Commitments, Guarantees, Indemnifications, and Legal Proceedings - Additional Information (Details) $ in Millions		2 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
		Oct. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($) a	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)
Schedule Of Commitments And Contingencies [Line Items]
Capital commitments			$ 94.7	$ 83.7
Area leased under timberland cutting rights (acres) | a			75,000
Average lease renewal term			6 years
Total lease expense			$ 88.3	87.9	$ 85.6
Capital lease obligations			21.6	22.8
Interest paid, capital lease obligations			1.5	1.6	1.5
Purchases during period under purchase agreements			362.0	299.6	265.9
Environmental reserve			25.3
Environmental liabilities and asset retirement obligations			6.4	7.9
Number of other U.S. and Canadian containerboard producers		PCA and eight other U.S. and Canadian containerboard producers were named as defendants
Number of lawsuits filed by the plaintiffs		5
Class action lawsuit settlement	[1]		0.0	$ 0.0	$ 17.6
Asset Retirement Obligation
Schedule Of Commitments And Contingencies [Line Items]
Environmental reserve			17.2
Environmental Contingencies
Schedule Of Commitments And Contingencies [Line Items]
Environmental reserve			8.1
Other Long-Term Liabilities
Schedule Of Commitments And Contingencies [Line Items]
Environmental reserve			$ 18.9
Minimum
Schedule Of Commitments And Contingencies [Line Items]
Purchase commitments term, years			1 year
Maximum
Schedule Of Commitments And Contingencies [Line Items]
Remaining lease term			14 years
Purchase commitments term, years			22 years

[1] Includes $17.6 million of costs for the settlement of the Kleen Products LLC v Packaging Corp. of America et al class action lawsuit. See Note 18, Commitments, Guarantees, Indemnifications, and Legal Proceedings, for more information.