Debt Schedule of Convertible Debt (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Oct. 01, 2007
Schedule of Convertible Debt [Line Items]
Convertible Debt	$ 165,821,000	$ 458,147,000
Debt Instrument, Convertible, Carrying Amount of Equity Component	8,850,000	28,092,000
Amortization of Debt Discount	6,323,000	8,654,000	8,160,000
Debt Instrument, Convertible, Interest Expense	24,119,000	27,667,000	27,173,000
Senior Exchangeable Notes due 2012 at a fixed interest rate of 3.75%
Schedule of Convertible Debt [Line Items]
Issuance Date of Debt Instrument	October 2007
Debt Instrument, Face Amount	0	300,000,000		300,000,000
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	3.75%
Option Indexed to Issuer's Equity, Indexed Shares	8,239,920
Conversion Premium	22.00%
Effective Conversion Premium	40.00%
Effective Conversion Price	$ 41.41
Exercise price of warrants or rights	41.41
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date, Description	October 2012
Extinguishment of Debt, Amount	300,000,000
Option Indexed to Issuer's Equity, Shares Paid	2,221,056
Debt Instrument, Unamortized Discount	0	(5,378,000)
Interest Expense, Debt, Excluding Amortization	8,682,000	11,250,000	11,250,000
Amortization of Debt Discount	5,378,000	6,487,000	6,115,000
Debt Instrument, Convertible, Effective Interest Rate	6.21%	6.21%	6.21%
Senior Exchangeable Notes due 2015 at a fixed interest rate of 4.50%
Schedule of Convertible Debt [Line Items]
Issuance Date of Debt Instrument	August 2009
Debt Instrument, Face Amount	172,500,000	172,500,000
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	4.50%
Debt Instrument, Convertible, Terms of Conversion Feature	The $172.5 million in principal will be settled in cash and any excess exchange value will be settled at the option of the Company in either cash or stock of Rayonier. Note holders may convert their notes to common stock of Rayonier, subject to certain provisions including the market price of the stock and the trading price of the convertible notes. The current exchange rate is 30.24 shares per $1,000 principal based on an exchange price of $33.07.
Conversion Ratio (per $1,000 principal)	30.24
Option Indexed to Issuer's Equity, Indexed Shares	5,169,653
Conversion Premium	22.50%
Effective Conversion Premium	46.00%
Effective Conversion Price	$ 39.50
Option Indexed to Issuer's Equity, Strike Price	33.07
Exercise price of warrants or rights	39.50
Exchange Period, Beginning Date	Dec. 31, 2012
Exchange Period, End Date	Mar. 31, 2013
Debt Instrument, Exchange Feature, Description	Per the indenture, in order for the notes to become exchangeable, the Company's stock price must exceed 130 percent of the exchange price for 20 trading days in a period of 30 consecutive trading days as of the last day of the quarter.
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date, Description	August 2015
Debt Instrument, Unamortized Discount	(6,679,000)	(8,975,000)
Interest Expense, Debt, Excluding Amortization	7,763,000	7,763,000	7,763,000
Amortization of Debt Discount	$ 2,296,000	$ 2,167,000	$ 2,045,000
Debt Instrument, Convertible, Effective Interest Rate	6.21%	6.21%	6.21%