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Guarantor Disclosures (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
 0 Months Ended 12 Months Ended 0 Months Ended
Jul. 17, 2012
Dec. 31, 2014
Aug. 04, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Sep. 30, 2012
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]          
Stated interest rate   6.50%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage      
3.60% Senior Notes Due 2022 [Member]          
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]          
Stated interest rate 3.60%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= wlk_ThreePointSixZeroPercentageSeniorNotesDueTwentyTwentyTwoMember		 3.60%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= wlk_ThreePointSixZeroPercentageSeniorNotesDueTwentyTwentyTwoMember		   3.60%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= wlk_ThreePointSixZeroPercentageSeniorNotesDueTwentyTwentyTwoMember		 3.60%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= wlk_ThreePointSixZeroPercentageSeniorNotesDueTwentyTwentyTwoMember
Maturity 2022 2022      
Senior notes, minimum debt amount guaranteed by subsidiaries   $ 5,000wlk_DebtAmountInExcessOfGuaranteedBySubsidiaries
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= wlk_ThreePointSixZeroPercentageSeniorNotesDueTwentyTwentyTwoMember		      
Subsidiaries [Member] | Limited Partner [Member] | IPO [Member] | Westlake Chemical Partners LP [Member]          
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]          
Limited partner interest     10.60%us-gaap_LimitedLiabilityCompanyLLCOrLimitedPartnershipLPMembersOrLimitedPartnersOwnershipInterest
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_SubsidiariesMember
/ us-gaap_PartnerTypeOfPartnersCapitalAccountAxis
= us-gaap_LimitedPartnerMember
/ us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis
= wlk_WestlakeChemicalPartnersLPMember
/ us-gaap_SubsidiarySaleOfStockAxis
= us-gaap_IPOMember