Current assets
Cash and cash equivalents (including restricted cash of $3)	336	431
Short-term investments	5	7
Accounts receivable, net	695	592
Finished and in-process goods	310	254
Raw materials and supplies	126	103
Other current assets	69	72
Total current assets	1,541	1,459
Other assets, net	168	169
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net	1,147	1,209
Goodwill	166	167
Other intangible assets, net	96	104
Total assets	3,118	3,108
Current liabilities
Accounts and drafts payable	490	393
Intercompany Accounts (Receivable) Payable	0	0
Debt payable within one year	65	117
Intercompany Loans (Receivable) Payable	0	0
Affiliated debt payable within one year	2	2
Interest payable	66	61
Income taxes (receivable) payable	8	15
Accrued payroll and incentive compensation	38	57
Other current liabilities	137	132
Total current liabilities	806	777
Long-term debt	3,430	3,420
Intercompany loans payable (receivable)	0	0
Long-term pension and post employment benefit obligations	212	223
Deferred income taxes	60	72
Other long-term liabilities	152	156
Advance from affiliates	225	225
Total liabilities	4,885	4,873
Total Momentive Specialty Chemicals Inc. shareholder’s (deficit) equity	(1,768)	(1,766)
Noncontrolling interest	1	1
Total deficit	(1,767)	(1,765)
Total liabilities and deficit	$ 3,118	$ 3,108