Guarantor Non-Guarantor Subsidiary Financial Information Level 4 (Details) - Consolidating Statement of Cash Flows (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities	$ 35	$ (102)
Cash flows provided by (used in) investing activities
Capital expenditures	(40)	(34)
Proceeds from the sale of (purchases of) debt securities, net	4	3
purchase of business		(52)
Return of capital from subsidiary from sales of accounts receivable	0	0
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities	(36)	(83)
Cash flows (used in) provided by financing activities
Net short-term debt (repayments) borrowings	(3)	8
Borrowings of long-term debt	119	0
Repayments of long-term debt	(114)	(3)
Net Intercompany Loan Borrowings (Repayments)	0	0
Common stock dividends paid	0	0
Return of capital to parent from sales of accounts receivable	0	0
Net cash used in financing activities	2	5
Effect of exchange rates on cash and cash equivalents	(5)	(2)
Decrease in cash and cash equivalents	(4)	(182)
Cash and cash equivalents (unrestricted) at beginning of period	156	379
Cash and cash equivalents (unrestricted) at end of period	152	197
Momentive Specialty Chemicals Inc. [Member]
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities	(28)	(120)
Cash flows provided by (used in) investing activities
Capital expenditures	(20)	(18)
Proceeds from the sale of (purchases of) debt securities, net	0	0
purchase of business		(52)
Return of capital from subsidiary from sales of accounts receivable	59	92
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities	39	22
Cash flows (used in) provided by financing activities
Net short-term debt (repayments) borrowings	(3)	0
Borrowings of long-term debt	100
Repayments of long-term debt	(100)	0
Net Intercompany Loan Borrowings (Repayments)	(6)	(23)
Common stock dividends paid	0	0
Return of capital to parent from sales of accounts receivable	0	0
Net cash used in financing activities	(9)	(23)
Effect of exchange rates on cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Decrease in cash and cash equivalents	2	(121)
Cash and cash equivalents (unrestricted) at beginning of period	23	170
Cash and cash equivalents (unrestricted) at end of period	25	49
Combined Subsidiary Guarantors [Member]
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities	4	3
Cash flows provided by (used in) investing activities
Capital expenditures	0	0
Proceeds from the sale of (purchases of) debt securities, net	0	0
purchase of business		0
Return of capital from subsidiary from sales of accounts receivable	0	0
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities	0	0
Cash flows (used in) provided by financing activities
Net short-term debt (repayments) borrowings	0	0
Borrowings of long-term debt	0
Repayments of long-term debt	0	0
Net Intercompany Loan Borrowings (Repayments)	0	0
Common stock dividends paid	(4)	(3)
Return of capital to parent from sales of accounts receivable	0	0
Net cash used in financing activities	(4)	(3)
Effect of exchange rates on cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Decrease in cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents (unrestricted) at beginning of period	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents (unrestricted) at end of period	0	0
Combined Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities	63	18
Cash flows provided by (used in) investing activities
Capital expenditures	(20)	(16)
Proceeds from the sale of (purchases of) debt securities, net	4	3
purchase of business		0
Return of capital from subsidiary from sales of accounts receivable	0
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities	(16)	(13)
Cash flows (used in) provided by financing activities
Net short-term debt (repayments) borrowings	0	8
Borrowings of long-term debt	19
Repayments of long-term debt	(14)	(3)
Net Intercompany Loan Borrowings (Repayments)	6	23
Common stock dividends paid	0	0
Return of capital to parent from sales of accounts receivable	(59)	(92)
Net cash used in financing activities	(48)	(64)
Effect of exchange rates on cash and cash equivalents	(5)	(2)
Decrease in cash and cash equivalents	(6)	(61)
Cash and cash equivalents (unrestricted) at beginning of period	133	209
Cash and cash equivalents (unrestricted) at end of period	127	148
Eliminations [Member]
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities	(4)	(3)
Cash flows provided by (used in) investing activities
Capital expenditures	0	0
Proceeds from the sale of (purchases of) debt securities, net	0	0
purchase of business		0
Return of capital from subsidiary from sales of accounts receivable	(59)	(92)
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities	(59)	(92)
Cash flows (used in) provided by financing activities
Net short-term debt (repayments) borrowings	0	0
Borrowings of long-term debt	0
Repayments of long-term debt	0	0
Net Intercompany Loan Borrowings (Repayments)	0	0
Common stock dividends paid	4	3
Return of capital to parent from sales of accounts receivable	59	92
Net cash used in financing activities	63	95
Effect of exchange rates on cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Decrease in cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents (unrestricted) at beginning of period	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents (unrestricted) at end of period	$ 0	$ 0