Quarterly Financial Information (Unaudited) (Detail) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Millions	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016	Sep. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2016	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Quarterly financial information [Line Items]
Net sales	$ 3,497	$ 3,789	$ 3,921	$ 3,544	$ 3,552	$ 3,725	$ 3,958	$ 3,531	$ 14,751	$ 14,766	$ 14,791
Cost of Sales	1,968	2,081	2,094	1,920	1,997	2,049	2,187	1,973	8,063	8,206	8,348
Continuing operations	77	(201)	351	337	295	415	319	309	564	1,338	1,085
Discontinued operations	267	17	19	10	19	18	18	13	313	68	1,017
Net income (attributable to PPG)	$ 344	$ (184)	$ 370	$ 347	$ 314	$ 433	$ 337	$ 322	$ 877	$ 1,406	$ 2,102
Continuing operations (in dollars per share)	$ 0.29	$ (0.75)	$ 1.31	$ 1.26	$ 1.10	$ 1.53	$ 1.17	$ 1.13	$ 2.12	$ 4.93	$ 3.92
Discontinued operations (in dollars per share)	1.02	0.06	0.07	0.04	0.07	0.07	0.07	0.05	1.18	0.25	3.68
Earnings per common share (in dollars per share)	1.31	(0.69)	1.38	1.30	1.17	1.60	1.24	1.18	3.30	5.18	7.60
Continuing operations (in dollars per share)	0.29	(0.75)	1.30	1.25	1.09	1.52	1.16	1.12	2.11	4.89	3.88
Discontinued operations (in dollars per share)	1.01	0.06	0.07	0.04	0.07	0.07	0.07	0.05	1.17	0.25	3.64
Earnings per common share - assuming dilution (in dollars per share)	$ 1.30	$ (0.69)	$ 1.37	$ 1.29	$ 1.16	$ 1.59	$ 1.23	$ 1.17	$ 3.28	$ 5.14	$ 7.52