Long-Lived Asset Impairment Charges	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2015
Long-Lived Asset Impairment Charges [Abstract]
Long-lived asset impairment charges	Long-Lived Asset Impairment Charges Since 2007, we have continuously evaluated our manufacturing needs by considering the capacity of existing and idled plants and production lines, as well as capital projects for manufacturing facilities, relative to the demand assumptions included in our long-range plan. Although industry and economic factors have improved and we believe that the overall economic recovery is intact, they are improving at a slower pace than expected, requiring us to reconsider the future utilization of idled plants and production lines, and capital projects for manufacturing facilities. As a result, in the third quarter of 2014, we recorded asset impairment charges totaling $30 million, which includes the following: (a) $16 million related to the carrying values of machinery, equipment and buildings at our temporarily idled gypsum quarry and wallboard production facility in Empire, Nevada and at our previously idled and now permanently closed gypsum wallboard line in New Orleans, Louisiana. In addition, in the third quarter 2014 we permanently closed our wallboard line in Detroit, Michigan. No impairment charge was recorded with respect to our wallboard line in Detroit, Michigan, as these assets were previously impaired at the time the plant was originally idled. (b) $12 million related to previously incurred and capitalized costs for the construction of two future facilities which we do not anticipate will be built within our planning horizon. (c) $2 million related to the carrying values of machinery, equipment and buildings at our previously idled and now permanently closed paper production line in Gypsum, Ohio. The carrying values of the machinery, equipment and buildings at our temporarily idled facility in Empire, Nevada exceeded the estimated future undiscounted cash flows for the remaining useful lives of the assets due to slower than expected acceleration in the markets served by this facility and our forecasts regarding the timing and future rate of recovery in those markets. Based on these conditions, we do not anticipate that the carrying values of the assets at this facility would be recovered prior to end of the assets’ useful lives, and therefore fully impaired these assets. For the production line in Gypsum, Ohio that we deemed to be permanently closed, we fully impaired the long-lived assets specific to those lines. The long-lived asset impairment charges relate solely to our Gypsum segment.

Long-Lived Asset Impairment Charges

Since 2007, we have continuously evaluated our manufacturing needs by considering the capacity of existing and idled plants and production lines, as well as capital projects for manufacturing facilities, relative to the demand assumptions included in our long-range plan. Although industry and economic factors have improved and we believe that the overall economic recovery is intact, they are improving at a slower pace than expected, requiring us to reconsider the future utilization of idled plants and production lines, and capital projects for manufacturing facilities. As a result, in the third quarter of 2014, we recorded asset impairment charges totaling $30 million, which includes the following:

(a) $16 million related to the carrying values of machinery, equipment and buildings at our temporarily idled gypsum quarry and wallboard production facility in Empire, Nevada and at our previously idled and now permanently closed gypsum wallboard line in New Orleans, Louisiana. In addition, in the third quarter 2014 we permanently closed our wallboard line in Detroit, Michigan. No impairment charge was recorded with respect to our wallboard line in Detroit, Michigan, as these assets were previously impaired at the time the plant was originally idled.

(b) $12 million related to previously incurred and capitalized costs for the construction of two future facilities which we do not anticipate will be built within our planning horizon.

(c) $2 million related to the carrying values of machinery, equipment and buildings at our previously idled and now permanently closed paper production line in Gypsum, Ohio.

The carrying values of the machinery, equipment and buildings at our temporarily idled facility in Empire, Nevada exceeded the estimated future undiscounted cash flows for the remaining useful lives of the assets due to slower than expected acceleration in the markets served by this facility and our forecasts regarding the timing and future rate of recovery in those markets. Based on these conditions, we do not anticipate that the carrying values of the assets at this facility would be recovered prior to end of the assets’ useful lives, and therefore fully impaired these assets. For the production line in Gypsum, Ohio that we deemed to be permanently closed, we fully impaired the long-lived assets specific to those lines.

The long-lived asset impairment charges relate solely to our Gypsum segment.