EARNINGS PER SHARE CALCULATIONS (Earnings Per Share Calculation - Diluted) (Details) - $ / shares		3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
		Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2016
Earnings Per Share [Abstract]
Net income attributable to The Dow Chemical Company, diluted		$ 0.72	$ 3.50
Preferred stock dividends, diluted	[1]	(0.00)	(0.00)
Net income attributable to participating securities, diluted	[2]	(0.02)	(0.01)
Earnings per common share - diluted		$ 0.70	$ 3.49

[1] On December 30, 2016, the Company converted its outstanding shares of Cumulative Convertible Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series A ("Preferred Stock") into shares of the Company's common stock. As a result of this conversion, no shares of Preferred Stock are issued or outstanding.

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