Nature of Operations and Basis of Presentation (Policies)	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2017
Organization Consolidation And Presentation Of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Reportable Segments	We report our business in three reportable segments: Packaging, Paper, and Corporate and Other. Our Packaging segment produces a wide variety of corrugated packaging products. The Paper segment manufactures and sells a range of white papers, including uncoated free sheet and coated one-side grades. During the third quarter of 2017, the Company announced that it will discontinue the production of uncoated free sheet and coated one-side grades at the Wallula, Washington mill in the second quarter of 2018 to begin the conversion of the No. 3 machine to a 400,000 ton-per-year virgin kraft linerboard machine. Corporate and Other includes support staff services and related assets and liabilities, transportation assets, and activity related to other ancillary support operations. For more information about our segments, see Note 16 Segment Information. In these consolidated financial statements, certain amounts in prior periods' consolidated financial statements have been reclassified to conform with the current period presentation.
Basis of Accounting and Presentation	The consolidated financial statements of PCA as of September 30, 2017 and for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017 and 2016 are unaudited but include all adjustments (consisting only of normal recurring adjustments) that management considers necessary for a fair presentation of such financial statements. These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States for interim financial information and with Article 10 of Regulation S-X of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and footnotes required by accounting principles generally accepted in the United States for complete audited financial statements. Operating results for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the year ending December 31, 2017. These consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016.
Use of Estimates	The preparation of the consolidated financial statements involves the use of estimates and accruals. Actual results may vary from those estimates.
Consolidation	The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of PCA and its majority-owned subsidiaries after elimination of intercompany balances and transactions.
Inventory Valuation	We value our raw materials, work in process, and finished goods inventories using lower of cost, as determined by the average cost method, or market. Supplies and materials are valued at the first-in, first-out (FIFO) or average cost methods.
Recent Accounting Pronouncements	There were no other accounting standards recently issued that had or are expected to have a material impact on our financial position or results of operations.
Commitments and Legal Proceedings	We have financial commitments and obligations that arise in the ordinary course of our business. These include long-term debt, capital commitments, lease obligations, and purchase commitments for goods and services, and legal proceedings, all of which are discussed in Note 9, Debt, and Note 18, Commitments, Guarantees, Indemnifications, and Legal Proceedings, of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements in "Part II, Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data" of our 2016 Annual Report on Form 10-K. Legal Proceedings We are party to other legal actions arising in the ordinary course of our business. These legal actions include commercial liability claims, premises liability claims, commercial disputes, and employment-related claims, among others. As of the date of this filing, we believe it is not reasonably possible that any of the legal actions against us will, either individually or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations, or cash flows.
Guarantees and Indemnifications	Guarantees and Indemnifications We provide guarantees, indemnifications, and other assurances to third parties in the normal course of our business. These include tort indemnifications, product guarantees, environmental assurances, and representations and warranties in commercial agreements. At September 30, 2017 we are not aware of any material liabilities arising from any guarantee, indemnification, or financial assurance we have provided. If we determined such a liability was probable and subject to reasonable determination, we would accrue for it at that time.

Nature of Operations and Basis of Presentation (Policies)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2017

Organization Consolidation And Presentation Of Financial Statements [Abstract]

We report our business in three reportable segments: Packaging, Paper, and Corporate and Other. Our Packaging segment produces a wide variety of corrugated packaging products. The Paper segment manufactures and sells a range of white papers, including uncoated free sheet and coated one-side grades. During the third quarter of 2017, the Company announced that it will discontinue the production of uncoated free sheet and coated one-side grades at the Wallula, Washington mill in the second quarter of 2018 to begin the conversion of the No. 3 machine to a 400,000 ton-per-year virgin kraft linerboard machine. Corporate and Other includes support staff services and related assets and liabilities, transportation assets, and activity related to other ancillary support operations. For more information about our segments, see Note 16 Segment Information.

In these consolidated financial statements, certain amounts in prior periods' consolidated financial statements have been reclassified to conform with the current period presentation.

Basis of Accounting and Presentation

The consolidated financial statements of PCA as of September 30, 2017 and for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017 and 2016 are unaudited but include all adjustments (consisting only of normal recurring adjustments) that management considers necessary for a fair presentation of such financial statements.

These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States for interim financial information and with Article 10 of Regulation S-X of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and footnotes required by accounting principles generally accepted in the United States for complete audited financial statements. Operating results for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the year ending December 31, 2017. These consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of the consolidated financial statements involves the use of estimates and accruals. Actual results may vary from those estimates.

Consolidation

The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of PCA and its majority-owned subsidiaries after elimination of intercompany balances and transactions.

Inventory Valuation

We value our raw materials, work in process, and finished goods inventories using lower of cost, as determined by the average cost method, or market. Supplies and materials are valued at the first-in, first-out (FIFO) or average cost methods.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

There were no other accounting standards recently issued that had or are expected to have a material impact on our financial position or results of operations.

Commitments and Legal Proceedings

We have financial commitments and obligations that arise in the ordinary course of our business. These include long-term debt, capital commitments, lease obligations, and purchase commitments for goods and services, and legal proceedings, all of which are discussed in Note 9, Debt, and Note 18, Commitments, Guarantees, Indemnifications, and Legal Proceedings, of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements in "Part II, Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data" of our 2016 Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Legal Proceedings

We are party to other legal actions arising in the ordinary course of our business. These legal actions include commercial liability claims, premises liability claims, commercial disputes, and employment-related claims, among others. As of the date of this filing, we believe it is not reasonably possible that any of the legal actions against us will, either individually or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations, or cash flows.

Guarantees and Indemnifications

We provide guarantees, indemnifications, and other assurances to third parties in the normal course of our business. These include tort indemnifications, product guarantees, environmental assurances, and representations and warranties in commercial agreements. At September 30, 2017 we are not aware of any material liabilities arising from any guarantee, indemnification, or financial assurance we have provided. If we determined such a liability was probable and subject to reasonable determination, we would accrue for it at that time.