Employee Retirement Plans - Components of Net Pension and Postretirement Benefit Costs (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Pension Benefits
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost of benefits earned	$ 44	$ 45	$ 49
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation	61	66	66
Expected return on plan assets	(93)	(89)	(83)
Settlement	25	35	1
Net amortization	22	22	39
Defined benefit plan, net periodic benefit cost	59	79	72
Postretirement Benefits
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost of benefits earned	2	2	2
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation	5	6	6
Curtailment	0	(20)	0
Net amortization	(23)	(27)	(31)
Defined benefit plan, net periodic benefit cost	(16)	(39)	(23)
Cost of products sold | Pension Benefits
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Settlement	10	7
Selling and administrative expenses | Pension Benefits
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Settlement	2	4
Gain on sale of discontinued operations | Postretirement Benefits
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Curtailment		(20)
USG Corporation Pension Plan - L&W Supply | Pension Benefits
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Settlement	25	26
Defined benefit plan, net periodic benefit cost	(1)	7	12
USG Corporation Pension Plan - L&W Supply | Postretirement Benefits
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Defined benefit plan, net periodic benefit cost	(1)	(3)	$ (3)
USG Corporation Pension Plan - L&W Supply | (Loss) income from discontinued operations | Pension Benefits
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Settlement	13	0
USG Corporation Pension Plan - L&W Supply | Gain on sale of discontinued operations | Pension Benefits
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Settlement	$ 0	15
USG Corporation Pension Plan - Other | Pension Benefits
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Settlement		$ 9