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Equity Method Investments (Details Textual) (USD $)
In Millions, unless otherwise specified
3 Months Ended 10 Months Ended 0 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2015
Mar. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2014
Feb. 27, 2014
Oct. 31, 2013
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]          
Payments to acquire equity method investments     $ 515us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquireEquityMethodInvestments    
Long-term debt 2,206us-gaap_LongTermDebt   2,209us-gaap_LongTermDebt    
Present value of contingent liability for contingent consideration for equity method investment 23usg_EquityMethodInvestmentContingentLiabilityContingentConsiderationFirstPerformancePeriodFairValue        
Equity method investments 723us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestments   735us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestments    
Gain on deconsolidation of subsidiaries and consolidated joint ventures 0us-gaap_DeconsolidationGainOrLossAmount 27us-gaap_DeconsolidationGainOrLossAmount      
Gain (loss) on revaluation of retained investment on deconsolidation   11us-gaap_DeconsolidationRevaluationOfRetainedInvestmentGainOrLossAmount      
Weighted average discount rate   11.00%us-gaap_FairValueInputsDiscountRate      
Weighted average long-term growth rate   2.00%us-gaap_FairValueInputsLongTermRevenueGrowthRate      
Changes in AOCI - foreign currency translation (34)us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeForeignCurrencyTransactionAndTranslationGainLossArisingDuringPeriodNetOfTax (4)us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeForeignCurrencyTransactionAndTranslationGainLossArisingDuringPeriodNetOfTax      
USG Boral Building Products          
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]          
Ownership percentage 50.00%us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentOwnershipPercentage
/ us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis
= usg_USGBoralBuildingProductsMember
  50.00%us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentOwnershipPercentage
/ us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis
= usg_USGBoralBuildingProductsMember
   
Range of outcomes in contingent consideration arrangements, value, high       75usg_EquityMethodInvestmentContingentConsiderationArrangementsRangeofOutcomesValueHigh
/ us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis
= usg_USGBoralBuildingProductsMember
 
Contingent consideration for first performance period       25usg_EquityMethodInvestmentContingentConsiderationArrangementsFirstPerformancePeriodRangeofOutcomesValueHigh
/ us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis
= usg_USGBoralBuildingProductsMember
 
First performance period for contingent consideration       3 years  
Contingent consideration for second performance period       50usg_EquityMethodInvestmentContingentConsiderationArrangementsSecondPerformancePeriodRangeofOutcomesValueHigh
/ us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis
= usg_USGBoralBuildingProductsMember
 
Second performance period for contingent consideration       5 years  
Equity method investments 681us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestments
/ us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis
= usg_USGBoralBuildingProductsMember
  689us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestments
/ us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis
= usg_USGBoralBuildingProductsMember
676us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestments
/ us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis
= usg_USGBoralBuildingProductsMember
 
Changes in AOCI - foreign currency translation 16us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeForeignCurrencyTransactionAndTranslationGainLossArisingDuringPeriodNetOfTax
/ us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis
= usg_USGBoralBuildingProductsMember
       
Undistributed earnings 41us-gaap_RetainedEarningsUndistributedEarningsFromEquityMethodInvestees
/ us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis
= usg_USGBoralBuildingProductsMember
       
Other equity method investments          
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]          
Equity method investments 42us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestments
/ us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis
= us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentsMember
  46us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestments
/ us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis
= us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentsMember
   
Boral Limited | USG Boral Building Products          
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]          
Ownership percentage by joint venture partner of equity method investment       50.00%usg_EquityMethodInvestmentOwnershipPercentagebyJointVenturePartner
/ us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis
= us-gaap_CoVenturerMember
/ us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis
= usg_USGBoralBuildingProductsMember
 
5.875% senior notes due 2021          
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]          
Long-term debt 350us-gaap_LongTermDebt
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= usg_FivePointEightSevenFivePercentSeniorNotesDueTwoThousandTwentyOneMember
  350us-gaap_LongTermDebt
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= usg_FivePointEightSevenFivePercentSeniorNotesDueTwoThousandTwentyOneMember
  350us-gaap_LongTermDebt
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= usg_FivePointEightSevenFivePercentSeniorNotesDueTwoThousandTwentyOneMember
Debt instrument interest rate 5.875%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= usg_FivePointEightSevenFivePercentSeniorNotesDueTwoThousandTwentyOneMember
  5.875%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= usg_FivePointEightSevenFivePercentSeniorNotesDueTwoThousandTwentyOneMember
   
Base purchase price          
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]          
Payments to acquire equity method investments     500us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquireEquityMethodInvestments
/ usg_PaymentstoAcquireEquityMethodInvestmentsComponentAxis
= usg_BasepurchasepriceMember
   
Adjustments to purchase price          
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]          
Payments to acquire equity method investments     $ 15us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquireEquityMethodInvestments
/ usg_PaymentstoAcquireEquityMethodInvestmentsComponentAxis
= usg_AdjustmentstopurchasepriceMember