| Income Statement [Abstract] | |
| Sales | 2.8B |
| Cost Of Revenue Excluding Depreciationand Amortization | |
| Selling, general and administrative | 319M |
| Depreciation and amortization | |
| Research and development | 25M |
| Brazil tax amnesty program and other charges | |
| Other income (expenses) - net | |
| Operating Profit | 616M |
| Interest expense - net | 35M |
| Income Before Income Taxes and Equity Investments | 581M |
| Income taxes | 162M |
| Income Before Equity Investments | 419M |
| Income from equity investments | 9M |
| Net income (including noncontrolling interests) | 428M |
| Less: noncontrolling interests | -14M |
| Net Income - Praxair, Inc. | 414M |
| Earnings Per Share - Praxair, Inc. Shareholders [Abstract] | |
| Basic earnings per common share | 1.4 |
| Diluted earnings per common share | 1.38 |
| Weighted Average Shares Outstanding (000's): | |
| Basic weighted average shares outstanding (in thousands) | -598.06M |
| Diluted shares outstanding | -605.25M |