v2.4.0.6

Long-Term Debt (GO Zone Act Senior Notes Due 2032) (Details) (GO Zone 6 3/4% Senior Notes Due 2032 [Member], USD $)			12 Months Ended		1 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2011 Redeemed Prior To November 1, 2017 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Redeemed On Or After November 1, 2017 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2007 Gulf Opportunity Zone Act Of 2005 [Member]	Dec. 13, 2007 Gulf Opportunity Zone Act Of 2005 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Face amount						$ 250,000,000
Stated interest rate	6.75%	6.75%				6.75%
Maturity date					Nov. 01, 2032
Percentage of principal required if called			100.00%	100.00%
Minimum debt amount guaranteed by subsidiaries	5,000,000
Amount drawn from bond proceeds	$ 250,005,000

X

- Definition

The stated principal amount of the debt instrument at time of issuance, which may vary from the carrying amount because of unamortized premium or discount.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher AICPA

-Name Accounting Principles Board Opinion (APB)

-Number 21

-Paragraph 16, 20

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.



Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 835

-SubTopic 30

-Section 45

-Paragraph 2

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6451184&loc=d3e28551-108399



Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 835

-SubTopic 30

-Section 55

-Paragraph 8

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Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

X

- Definition

Interest rate stated in the contractual debt agreement.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 22

-Article 5



Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 210

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22(a)(1))

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

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X

- Details

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Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

Date when the debt instrument is scheduled to be fully repaid, which may be presented in a variety of ways (year, month and year, day, month and year, quarter, etc.).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 129

-Paragraph 2, 4

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.



Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 22

-Article 5



Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 210

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22(a)(2))

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

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X

- Definition

Minimum Debt Amount Guaranteed By Subsidiaries

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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X

- Definition

Percentage of the principal required in the event bonds are redeemed

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

Amount of restricted bond proceeds drawn for eligible expenditures.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	wlk_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
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