Employee Retirement Plans - Textuals (Details) - USD ($)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Defined Contribution Plans Disclosure [Abstract]
Total charges for defined contribution plans	$ 8,000,000	$ 5,000,000	$ 6,000,000
Pension
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Settlement charge	25,000,000	35,000,000	1,000,000
Net periodic benefit cost (credit)	59,000,000	79,000,000	72,000,000
Accumulated benefit obligation	1,506,000,000	1,396,000,000
Actuarial gain (loss)	(202,000,000)	$ (112,000,000)
Net actuarial loss	31,000,000
Expected amortization of prior service cost (credit)	$ 0
Minimum funded percentage of ABO	100.00%
Expected return on plan assets (as a percent)	6.54%	6.66%
Estimated future employer benefit plan contribution	$ 63,000,000
Expected future benefit payments in next twelve months	120,000,000
Postretirement Benefits
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Net periodic benefit cost (credit)	(16,000,000)	$ (39,000,000)	(23,000,000)
Curtailment gain	0	20,000,000	0
Actuarial gain (loss)	(10,000,000)	5,000,000
Net actuarial loss	1,000,000
Expected amortization of prior service cost (credit)	(23,000,000)
Expected future benefit payments in next twelve months	$ 9,000,000
Gain on sale of discontinued operations | Postretirement Benefits
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Curtailment gain		$ 20,000,000
Domestic Plan
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Annual increase to contributions health care cost (as a percent)	3.00%
Foreign Plan
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Assumed health care cost trend rate	5.95%	7.75%
Ultimate health care cost trend rate	4.00%	4.00%
USG Corporation Pension Plan - L&W Supply | Pension
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Settlement charge	$ 25,000,000	$ 26,000,000
Net periodic benefit cost (credit)	(1,000,000)	7,000,000	12,000,000
USG Corporation Pension Plan - L&W Supply | Postretirement Benefits
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Net periodic benefit cost (credit)	(1,000,000)	(3,000,000)	$ (3,000,000)
USG Corporation Pension Plan - L&W Supply | Gain on sale of discontinued operations | Pension
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Settlement charge	$ 0	$ 15,000,000