Discontinued Operations - Narrative (Details) (USD $)	0 Months Ended	9 Months Ended	12 Months Ended			0 Months Ended
	Jun. 27, 2014	Sep. 30, 2014 T	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Mar. 01, 2013
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Number of Rayonier shares for issuance of one Rayonier Advanced Materials share			3
Rayonier Advanced Materials debt			$ 751,555,000	$ 1,574,224,000
Restricted cash received			(62,256,000)	58,385,000	10,559,000
Payments of dividends	63,200,000		257,517,000	237,016,000	206,583,000
Term for specified transition services			18 months
Annual number of tons of hardwood that can be provided to former subsidiary		120,000
Performance Fibers business [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Number of post-spin companies	2
Cash distribution from former subsidiary	906,200,000
Rayonier Advanced Materials debt	950,000,000
Restricted cash received	(75,000,000)
Performance Fibers business [Member] | Senior Notes [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Rayonier Advanced Materials debt	550,000,000
Performance Fibers business [Member] | Medium-term Notes [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Rayonier Advanced Materials debt	325,000,000
Performance Fibers business [Member] | Line of Credit [Member] | Revolving Credit Facility [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Rayonier Advanced Materials debt	75,000,000
Performance Fibers business [Member] | Common Stock [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Number of Rayonier Adcanced Materials shares for every three Rayonier shares	1
Number of Rayonier shares for issuance of one Rayonier Advanced Materials share	3
Wood Products business [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Description and timing of disposal						On March 1, 2013, Rayonier completed the sale of its Wood Products business (consisting of three lumber mills in Baxley, Swainsboro and Eatonton, Georgia) to International Forest Products Limited (“Interfor”)
Number of lumber mills sold						3
Description of proceeds from divestiture of business				$80 million plus a working capital adjustment		$80 million plus a working capital adjustment
Base consideration received				80,000,000		80,000,000
Segment that includes disposal group						Wood Products business, formerly disclosed as a separate reportable segment
Gain on disposal of discontinued operation, net of tax				42,100,000
Cash flows of disposal group						Cash flows from the Wood Products business were de minimis both individually and in the aggregate. As such, they were included with cash flows from continuing operations in the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the years ended December 31, 2013 and 2012.
Wood Products business [Member] | Pension Benefits [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Recognized net loss due to settlements				$ 500,000