Reportable Segment Information (Segment Net Sales and Income) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2017	Mar. 31, 2016
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Net sales	$ 3,569	$ 3,544
Segment income (loss)	567	558
Corporate	(64)	(61)
Interest expense, net of interest income	(21)	(24)
Legacy items	(8)	(11)
Asset write-down	0	(4)
Noncash Pension Settlement Charge - before tax	(22)	0
Noncash Pension Settlement Charges, other - before tax		0
Transaction-related (costs) gain, net	(4)	(2)
Income before income taxes	448	456
Performance Coatings Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Net sales	2,017	2,039
Segment income (loss)	285	279
Industrial Coatings Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Net sales	1,469	1,372
Segment income (loss)	273	265
Glass Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Net sales	83	133
Segment income (loss)	$ 9	$ 14

Asset write-down

No definition available.

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- Definition

This element consists primarily of general corporate overhead and corporate service department costs, primarily in the areas of technical services, human resources and finance, which are used by the operations. It also includes business development costs.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Sum of operating profit and nonoperating income (expense) before income taxes.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	ppg_
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- Definition

Noncash Pension Settlement Charge - before tax

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

Noncash Pension Settlement Charges, other - before tax

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

Segment Reporting Information, Legacy Items

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ppg_SegmentReportingInformationLegacyItems
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Balance Type:	debit
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- Definition

This element represents acquisition-related costs incurred to effect a business combination which costs have been expensed during the period. Such costs include finder's fees; advisory, legal, accounting, valuation, and other professional or consulting fees; general administrative costs, including the costs of maintaining an internal acquisitions department; and may include costs of registering and issuing debt and equity securities.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 805
-SubTopic 10
-Section 25
-Paragraph 23
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=73531572&loc=d3e1043-128460

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The net amount of operating interest income (expense).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 225
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-04.10)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879574&loc=d3e536633-122882

+ Details

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Balance Type:	credit
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- Definition

The net result for the period of deducting operating expenses from operating revenues.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of revenue recognized from goods sold, services rendered, insurance premiums, or other activities that constitute an earning process. Includes, but is not limited to, investment and interest income before deduction of interest expense when recognized as a component of revenue, and sales and trading gain (loss).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 225
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=63488584&loc=d3e20235-122688

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- Definition

Line 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.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Details

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- Details

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