INDUSTRY SEGMENT INFORMATION Operating Profit by Industry Segment Footnotes (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended						6 Months Ended	9 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2017	Mar. 31, 2017	Sep. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2016	Mar. 31, 2016	Jun. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2016	Dec. 31, 2016
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Amortization expense related to intangible assets	$ 27			$ 14				$ 60	$ 39
Net bargain purchase gain on acquisition of business	0			0				(6)	0
Impairment of Long-Lived Assets to be Disposed of	0			5				9	70
Interest Income, Income tax settlement								4
Restructuring and other charges	0	$ (16)		46		$ 1		(16)	47
Defined Benefit Plan, Net Periodic Benefit Cost (Credit), Gain (Loss) Due to Settlement				(3)	$ (439)				439
Other
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Restructuring and other charges		(2)
Riegelwood mill conversion costs
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Restructuring and other charges						$ 9
Asia Foodservice
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Impairment of Long-Lived Assets to be Disposed of		$ 9
IP Asia Packaging
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Impairment of Long-Lived Assets to be Disposed of							$ 41
Weyerhaeuser Pulp Business
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Inventory write-up			$ 14							$ 33
Kleen Products Llc Versus Packaging Corp Of America
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Payments for Legal Settlements	354
Industrial Packaging
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Amortization expense related to intangible assets	10							10
Industrial Packaging | Other
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Restructuring Costs and Asset Impairment Charges	5							9
Industrial Packaging | IP Asia Packaging
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Impairment of Long-Lived Assets to be Disposed of				5					70
Industrial Packaging | Holmen Paper Newsprint Mill
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net bargain purchase gain on acquisition of business								6
Industrial Packaging | Kleen Products Llc Versus Packaging Corp Of America
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Payments for Legal Settlements								354
Global Cellulose Fibers
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Inventory write-up								14
Global Cellulose Fibers | Other
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Restructuring Costs and Asset Impairment Charges	2							3
Global Cellulose Fibers | Weyerhaeuser Pulp Business
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Integration costs	$ 6			$ 7				15	12
Consumer Packaging | Other
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Restructuring Costs and Asset Impairment Charges								2
Consumer Packaging | Riegelwood mill conversion costs
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Restructuring and other charges									$ 9
Consumer Packaging | Asia Foodservice
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Impairment of Long-Lived Assets to be Disposed of								$ 9
Pulp [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Percent of capacity									100.00%