Interim Financial Results (Parenthetical) (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended						12 Months Ended			1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended				12 Months Ended	3 Months Ended										12 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended	3 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011	Sep. 30, 2011	Mar. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Jun. 30, 2010	Mar. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009	Jan. 31, 2007 Kraft Papers Company [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 Xpedx [Member]	Jun. 30, 2011 Xpedx [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Andhra Pradesh Paper Mills Limited [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 Andhra Pradesh Paper Mills Limited [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Andhra Pradesh Paper Mills Limited [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Temple Inland [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 Temple Inland [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Arizona Chemical [Member]	Jun. 30, 2010 Franklin, Virginia Mill [Member]	Mar. 31, 2010 Franklin, Virginia Mill [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Shorewood Packaging [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 Shorewood Packaging [Member]	Jun. 30, 2011 Shorewood Packaging [Member]	Mar. 31, 2011 Shorewood Packaging [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Shorewood Packaging [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Shorewood Packaging [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Shorewood Packaging [Member] Xpedx [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Shorewood Packaging [Member] Xpedx [Member]	Jun. 30, 2011 Cass Lake, Minnesota [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Cass Lake, Minnesota [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Inverurie, Scotland Mill [Member]	Mar. 31, 2011 Inverurie, Scotland Mill [Member]	Mar. 31, 2010 Inverurie, Scotland Mill [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Bellevue, Washington And Spartanburg, South Carolina [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 S&A Reduction Initiative [Member]	Jun. 30, 2010 Restructuring - Fiscal 2010 Plan [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Closure costs																				$ 32														$ 7
Closure costs, net of tax																			68	124														4
Gain (loss) on sale of business, before tax										50												(6)
Gain (loss) on sale of business, net of tax										30												(4)
Asset impairment, before tax																							129								3	8
Asset impairment, after tax																							104								3		8
Tax benefit from reversal of reserves, before tax																													21
Tax benefit from reversal of reserves										15																			13
Interest income, before tax										6																					6
Interest income, net of tax							(541)	(608)	(669)	4
Accelerated depreciation																			46	190
Early debt extinguishment costs					18
Cost related to early retirement of debt, before tax																																			13
Cost related to early retirement of debt, net of tax			19		11																														8
Reorganization costs	13										18	10	24						111	204	4	82		7	4			17
Reorganization costs, net of tax											13	6									3	140		4	3		13
Noncontrolling interest income, before tax																										8
Noncontrolling interest income, after tax																										8
Income (expense) from acquisition of business, before tax			7										9		(16)		(8)
Income (expense) from acquisition of business, after tax			7											(10)			(5)
Charge from agreement to acquire business, before tax																12
Charge from agreement to acquire business, after tax																7
Tax benefit related to reduction of carrying value		222
Other	2
Incentive compensation, after-tax charges						14
Postretirement prescription drug coverage, tax adjustments						32
Environmental charges																			36										27	18
Environmental charges, net of tax																													17	11
Write-off of Ohio Commercial Activity tax receivable																																				11
Write-off of Ohio Commercial Activity tax receivable, net of tax																																				7
Severance and benefits																																			5
Severance and benefits, net of tax																																			3
Gains (losses) of businesses previously sold, pre tax																		25
Gains (losses) of businesses previously sold, net of tax																		15
Income tax credits from alternative fuels				$ 40