Restructuring and Long-Lived Asset Impairment Charges (Details 1) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011 Person Branch	Dec. 31, 2010 Branch Person	Dec. 31, 2009 Person Branch
Balance, Total
Balance as of January 1		$ 34	$ 49	$ 40	$ 50
Charges, Total			75	110	80
Cash Payments, Total	(8)	(12)	(35)	(37)	(60)
Assets Impairment, Total			(55)	(64)	(30)
Balance as of December 31			34	49	40
Restructuring and Long-Lived Asset Impairment Charges (Textual) [Abstract]
Restructuring and long-lived asset impairment charges			75	110	80
Total restructuring reserve			34	49	40
Asset impairments			53	58	21
Assets Impairment			55	64	30
Expected future restructuring-related payments	8	12	35	37	60
Restructuring and Related Cost, Number of Positions Eliminated			115	230	360
Number of hourly employees terminated & Open hourly Positions eliminated			90	420	460
Distribution Branches Closure			9	5	37
Expected future restructuring-related payments after 2013			14
Severance [Member]
Balance, Total
Balance as of January 1			11	4	27
Charges, Total			7	22	16
Cash Payments, Total			(14)	(15)	(39)
Balance as of December 31			4	11	4
Restructuring and Long-Lived Asset Impairment Charges (Textual) [Abstract]
Total restructuring reserve			4	11	4
Expected future restructuring-related payments			14	15	39
Lease obligations [Member]
Balance, Total
Balance as of January 1			29	34	23
Charges, Total			4	11	32
Cash Payments, Total			(12)	(16)	(15)
Assets Impairment, Total					(6)
Balance as of December 31			21	29	34
Restructuring and Long-Lived Asset Impairment Charges (Textual) [Abstract]
Total restructuring reserve			21	29	34
Assets Impairment					6
Expected future restructuring-related payments			12	16	15
Asset impairments [Member]
Balance, Total
Charges, Total				64	24
Assets Impairment, Total			(55)	(64)	(24)
Restructuring and Long-Lived Asset Impairment Charges (Textual) [Abstract]
Assets Impairment			55	64	24
Other exit costs [Member]
Balance, Total
Balance as of January 1			9	2
Charges, Total			9	13	8
Cash Payments, Total			(9)	(6)	(6)
Balance as of December 31			9	9	2
Restructuring and Long-Lived Asset Impairment Charges (Textual) [Abstract]
Total restructuring reserve			9	9	2
Expected future restructuring-related payments			9	6	6
North American Gypsum [Member]
Balance, Total
Cash Payments, Total			(12)
Restructuring and Long-Lived Asset Impairment Charges (Textual) [Abstract]
Restructuring and long-lived asset impairment charges			67	93	25
Expected future restructuring-related payments			12
Building Products Distribution [Member]
Balance, Total
Cash Payments, Total			(20)
Restructuring and Long-Lived Asset Impairment Charges (Textual) [Abstract]
Restructuring and long-lived asset impairment charges			7	15	39
Expected future restructuring-related payments			20
Corporate [Member]
Balance, Total
Cash Payments, Total			(2)
Restructuring and Long-Lived Asset Impairment Charges (Textual) [Abstract]
Restructuring and long-lived asset impairment charges			1	1	11
Expected future restructuring-related payments			2
Worldwide Ceilings [Member]
Restructuring and Long-Lived Asset Impairment Charges (Textual) [Abstract]
Restructuring and long-lived asset impairment charges				1	5
Windsor Facility [Member]
Restructuring and Long-Lived Asset Impairment Charges (Textual) [Abstract]
Acceleration of asset retirement obligation			11
Asset impairments			$ 42