Operating Profit by Industry Segment (Detail) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended				9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2012		Sep. 30, 2011		Sep. 30, 2012		Sep. 30, 2011
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating Profit	$ 539		$ 571		$ 1,427		$ 1,639
Interest expense, net	(163)		(130)		(503)		(403)
Noncontrolling interests/equity earnings adjustment	0		(1)		8		6
Corporate items, net	(41)		(34)		(155)		(114)
Restructuring and other charges	(15)		(25)		(40)		(86)
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes and equity earnings	320		381		737		1,042
Equity earnings (loss), net of taxes	34		0		52		117
Ilim Holding
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Equity earnings (loss), net of taxes	33		1		48		109
Industrial Packaging
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating Profit	255	[1]	293		730	[1]	841	[2]
Printing Papers
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating Profit	202	[3]	239	[4]	452	[3]	683	[4]
Consumer Packaging
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating Profit	67	[5]	30	[6]	227	[5]	97	[6]
Distribution
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating Profit	$ 15	[7]	$ 9	[8]	$ 18	[7]	$ 18	[8]

[1] Includes charges of $58 million and $136 million for the three months and nine months ended September 30, 2012, respectively, for integration costs associated with the Temple-Inland acquisition, charges of $19 million and $28 million for the three months and nine months ended September 30, 2012, respectively, for costs associated with the divestiture of three containerboard mills, charges of $16 million for the three months and nine months ended September 30, 2012 for costs associated with the restructuring of our Packaging business in Europe, a charge of $62 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2012 to adjust the value of the long-lived assets of the Hueneme mill in Oxnard, California to their fair value, a charge of $20 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2012 related to the write-up of the Temple-Inland inventory to fair value

[2] Includes charges of $8 million for three months and nine months ended September 30, 2011 for costs associated with the signing of an agreement to acquire Temple-Inland, a gain of $7 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2011 for a bargain purchase price adjustment on an acquisition by our joint venture in Turkey

[3] Includes a gain of $1 million and a net $0 million for the three months and the nine months ended September 30, 2012, respectively, related to the acquisition of a majority interest in Andhra Pradesh Paper Mills Limited.

[4] Includes gains of $1 million and $22 million for the three months and nine months ended September 30, 2011, respectively, related to the repurposing of the Franklin, Virginia mill to produce fluff pulp and a charge of $8 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2011 for asset impairment costs associated with the Inverurie mill.

[5] Includes a net gain of $1 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2012 for adjustments related to the sale of the Shorewood business.

[6] Includes a charge of $82 million for the three months and nine months ended September 30, 2011 to reduce the carrying value of the Shorewood business to market value, a charge of $129 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2011 for a fixed asset impairment of the North American Shorewood business, an $8 million gain for the three months and nine months ended September 30, 2011 for noncontrolling interest related to the fixed asset impairment at Shorewood Mexico, and a gain of $1 million for the three months ended September 30, 2011 and charges of $2 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2011 related to the reorganization of the Company’s Shorewood operations.

[7] Includes charges of $9 million and $42 million for the three months and nine months ended September 30, 2012, respectively, associated with the restructuring of the Company’s xpedx operations.

[8] Includes charges of $18 million and $35 million for the three months and nine months ended September 30, 2011, respectively, associated with the restructuring of the Company’s xpedx operations.