Debt (Details Textual) In Millions, unless otherwise specified				3 Months Ended					3 Months Ended		3 Months Ended			3 Months Ended
	Apr. 12, 2012	Mar. 31, 2012 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2011 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2012 Maximum [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Minimum [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 9.75% senior notes due 2014, net of discount [Member] USD ($)	Apr. 27, 2012 9.75% senior notes due 2014, net of discount [Member] USD ($)	Apr. 12, 2012 9.75% senior notes due 2014, net of discount [Member] USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2012 7.875% Senior Notes Due 2020 [Member]	Apr. 12, 2012 7.875% Senior Notes Due 2020 [Member] USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2012 Credit Facility [Member] USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2012 CGC CREDIT FACILITY [Member] USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2012 CGC CREDIT FACILITY [Member] CAD	Mar. 31, 2012 CGC Credit Facility USD [Member] USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2012 CGC Credit Facility CAD [Member] CAD
Debt (Textual) [Abstract]
Maximum Borrowing Capacity for letters of credit											$ 250		3
Borrowing capacity description under credit facility											Aggregate principal amount not to exceed the lesser of (a) $400 million or (b) a borrowing base determined by reference to the trade receivables and inventory of USG and its significant domestic subsidiaries
Line of credit facility maximum aggregate principal amount											400
Aggregate principal amount															40
Line of credit facility expiration date and description of conditions for accelerated expiration date											The credit facility matures on December 21, 2015 unless terminated earlier in accordance with its terms, including if by May 2, 2014 our 9.75% senior notes due in 2014 are not repaid, their payment is not provided for or their maturity has not been extended until at least 2016 unless we then have liquidity of at least $500 million
Minimum liquidity required to extend maturity of 9.75% senior notes		500										500
Credit agreement covenant terms											Minimum fixed charge coverage ratio of 1.1-to-1.0 if and for so long as the excess of the borrowing base over the outstanding borrowings under the credit agreement is less than the greater of (a) $40 million and (b) 15% of the lesser of (i) the aggregate revolving commitments at such time and (ii) the borrowing base at such time
Fixed charge coverage ratio under condition one				1.1	1.0
Line of Credit borrowing base over outstanding borrowings minimum amount activating fixed charge coverage ratio covenants											40
Line of credit facility rate applied aggregate revolving commitments activating fixed charge coverage ratio covenants											15.00%
Credit agreement current covenant compliance											fixed charge coverage ratio was .22- to-1
Fixed charge coverage ratio under condition two				0.22	(1)
Borrowing Availability That Must Be Maintained Under Credit Facility											47
Outstanding letter of credit											84.0				0.8
Borrowing available under credit facility											180			39
Applicable interest rate for credit facility											3.50%			43.00%
Percentage above Libor														2.75%
Percentage above prime rate															1.25%
Percentage above bankers acceptance discount rate															2.75%
Percentage above base rate														1.25%
Repurchase amount of 9.75% senior notes due in 2014						123		118
Amount of 2014 Senior Notes, for aggregate consideration, including tender offer premium and accrued and unpaid interest						145		136
Recorded loss on early extinguishment of debt						41
Amount of Senior Notes remained outstanding		2,303	2,304				59			248
Issuance date of notes									2012-04-12
Maturity date of notes										Mar. 30, 2020
Face amount of notes										250
Interest rate of convertible senior notes	7.875%
Senior Notes will be recorded on the consolidated balance sheets net of debt discount										2
Defer of financing costs that will be amortized to interest expense										5
Redemption date of senior notes									The notes are redeemable at any time, or in part from time to time, at our option on or after March 30, 2016 at stated redemption prices, plus any accrued and unpaid interest to the redemption date. In addition, we may redeem the notes at our option at any time prior to March 30, 2016, in whole or in part, at a redemption price equal to the greater of (1) 100% of the principal amount of the notes being redeemed and (2) the sum of the present value of the remaining scheduled payments of principal and interest on the notes being redeemed discounted to the redemption date on a semi-annual basis at the applicable U.S. Treasury rate plus 0.5%, plus any accrued and unpaid interest on the principal amount being redeemed to the redemption date.
Percentage of purchase price of notes at their principal amount									101.00%
Percentage of principal amount of the notes being redeemed									100.00%
Variable rate		0.50%
Debt (Additional Textual) [Abstract]
Fair value of debt		2,620	2,176
Interest accrued		$ 58	$ 52