Investments (Dow Corning And PCC) (Details)	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended					3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended						6 Months Ended	1 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2011 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2010 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2011 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2010 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2010 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2011 Pittsburgh Corning Europe (PCE) [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2010 Pittsburgh Corning Europe (PCE) [Member] USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2011 Dow Corning Corporation [Member] USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2010 Dow Corning Corporation [Member] USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2011 Dow Corning Corporation [Member] USD ($)		Jun. 30, 2010 Dow Corning Corporation [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2010 Dow Corning Corporation [Member] USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2011 Dow Corning Corporation [Member] London Market Insurers (LMI) [Member] USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2011 Dow Corning Corporation [Member] Commercial Creditors [Member] USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2011 Corning Inc. [Member] The Dow Chemical Company [Member]	Jan. 31, 2011 SGI and Creditors [Member] USD ($)	Jan. 31, 2011 SGI and Creditors [Member] KRW
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Net sales								$ 1,668,000,000	$ 1,545,000,000	$ 3,247,000,000		$ 2,898,000,000
Gross profit	889,000,000	827,000,000	1,763,000,000	1,558,000,000				533,000,000	554,000,000	1,072,000,000		1,060,000,000
Net income attributable to affiliate								191,000,000	221,000,000	370,000,000		439,000,000
Corning's equity in earnings of affiliate companies	428,000,000	474,000,000	826,000,000	943,000,000				95,000,000	111,000,000	186,000,000		223,000,000
Corning purchases from affiliated companies								6,000,000	10,000,000	12,000,000		15,000,000
Dividends received from affiliated companies								65,000,000	55,000,000	180,000,000		111,000,000
Due to related parties								2,000,000		2,000,000
Auction rate securities								276,000,000		276,000,000
Temporary impairment										16,000,000
Unrealized losses on investments										12,000,000
Minority interests' share of unrealized losses										4,000,000
Corning's portion of unrealized loss								6,000,000		6,000,000
Share of increase restructuring charges				2,000,000
Amount borrowed under revolving credit facility								1,000,000,000		1,000,000,000
Difference between carrying value and equity								249,000,000		249,000,000
Ownership percentage										50.00%	[1]					50.00%
Litigation settlement, gross										1,700,000,000							550,000,000	600,000,000
Litigation reserve								1,600,000,000		1,600,000,000
Insurance receivables										3,000,000
Loss contingency on payments, range of possible loss, minimum														10,000,000	83,000,000
Loss contingency on payments, range of possible loss, maximum														20,000,000	274,000,000
Equity method investments	$ 5,026,000,000		$ 5,026,000,000		$ 4,369,000,000	$ 141,000,000	$ 129,000,000	$ 1,243,000,000		$ 1,243,000,000			$ 1,186,000,000

[1] Amounts reflect Corning's direct ownership interests in the respective affiliated companies. Corning does not control any of these entities