2.2.0.25falsefalse1094 - Disclosure - Weighted Average Assumptions Used to Value Stock Options Granted (Detail)truefalsefalse1falsefalseUSDfalsefalse1/1/2010 - 12/31/2010 USD ($) / shares USD ($) $eol_PE727-----1010-K0008_STD_365_20101231_0http://www.sec.gov/CIK0000060751duration2010-01-01T00:00:002010-12-31T00:00:00iso4217_USD_per_sharesDividehttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso4217http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instanceshares0iso4217_USDStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170YearStandardhttp://www.lubrizol.com/20101231Yearlz0pureStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancepure0sharesStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instanceshares0MonthStandardhttp://www.lubrizol.com/20101231Monthlz0USDUSD$2falsefalseUSDfalsefalse1/1/2009 - 12/31/2009 USD ($) USD ($) / shares $eol_PE727-----1010-K0008_STD_365_20091231_0http://www.sec.gov/CIK0000060751duration2009-01-01T00:00:002009-12-31T00:00:00iso4217_USDStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170sharesStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instanceshares0iso4217_USD_per_sharesDividehttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso4217http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instanceshares0YearStandardhttp://www.lubrizol.com/20101231Yearlz0pureStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancepure0USDUSD$3falsefalseUSDfalsefalse1/1/2008 - 12/31/2008 USD ($) USD ($) / shares $eol_PE727-----1010-K0008_STD_366_20081231_0http://www.sec.gov/CIK0000060751duration2008-01-01T00:00:002008-12-31T00:00:00iso4217_USDStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170YearStandardhttp://www.lubrizol.com/20101231Yearlz0sharesStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instanceshares0pureStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancepure0iso4217_USD_per_sharesDividehttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso4217http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instanceshares0USDUSD$4true0us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardLineItemsus-gaaptruenadurationNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalse1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalseOtherxbrli:stringItemTypestringLine items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.falsefalseShare-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]5false0us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsRiskFreeInterestRateus-gaaptruenadurationNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalse1truetruefalse0.0330.033falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truetruefalse0.0280.028falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3truetruefalse0.0350.035falsefalsefalsefalsefalseOtherus-types:percentItemTypepureThe risk-free interest rate assumption that is used in valuing an option on its own shares.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 123R -Paragraph A240 -Subparagraph e(2)(d) falsefalseRisk-free interest rate6false0us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsExpectedDividendRateus-gaaptruenadurationNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalse1truetruefalse0.0160.016falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truetruefalse0.0450.045falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3truetruefalse0.0210.021falsefalsefalsefalsefalseOtherus-types:percentItemTypepureThe estimated dividend rate (a percentage of the share price) to be paid (expected dividends) to holders of the underlying shares over the option's term.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 123R -Paragraph A240 -Subparagraph e(2)(c) falsefalseDividend yield7false0us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsExpectedVolatilityRateus-gaaptruenadurationNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalse1truetruefalse0.3030.303falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truetruefalse0.2790.279falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3truetruefalse0.2000.200falsefalsefalsefalsefalseOtherus-types:percentItemTypepureThe estimated measure of the percentage amount by which a share price is expected to fluctuate during a period. Volatility also may be defined as a probability-weighted measure of the dispersion of returns about the mean. The volatility of a share price is the standard deviation of the continuously compounded rates of return on the share over a specified period. That is the same as the standard deviation of the differences in the natural logarithms of the stock prices plus dividends, if any, over the period.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 123R -Paragraph A240 -Subparagraph e(2)(b) falsefalseExpected volatility8false0us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsExpectedTermus-gaaptruenadurationNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalse1truefalsefalse6.56.5falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse6.56.5falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3truefalsefalse6.56.5falsefalsefalsefalsefalseOtherxbrli:decimalItemTypedecimalThe period of time a share-based award is expected to be outstanding. A share-based award's expected term shall be determined based on, among other factors, the instrument's contractual term and the effects of employees' expected exercise and post-vesting employment termination behavior. An entity is required to aggregate individual awards into relatively homogeneous groups.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 123R -Paragraph A240 -Subparagraph e(2)(a) Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Staff Accounting Bulletin (SAB) -Number Topic 14 -Section D -Subsection 2 falsefalseExpected life (years)9false0us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsGrantsInPeriodWeightedAverageGrantDateFairValueus-gaaptruenadurationNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalse1truefalsefalse23.8423.84falsetruefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse5.035.03falsetruefalsefalsefalse3truefalsefalse12.2712.27falsetruefalsefalsefalseEPSus-types:perShareItemTypedecimalThe weighted average grant-date fair value of options granted during the reporting period as calculated by applying the disclosed option pricing methodology.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 123R -Paragraph A240 -Subparagraph c(1) falsetrueWeighted-average fair value of options granted during the year36Weighted Average Assumptions Used to Value Stock Options Granted (Detail) (USD $)UnKnownUnKnownNoRoundingUnKnowntruetrue