<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0303</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2011-01-12</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000731939</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>TEMPLE INLAND INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>TIN</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001434500</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Norton Larry C</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>1300 SOUTH MOPAC</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>THIRD FLOOR</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>AUSTIN</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>TX</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>78746</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Group VP-Packaging</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>42950</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2011-01-12</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate>
                <value>2011-01-12</value>
            </deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>J</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>90</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>22.49</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>By Trustee of 401(k) Plan</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Restricted Stock Units</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <footnoteId id="F4"/>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F4"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <footnoteId id="F4"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>30061</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>30061</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Options (right to buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>19.50</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2009-02-01</value>
                <footnoteId id="F5"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2018-02-01</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>92469</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>92469</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Options (right to buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>5.64</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2010-02-06</value>
                <footnoteId id="F6"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2019-02-06</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>100810</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>100810</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Performance Stock Units</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <footnoteId id="F7"/>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F7"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <footnoteId id="F7"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>105177</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>105177</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Options (right to buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>16.71</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2011-02-05</value>
                <footnoteId id="F8"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2020-02-05</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>41668</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>41668</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Performance Stock Units</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <footnoteId id="F9"/>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F9"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <footnoteId id="F9"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>29156</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>29156</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Includes 42,950 Restricted Stock Units granted to Reporting Person on February 5, 2010. These RSUs will vest effective February 5, 2013 if 1% ROI or ROI in top three quartiles of peer group performance criteria is met, and will be settled for stock on the vesting date.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Reporting Person held shares under a 401(k) plan, and figures are according to the latest report of the Plan Administrator.  (Note:  Plan Administrator used unit accounting; therefore, share equivalents may fluctuate slightly.)</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">As reported by the plan administrator on January 13, 2011, between January 1, 2011 and January 12, 2011 the 401(k) plan administrator completed a mandatory divestiture of all stock in the company stock fund upon direction of the plan trustees in accordance with policy adopted in 2007 for all plan participants.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">Restricted Stock Units granted on February 1, 2008 will vest effective February 1, 2011 if 1% ROI performance criteria is met. Restricted Stock Units will be settled for cash based on the fair market value on the vesting date.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F5">Granted 02/01/2008 Option Vesting Schedule: Options exercisable 02/01/2009, 23117; Options exercisable 02/01/2010, 23117; Options exercisable 02/01/2011, 23117; Options exercisable 02/01/2012, 23118.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F6">Options Vesting Schedule for Options Granted 02/06/2009. Options Exerciserable 02/06/2010 - 25202; Options Exerciserable 02/06/2011 - 25203; Options Exerciserable 02/06/2012 - 25202; and Options Exerciserable 02/06/2013 - 25203.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F7">Performance Stock Units granted on February 6, 2009 will vest on or after February 6, 2012 at 100% if the Company's average ROI falls within the first quartile ROI ranking compared to its peer group; 75% if in the second quartile; zero if in the bottom half.  PSUs will be settled for cash based on the fair market value on the vesting date.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F8">Options Vesting Schedule for Options Granted 02/05/2010. Options Exercisable 02/05/2011 - 10417; Options Exercisable 02/05/2012 - 10417; Options Exercisable 02/05/2013 - 10417; and Options Exercisable 02/06/2014 - 10417.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F9">Performance Stock Units granted on February 5, 2010 will vest on or after February 5, 2013 at 100% if the Company's average ROI falls within the first quartile ROI ranking compared to its peer group; 75% if in the second quartile, zero if in the bottom half.  PSUs will be settled for cash based on the fair market value on the vesting date.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Leslie K. O'Neal signed on behalf of Larry C. Norton</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2011-01-14</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
