Income Taxes (Details 3) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Deferred Tax Assets:
Net operating loss and tax credit carryforwards	$ 944	$ 1,043
Pension and postretirement benefits	196	110
Goodwill and other intangible assets	29	33
Reserves not deductible until paid	47	31
Self insurance	15	15
Capitalized interest	15	12
Inventories	8us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsInventory	8us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsInventory
Share-based compensation	37	35
Other	11us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsOther	0us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsOther
Deferred tax assets before valuation allowance	1,302us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsGross	1,287us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsGross
Valuation allowance	(1,023)	(995)
Total deferred tax assets	279us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsNet	292us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsNet
Deferred Tax Liabilities:
Property, plant and equipment	278	290
Other	0us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilitiesOther	(1)us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilitiesOther
Total deferred tax liabilities	278us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilities	289us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilities
Net deferred tax (liabilities) assets	$ 1us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsLiabilitiesNet	$ 3us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsLiabilitiesNet

Deferred tax assets capitalized interest.

No definition available.

Name:	usg_DeferredTaxAssetsCapitalizedInterest
Namespace Prefix:	usg_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Deferred Tax Assets Goodwill And Other Intangible Assets Goodwill.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	usg_DeferredTaxAssetsGoodwillAndOtherIntangibleAssetsGoodwill
Namespace Prefix:	usg_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Deferred tax assets operating loss and tax credit carryforwards.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	usg_DeferredTaxAssetsOperatingLossAndTaxCreditCarryforwards
Namespace Prefix:	usg_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Deferred Tax Assets Tax Deferred Expense Compensation And Benefits Pensions And Post retirement Benefits.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	usg_DeferredTaxAssetsTaxDeferredExpenseCompensationAndBenefitsPensionsAndPostRetirementBenefits
Namespace Prefix:	usg_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount before allocation of valuation allowances of deferred tax asset attributable to deductible temporary differences and carryforwards.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 740

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (b)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=d3e32537-109319

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Glossary Deferred Tax Asset

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6510090

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsGross
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount before allocation of valuation allowances of deferred tax asset attributable to deductible temporary differences from inventory.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 740

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 6

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=d3e32621-109319

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 740

-SubTopic 10

-Section 25

-Paragraph 20

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=29652012&loc=d3e28680-109314

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 740

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 8

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=d3e32632-109319

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsInventory
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount after allocation of valuation allowances of deferred tax asset attributable to deductible temporary differences and carryforwards, net of deferred tax liability attributable to taxable temporary differences.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsLiabilitiesNet
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount after allocation of valuation allowances of deferred tax asset attributable to deductible temporary differences and carryforwards.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsNet
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsNetAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount before allocation of valuation allowances of deferred tax asset attributable to deductible temporary differences not separately disclosed.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsOther
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount before allocation of valuation allowances of deferred tax asset attributable to deductible temporary differences from share-based compensation.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 740

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 6

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=d3e32621-109319

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 740

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 8

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=d3e32632-109319

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 740

-SubTopic 10

-Section 25

-Paragraph 20

-Subparagraph (b)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=29652012&loc=d3e28680-109314

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsTaxDeferredExpenseCompensationAndBenefitsShareBasedCompensationCost
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount before allocation of valuation allowances of deferred tax asset attributable to deductible temporary differences from other reserves not separately disclosed.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 740

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 6

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=d3e32621-109319

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 740

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 8

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=d3e32632-109319

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 740

-SubTopic 10

-Section 25

-Paragraph 20

-Subparagraph (b)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=29652012&loc=d3e28680-109314

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsTaxDeferredExpenseReservesAndAccrualsReserves
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount before allocation of valuation allowances of deferred tax asset attributable to deductible temporary differences from estimated losses under self insurance.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 740

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 6

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=d3e32621-109319

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 740

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 8

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=d3e32632-109319

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 740

-SubTopic 10

-Section 25

-Paragraph 20

-Subparagraph (b)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=29652012&loc=d3e28680-109314

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsTaxDeferredExpenseReservesAndAccrualsSelfInsurance
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of deferred tax assets for which it is more likely than not that a tax benefit will not be realized.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of deferred tax liability attributable to taxable temporary differences net of deferred tax asset attributable to deductible temporary differences and carryforwards after valuation allowances.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 740

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=d3e32537-109319

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 740

-SubTopic 10

-Section 45

-Paragraph 6

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=37586315&loc=d3e31931-109318

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilities
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilitiesAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of deferred tax liability attributable to taxable temporary differences not separately disclosed.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilitiesOther
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of deferred tax liability attributable to taxable temporary differences from property, plant, and equipment.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilitiesPropertyPlantAndEquipment
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant