Benefit Plans	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2011
Retirement Pension Plan/Benefit Plans [Abstract]
Benefit Plans	(19) Benefit Plans The Bank adopted The Lorain National Bank 401(k) Plan (the Plan) effective January 1, 2001. The Plan allows for the purchase of up to 80,000 shares of LNB Bancorp, Inc. treasury shares. No shares were purchased out of Treasury during 2011, 2010 or 2009. Under provisions of the Plan, a participant can contribute a percentage of their compensation to the Plan. For plan years prior to January 1, 2008, the Bank made a non-discretionary 50% contribution to match each employee’s contribution, limited to the first six percent of an employee’s wage. Effective January 1, 2008, the Plan changed to a safe-harbor status with a 3% non-elective contribution for all employees. The Plan uses the contributions of the Corporation to purchase LNB Bancorp, Inc. common stock. Effective January 1, 2001, the Plan permits the investment of plan assets, contributed by employees as well as the Corporation, among different funds. The Bank’s matching contributions are expensed in the year in which the associated participant contributions are made and totaled $395, $374, and $370, in 2011, 2010 and 2009, respectively.

Benefit Plans

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2011

Retirement Pension Plan/Benefit Plans [Abstract]

(19) Benefit Plans

The Bank adopted The Lorain National Bank 401(k) Plan (the Plan) effective January 1, 2001. The Plan allows for the purchase of up to 80,000 shares of LNB Bancorp, Inc. treasury shares. No shares were purchased out of Treasury during 2011, 2010 or 2009.

Under provisions of the Plan, a participant can contribute a percentage of their compensation to the Plan. For plan years prior to January 1, 2008, the Bank made a non-discretionary 50% contribution to match each employee’s contribution, limited to the first six percent of an employee’s wage. Effective January 1, 2008, the Plan changed to a safe-harbor status with a 3% non-elective contribution for all employees. The Plan uses the contributions of the Corporation to purchase LNB Bancorp, Inc. common stock. Effective January 1, 2001, the Plan permits the investment of plan assets, contributed by employees as well as the Corporation, among different funds.

The Bank’s matching contributions are expensed in the year in which the associated participant contributions are made and totaled $395, $374, and $370, in 2011, 2010 and 2009, respectively.