Guarantor Non-Guarantor Subsidiary Financial Information Level 4 (Details) - Consolidating Balance Sheets - USD ($) $ in Millions	Dec. 31, 2018	Jan. 01, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Current assets
Cash and cash equivalents (including restricted cash)	$ 128		$ 115
Accounts receivable, net	412		462
Finished and in-process goods	240		221
Raw materials and supplies	94		92
Total current assets held for sale	0		6
Other current assets	57	$ 56	44
Total current assets	931		940
Investments in unconsolidated entities	19		20
Total long-term assets held for sale	0		2
Other assets, net	34		49
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net	841		924
Goodwill	109		112	$ 121
Other intangible assets, net	27		42
Total assets	1,961		2,097
Current liabilities
Accounts and drafts payable	384		402
Debt payable within one year	3,716		125
Interest payable	82		82
Income taxes payable	5		12
Accrued payroll and incentive compensation	52		47
Total current liabilities associated with assets held for sale	0		2
Other current liabilities	106		135
Total current liabilities	4,345		805
Long-term debt	99		3,584
Long-term pension and post employment benefit obligations	221		262
Long-term deferred income taxes	15		11
Other long-term liabilities	195		177
Total liabilities	4,875		4,839
Total Momentive Specialty Chemicals Inc. shareholder’s (deficit) equity	(2,912)		(2,741)
Noncontrolling interest	(2)		(1)
Total deficit	(2,914)		(2,742)	$ (2,539)	$ (2,477)
Total liabilities and deficit	1,961		2,097
Consolidated [Member]
Current assets
Cash and cash equivalents (including restricted cash)	128		115
Accounts receivable, net	412		462
Intercompany accounts receivable	0		0
Intercompany loans receivable - current portion	0		0
Finished and in-process goods	240		221
Raw materials and supplies	94		92
Total current assets held for sale			6
Other current assets	57		44
Total current assets	931		940
Investments in unconsolidated entities	19		20
Deferred income taxes	0		8
Total long-term assets held for sale			2
Other assets, net	34		49
Intercompany loans receivable	0		0
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net	841		924
Goodwill	109		112
Other intangible assets, net	27		42
Total assets	1,961		2,097
Current liabilities
Accounts and drafts payable	384		402
Intercompany accounts payable	0		0
Debt payable within one year	3,716		125
Intercompany loans payable within one year	0		0
Interest payable	82		82
Income taxes payable	5		12
Accrued payroll and incentive compensation	52		47
Total current liabilities associated with assets held for sale			2
Other current liabilities	106		135
Total current liabilities	4,345		805
Long-term debt	99		3,584
Intercompany loans payable	0		0
Accumulated losses of unconsolidated subsidiaries in excess of investment	0		0
Long-term pension and post employment benefit obligations	221		262
Long-term deferred income taxes	15		11
Other long-term liabilities	195		177
Total liabilities	4,875		4,839
Total Momentive Specialty Chemicals Inc. shareholder’s (deficit) equity	(2,912)		(2,741)
Noncontrolling interest	(2)		(1)
Total deficit	(2,914)		(2,742)
Total liabilities and deficit	1,961		2,097
Momentive Specialty Chemicals Inc. [Member]
Current assets
Cash and cash equivalents (including restricted cash)	20		13
Accounts receivable, net	98		126
Intercompany accounts receivable	40		121
Intercompany loans receivable - current portion	82		1
Finished and in-process goods	100		85
Raw materials and supplies	36		36
Total current assets held for sale			1
Other current assets	28		19
Total current assets	404		402
Investments in unconsolidated entities	134		158
Deferred income taxes	0		0
Total long-term assets held for sale			0
Other assets, net	10		17
Intercompany loans receivable	1,114		1,114
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net	363		410
Goodwill	53		52
Other intangible assets, net	19		32
Total assets	2,097		2,185
Current liabilities
Accounts and drafts payable	126		129
Intercompany accounts payable	66		80
Debt payable within one year	3,563		10
Intercompany loans payable within one year	101		22
Interest payable	81		80
Income taxes payable	3		6
Accrued payroll and incentive compensation	22		22
Total current liabilities associated with assets held for sale			0
Other current liabilities	61		70
Total current liabilities	4,023		419
Long-term debt	52		3,507
Intercompany loans payable	0		190
Accumulated losses of unconsolidated subsidiaries in excess of investment	781		668
Long-term pension and post employment benefit obligations	34		31
Long-term deferred income taxes	2		2
Other long-term liabilities	117		109
Total liabilities	5,009		4,926
Total Momentive Specialty Chemicals Inc. shareholder’s (deficit) equity	(2,912)		(2,741)
Noncontrolling interest	0		0
Total deficit	(2,912)		(2,741)
Total liabilities and deficit	2,097		2,185
Combined Subsidiary Guarantors [Member]
Current assets
Cash and cash equivalents (including restricted cash)	0		0
Accounts receivable, net	0		1
Intercompany accounts receivable	0		0
Intercompany loans receivable - current portion	0		0
Finished and in-process goods	0		0
Raw materials and supplies	0		0
Total current assets held for sale			0
Other current assets	0		0
Total current assets	0		1
Investments in unconsolidated entities	12		13
Deferred income taxes	0		0
Total long-term assets held for sale			0
Other assets, net	7		8
Intercompany loans receivable	0		0
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net	0		0
Goodwill	0		0
Other intangible assets, net	0		0
Total assets	19		22
Current liabilities
Accounts and drafts payable	0		0
Intercompany accounts payable	0		0
Debt payable within one year	0		0
Intercompany loans payable within one year	0		0
Interest payable	0		0
Income taxes payable	0		0
Accrued payroll and incentive compensation	0		0
Total current liabilities associated with assets held for sale			0
Other current liabilities	0		0
Total current liabilities	0		0
Long-term debt	0		0
Intercompany loans payable	0		0
Accumulated losses of unconsolidated subsidiaries in excess of investment	146		171
Long-term pension and post employment benefit obligations	0		0
Long-term deferred income taxes	0		0
Other long-term liabilities	0		0
Total liabilities	146		171
Total Momentive Specialty Chemicals Inc. shareholder’s (deficit) equity	(127)		(149)
Noncontrolling interest	0		0
Total deficit	(127)		(149)
Total liabilities and deficit	19		22
Combined Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Current assets
Cash and cash equivalents (including restricted cash)	108		102
Accounts receivable, net	314		335
Intercompany accounts receivable	66		80
Intercompany loans receivable - current portion	101		22
Finished and in-process goods	140		136
Raw materials and supplies	58		56
Total current assets held for sale			5
Other current assets	29		25
Total current assets	816		761
Investments in unconsolidated entities	19		20
Deferred income taxes	0		8
Total long-term assets held for sale			2
Other assets, net	17		24
Intercompany loans receivable	0		190
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net	478		514
Goodwill	56		60
Other intangible assets, net	8		10
Total assets	1,394		1,589
Current liabilities
Accounts and drafts payable	258		273
Intercompany accounts payable	40		121
Debt payable within one year	153		115
Intercompany loans payable within one year	82		1
Interest payable	1		2
Income taxes payable	2		6
Accrued payroll and incentive compensation	30		25
Total current liabilities associated with assets held for sale			2
Other current liabilities	45		65
Total current liabilities	611		610
Long-term debt	47		77
Intercompany loans payable	1,114		1,114
Accumulated losses of unconsolidated subsidiaries in excess of investment	0		0
Long-term pension and post employment benefit obligations	187		231
Long-term deferred income taxes	13		9
Other long-term liabilities	78		68
Total liabilities	2,050		2,109
Total Momentive Specialty Chemicals Inc. shareholder’s (deficit) equity	(654)		(519)
Noncontrolling interest	(2)		(1)
Total deficit	(656)		(520)
Total liabilities and deficit	1,394		1,589
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Current assets
Cash and cash equivalents (including restricted cash)	0		0
Accounts receivable, net	0		0
Intercompany accounts receivable	(106)		(201)
Intercompany loans receivable - current portion	(183)		(23)
Finished and in-process goods	0		0
Raw materials and supplies	0		0
Total current assets held for sale			0
Other current assets	0		0
Total current assets	(289)		(224)
Investments in unconsolidated entities	(146)		(171)
Deferred income taxes	0		0
Total long-term assets held for sale			0
Other assets, net	0		0
Intercompany loans receivable	(1,114)		(1,304)
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net	0		0
Goodwill	0		0
Other intangible assets, net	0		0
Total assets	(1,549)		(1,699)
Current liabilities
Accounts and drafts payable	0		0
Intercompany accounts payable	(106)		(201)
Debt payable within one year	0		0
Intercompany loans payable within one year	(183)		(23)
Interest payable	0		0
Income taxes payable	0		0
Accrued payroll and incentive compensation	0		0
Total current liabilities associated with assets held for sale			0
Other current liabilities	0		0
Total current liabilities	(289)		(224)
Long-term debt	0		0
Intercompany loans payable	(1,114)		(1,304)
Accumulated losses of unconsolidated subsidiaries in excess of investment	(927)		(839)
Long-term pension and post employment benefit obligations	0		0
Long-term deferred income taxes	0		0
Other long-term liabilities	0		0
Total liabilities	(2,330)		(2,367)
Total Momentive Specialty Chemicals Inc. shareholder’s (deficit) equity	781		668
Noncontrolling interest	0		0
Total deficit	781		668
Total liabilities and deficit	$ (1,549)		$ (1,699)