Incentive Plans Incentive Plans (Summary of Performance Share Program Activity Parenthetical) (Details) (Details) (Performance Share Program [Member])	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2013
Performance Share Program [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Shares held for payout	356,542

Share Based Compensation Arrangement by Share Based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Shares held For Payout in Future Periods.

No definition available.

Name:	ip_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsSharesHeldForPayoutInPeriod
Namespace Prefix:	ip_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration