Note 7 - Investments (Details Textual) $ in Thousands				3 Months Ended		5 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	May 31, 2016 USD ($)	Jan. 15, 2014	Jan. 15, 2014	Jun. 30, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2013 USD ($)	May 31, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)		Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)		Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)	Nov. 30, 2013
Retained Earnings, Undistributed Earnings from Equity Method Investees									$ 2,000,000
Minority Interests of Shareholders Acquired Number of Shareholders					3
Equity Method Investments	$ 4,800,000					$ 4,800,000	$ 269,000		1,905,000
Removal of Carrying Value of Equity Method Investment	$ 383,000						383,000
Release of Deferred Tax Liabilities							105,000
Realignment of Equity Investment, Gain (Loss)							2,676,000
Defined Benefit Plan, Actuarial Gain (Loss)							229,000		(95,000)
Research and Development Expense							637,000		638,000		701,000
Loss Contingency, Accrual, Noncurrent							369,000		440,000
Loss Contingency, Accrual, Current							70,000		238,000
Asbestos Litigation [Member] | Amended Pittsburgh Corning Corporation Plan [Member]
Loss Contingency, Accrual, Noncurrent							220,000
Loss Contingency, Accrual, Current							70,000
Asbestos Litigation [Member] | Non-PCC Asbestos Litigation [Member]
Loss Contingency, Accrual, Noncurrent							150,000
Asbestos Litigation [Member] | Amended Pittsburgh Corning Corporation Plan [Member]
Loss Contingency Accrual							290,000		528,000
Loss Contingency Accrual, Period Increase (Decrease)				$ 238,000
Gain (Loss) on Investments				56,000
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Foreign Currency Transaction and Translation Reclassification Adjustment from AOCI, Realized upon Sale or Liquidation, before Tax				$ (25,000)
Reclassification out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan, Actuarial Gain (Loss)							(260,000)
Foreign Currency Transaction Gain, before Tax							45,000
Samsung Corning Precision Materials Co., Ltd. [Member]
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage					57.50%							50.00%
Sale of Stock, Percentage of Ownership after Transaction		100.00%	100.00%
Samsung Corning Precision Materials Co., Ltd. [Member] | Three Minority Shareholders [Member]
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage												7.00%
Payments to Noncontrolling Interests					$ 506,000
Dow Corning Corporation [Member]
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage	50.00%					50.00%
Subsidiary or Equity Method Investee, Cumulative Percentage Ownership after All Transactions	100.00%
Equity Method Investments	$ 4,800,000					$ 4,800,000	$ 0	[1]	1,483,000	[1]
Pittsburgh Corning Corporation PCC [Member]
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage							50.00%
HSG [Member] | HSC Operating Partnernship [Member]
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage							80.50%
Samsung Display Co., Ltd. [Member] | Samsung Corning Precision Materials Co., Ltd. [Member]
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage		42.50%	42.50%									42.50%
Dow Corning Corporation [Member]
Research and Development Expense						$ 100,000			$ 233,000		$ 273,000
PPG Industries, Inc. [Member] | Pittsburgh Corning Corporation PCC [Member]
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage							50.00%

[1] Amount reflects Corning’s direct ownership interest in Dow Corning at December 31, 2015. Corning did not control Dow Corning.