Debt Instrument, Term of Extension Options

No definition available.

Name:	shw_DebtInstrumentTermofExtensionOptions
Namespace Prefix:	shw_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Debt.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	shw_DebtTextualAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	shw_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Line of Credit Facility, Affiliated Borrower, Number of Subsidiaries

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	shw_LineofCreditFacilityAffiliatedBorrowerNumberofSubsidiaries
Namespace Prefix:	shw_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Line of Credit Facility, Maximum Borrowing Capacity, Extension Options

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	shw_LineofCreditFacilityMaximumBorrowingCapacityExtensionOptions
Namespace Prefix:	shw_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Line of Credit Facility, Number of Extension Options

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	shw_LineofCreditFacilityNumberofExtensionOptions
Namespace Prefix:	shw_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Period of time between issuance and maturity of debt instrument, in PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentTerm
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The carrying value as of the balance sheet date of the current and noncurrent portions of long-term obligations drawn from a line of credit, which is a bank's commitment to make loans up to a specific amount. Examples of items that might be included in the application of this element may consist of letters of credit, standby letters of credit, and revolving credit arrangements, under which borrowings can be made up to a maximum amount as of any point in time conditional on satisfaction of specified terms before, as of and after the date of drawdowns on the line. Includes short-term obligations that would normally be classified as current liabilities but for which (a) postbalance sheet date issuance of a long term obligation to refinance the short term obligation on a long term basis, or (b) the enterprise has entered into a financing agreement that clearly permits the enterprise to refinance the short-term obligation on a long term basis and the following conditions are met (1) the agreement does not expire within 1 year and is not cancelable by the lender except for violation of an objectively determinable provision, (2) no violation exists at the BS date, and (3) the lender has entered into the financing agreement is expected to be financially capable of honoring the agreement.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(22))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03(16))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03(16))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6876686&loc=d3e534808-122878

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LineOfCredit
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Maximum borrowing capacity under the credit facility without consideration of any current restrictions on the amount that could be borrowed or the amounts currently outstanding under the facility.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityMaximumBorrowingCapacity
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Reflects the total carrying amount as of the balance sheet date of debt having initial terms less than one year or the normal operating cycle, if longer.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(19)(a))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03(13))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6876686&loc=d3e534808-122878

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03(a)(16)(a)(1))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShortTermBorrowings
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Weighted average interest rate of short-term debt outstanding.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShortTermDebtWeightedAverageInterestRate
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=shw_May2016FiveYearCreditAgreementMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis=us-gaap_LineOfCreditMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_CreditFacilityAxis=shw_FiveYearSeniorUnsecuredRevolvingCreditAgreementMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_CreditFacilityAxis=shw_ThreeYearCreditAgreementMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShortTermDebtTypeAxis=us-gaap_LineOfCreditMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShortTermDebtTypeAxis=shw_SherwinWilliamsCanadaIncMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShortTermDebtTypeAxis=shw_SherwinWilliamsLuxembourgMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShortTermDebtTypeAxis=shw_ForeignProgramsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShortTermDebtTypeAxis=shw_DomesticCommercialPaperProgramMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShortTermDebtTypeAxis=shw_CreditAgreementOneMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShortTermDebtTypeAxis=shw_CreditAgreementTwoMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Debt - Short-term Borrowings (Details)	May 09, 2016 USD ($)	Jul. 16, 2015 USD ($) subsidiary option	Nov. 14, 2012 USD ($)	Apr. 23, 2012 USD ($)	Jan. 30, 2012 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Jul. 16, 2015 EUR (€) subsidiary option	Jul. 16, 2015 CAD subsidiary option	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)
Debt (Textual) [Abstract]
Short-term borrowing outstanding						$ 40,739,000	$ 39,462,000			$ 679,436,000
Borrowing outstanding						0	0			0
May 2016, Five Year Credit Agreement [Member] \| Line of Credit [Member]
Debt (Textual) [Abstract]
Term (in years)	5 years
Maximum borrowing capacity	$ 200,000,000
Five Year Senior Unsecured Revolving Credit Agreement [Member]
Debt (Textual) [Abstract]
Maximum borrowing capacity		$ 1,050,000,000
Three year credit agreement [Member]
Debt (Textual) [Abstract]
Term (in years)			3 years
Maximum borrowing capacity			$ 250,000,000
Line of Credit [Member]
Debt (Textual) [Abstract]
Number of subsidiaries \| subsidiary		3						3	3
Term (in years)		5 years
Maximum borrowing capacity		$ 1,350,000,000
Number of extension options \| option		2						2	2
Term of extension options (in years)		1 year
Maximum borrowing capacity pursuant to extension options		$ 1,850,000,000.000
Sherwin Williams Canada Inc [Member]
Debt (Textual) [Abstract]
Maximum borrowing capacity \| CAD									CAD 150,000,000
Sherwin Williams Luxembourg [Member]
Debt (Textual) [Abstract]
Maximum borrowing capacity \| €								€ 95,000,000
Short-term borrowing outstanding						$ 15,780,000
Weighted average interest rate (percentage)						0.90%
Foreign Programs [Member]
Debt (Textual) [Abstract]
Short-term borrowing outstanding						$ 24,959,000
Weighted average interest rate (percentage)						12.30%
Domestic Commercial Paper Program [Member]
Debt (Textual) [Abstract]
Short-term borrowing outstanding						$ 0	$ 0			$ 625,860,000
Weighted average interest rate (percentage)										0.30%
Five Year Agreement Dated January 30, 2012 [Member]
Debt (Textual) [Abstract]
Term (in years)					5 years
Maximum borrowing capacity					$ 500,000,000
Five year agreement dated April 23, 2012 [Member]
Debt (Textual) [Abstract]
Term (in years)				5 years
Maximum borrowing capacity				$ 250,000,000