EARNINGS PER SHARE CALCULATIONS (Earnings Per Share Calculation - Diluted) (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2014		Mar. 31, 2013
Earnings Per Share [Abstract]
Net income, diluted	$ 0.88		$ 0.55
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests, diluted	$ (0.01)		$ (0.02)
Net income attributable to The Dow Chemical Company, diluted	$ 0.87		$ 0.53
Preferred stock dividends, diluted	$ (0.07)	[1]	$ (0.07)	[1]
Net income attributable to participating securities, diluted	$ (0.01)	[2]	$ 0.00	[2]
Earnings per common share - diluted	$ 0.79		$ 0.46

[1] Preferred stock dividends were not added back in the calculation of diluted earnings per share because the effect of adding them back would have been antidilutive.

[2] Deferred stock awards are considered participating securities due to Dow's practice of paying dividend equivalents on unvested shares.