Revenue Disaggregation of revenue (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	$ 2,310	$ 2,828	$ 2,734
SmartSide Strand siding [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	816	746	662
SmartSide Fiber siding [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	101	106	111
CanExel siding [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	46	37	49
OSB - commodity [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	394	795	842
OSB - value-add [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	528	723	670
LVL [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	141	141	144
LSL [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	50	59	47
I Joist [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	137	122	117
Value-add [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	1,819	1,935	1,801
Plywood [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	25	29	25
Other products [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	72	69	66
Commodity Products [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	419	824	868
Siding
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	963	942	884
Siding | SmartSide Strand siding [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	797	725	646
Siding | SmartSide Fiber siding [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	101	106	111
Siding | CanExel siding [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	46	37	49
Siding | OSB - commodity [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	9	39	67
Siding | OSB - value-add [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	1	23	0
Siding | LVL [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	0	0	0
Siding | LSL [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	0	0	0
Siding | I Joist [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	0	0	0
Siding | Value-add [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	945	891	807
Siding | Plywood [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	0	0	0
Siding | Other products [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	9	12	10
Siding | Commodity Products [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	9	39	67
OSB
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	777	1,305	1,303
OSB | SmartSide Strand siding [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	0	0	0
OSB | SmartSide Fiber siding [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	0	0	0
OSB | CanExel siding [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	0	0	0
OSB | OSB - commodity [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	387	746	766
OSB | OSB - value-add [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	381	551	525
OSB | LVL [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	0	0	0
OSB | LSL [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	0	0	0
OSB | I Joist [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	0	0	0
OSB | Value-add [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	381	551	525
OSB | Plywood [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	0	0	0
OSB | Other products [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	9	8	12
OSB | Commodity Products [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	387	746	766
EWP
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	396	409	384
EWP | SmartSide Strand siding [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	0	0	0
EWP | SmartSide Fiber siding [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	0	0	0
EWP | CanExel siding [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	0	0	0
EWP | OSB - commodity [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	3	10	9
EWP | OSB - value-add [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	8	14	13
EWP | LVL [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	142	141	144
EWP | LSL [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	50	59	47
EWP | I Joist [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	137	122	117
EWP | Value-add [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	337	336	321
EWP | Plywood [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	25	29	25
EWP | Other products [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	31	34	28
EWP | Commodity Products [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	28	39	35
South America
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	159	161	155
South America | SmartSide Strand siding [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	19	22	20
South America | SmartSide Fiber siding [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	0	0	0
South America | CanExel siding [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	0	0	0
South America | OSB - commodity [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	0	0	0
South America | OSB - value-add [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	138	135	132
South America | LVL [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	0	0	0
South America | LSL [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	0	0	0
South America | I Joist [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	0	0	0
South America | Value-add [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	156	157	152
South America | Plywood [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	0	0	0
South America | Other products [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	3	4	3
South America | Commodity Products [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	0	0	0
Other
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	20	11	12
Other | SmartSide Strand siding [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	0	0	0
Other | SmartSide Fiber siding [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	0	0	0
Other | CanExel siding [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	0	0	0
Other | OSB - commodity [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	0	0	0
Other | OSB - value-add [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	0	0	0
Other | LVL [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	0	0	0
Other | LSL [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	0	0	0
Other | I Joist [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	0	0	0
Other | Value-add [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	0	0	0
Other | Plywood [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	0	0	0
Other | Other products [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	20	11	12
Other | Commodity Products [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	0	0	0
Intersegment sales
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	(5)	0	(4)
Intersegment sales | SmartSide Strand siding [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	0	0	(4)
Intersegment sales | SmartSide Fiber siding [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	0	0	0
Intersegment sales | CanExel siding [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	0	0	0
Intersegment sales | OSB - commodity [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	(5)	0
Intersegment sales | OSB - value-add [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	0	0	0
Intersegment sales | LVL [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	0	0	0
Intersegment sales | LSL [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	0	0	0
Intersegment sales | I Joist [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	0	0	0
Intersegment sales | Value-add [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	0	0	(4)
Intersegment sales | Plywood [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	0	0	0
Intersegment sales | Other products [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	0	0	0
Intersegment sales | Commodity Products [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Net sales	$ (5)	$ 0	$ 0