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period. The excess of the purchase price over par value can be charged against retained earnings (once the excess is fully allocated to additional paid in capital).Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 04 -Article 3 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 505 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6928386&loc=d3e21463-112644 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 02 -Paragraph 29, 30, 31 -Article 5 false2Share repurchases, value6false 4us-gaap_StockRepurchasedAndRetiredDuringPeriodSharesus-gaap_truenadurationfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterseLabel1truefalsefalse2720000027.2falsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse3690000036.9falsefalsefalse3truefalsefalse5160000051.6falsefalsefalse4truefalsefalse9620000096.2falsefalsefalse5falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalse6truefalsefalse2710000027.1falsefalsefalse7truefalsefalse3680000036.8falsefalsefalse8truefalsefalse5060000050.6falsefalsefalse9truefalsefalse9470000094.7falsefalsefalse10truefalsefalse2320000023.2falsefalsefalse11truefalsefalse28000002.8falsefalsefalse12truefalsefalse1490000014.9falsefalsefalse13truefalsefalse36000003.6falsefalsefalse14truefalsefalse59000005.9falsefalsefalse15truefalsefalse62000006.2falsefalsefalsexbrli:sharesItemTypesharesNumber of shares that have been repurchased and retired during the period.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 04 -Article 3 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 505 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6928386&loc=d3e21463-112644 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 02 -Paragraph 29, 30 -Article 5 false1Share repurchases, shares1Reductions of $863 million and $921 million were recorded to retained earnings, after capital in excess of par value was depleted, for the three months ended August 2, 2013 and August 3, 2012, respectively.2Reductions of $1.8 billion and $2.6 billion were recorded to retained earnings, after capital in excess of par value was depleted, for the six months ended August 2, 2013 and August 3, 2012, respectively.falseShareholders' Equity (Details Textual) (USD $)NoRoundingHundredThousandsUnKnownUnKnowntruefalsefalseSheethttp://lowes.com/role/DisclosureShareholdersEquityDetailsTextual156