Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)	12 Months Ended
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)	Dec. 28, 2013
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Consolidation, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Principles of Consolidation The Consolidated Financial Statements include the accounts of The Dixie Group, Inc. and its wholly-owned subsidiaries (the "Company"). Significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.
Use of Estimates, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Use of Estimates in the Preparation of Financial Statements The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the financial statements and accompanying notes. Actual results could differ from those estimates and these differences could be material.
Fiscal Period, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Fiscal Year The Company ends its fiscal year on the last Saturday of December. All references herein to "2013," "2012," and "2011," mean the fiscal years ended December 28, 2013, December 29, 2012, and December 31, 2011, respectively. The year 2011 contained 53 weeks, all other years presented contained 52 weeks.
Reclassification, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Reclassifications The Company reclassified certain amounts in 2012 and 2011 to conform to the 2013 presentation.
Discontinued Operations, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Discontinued Operations The financial statements separately report discontinued operations and the results of continuing operations (See Note 20). Disclosures included herein pertain to the Company's continuing operations unless noted otherwise.
Cash and Cash Equivalents, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Cash and Cash Equivalents Highly liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less when purchased are reported as cash equivalents.
Concentration Risk Disclosure [Text Block]	Market Risk The Company sells carpet to floorcovering retailers, the interior design, architectural and specifier communities and supplies carpet yarn and carpet dyeing and finishing services to certain manufacturers. The Company's customers are located principally throughout the United States. One customer accounted for, as a percentage of net sales, approximately 13% in 2013, 9% in 2012 and 12% in 2011. No other customer accounted for more than 10% of net sales in 2013, 2012 or 2011, nor did the Company make a significant amount of sales to foreign countries during 2013, 2012 or 2011.
Concentration Risk, Credit Risk, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Credit Risk The Company grants credit to its customers with defined payment terms, performs ongoing evaluations of the credit worthiness of its customers and generally does not require collateral. Accounts receivable are carried at their outstanding principal amounts, less an anticipated amount for discounts and an allowance for doubtful accounts, which management believes is sufficient to cover potential credit losses based on historical experience and periodic evaluation of the financial condition of the Company's customers. Notes receivable are carried at their outstanding principal amounts, less an allowance for doubtful accounts to cover potential credit losses based on the financial condition of borrowers and collateral held by the Company.
Inventory, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Inventories Inventories are stated at the lower of cost or market. Cost is determined using the last-in, first-out (LIFO) method, which generally matches current costs of inventory sold with current revenues, for substantially all inventories.
Property, Plant and Equipment, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Property, Plant and Equipment Property, plant and equipment is stated at the lower of cost or impaired value. Provisions for depreciation and amortization of property, plant and equipment have been computed for financial reporting purposes using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the related assets, ranging from 10 to 40 years for buildings and improvements, and 3 to 10 years for machinery and equipment. Costs to repair and maintain the Company's equipment and facilities are expensed as incurred. Such costs typically include expenditures to maintain equipment and facilities in good repair and proper working condition.
Impairment or Disposal of Long-Lived Assets, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Impairment of Long-Lived Assets Long-lived assets are reviewed for impairment when circumstances indicate that the carrying value of an asset may not be fully recoverable. When the carrying value of the asset exceeds the value of its estimated undiscounted future cash flows, an impairment charge is recognized equal to the difference between the asset's carrying value and its fair value. Fair value is estimated using discounted cash flows, prices for similar assets or other valuation techniques.
Goodwill and Intangible Assets, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets Goodwill represents the excess of purchase price over the fair market value of identified net assets acquired in business combinations. The Company's goodwill is tested for impairment annually in the fourth quarter of each year or more frequently if events or circumstances indicate that the carrying value of goodwill associated with a reporting unit may not be fully recoverable. The first step in the goodwill assessment process is to identify potential goodwill impairments and involves a comparison of the carrying value of a reporting unit, including goodwill, to the fair value of the reporting unit. The Company has identified its reporting units as its residential floorcovering business and commercial floorcovering business. For this purpose, the Company estimates fair value of the reporting unit based on expected current and future cash flows discounted at the Company's weighted-average cost of capital ("WACC"). Such an estimate necessarily involves judgments and assumptions concerning, among other matters, future sales and operating margins, as well as interest rates and other financial factors used to calculate the WACC. If an impairment is indicated in the first step of the assessment, a second step in the assessment is performed by comparing the "implied fair value" of the Company's reporting units' goodwill with the carrying value of the reporting units' goodwill. For this purpose, the "implied fair value" of goodwill for each reporting unit that has goodwill associated with its operations is determined in the same manner as the amount of goodwill is determined in a business combination. (See Note 6). Identifiable intangible assets with finite lives are generally amortized on a straight-line basis over their respective lives, which range from 10 to 20 years.
Standard Product Warranty, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Customer Claims and Product Warranties The Company generally provides product warranties related to manufacturing defects and specific performance standards for its products. At the time sales are recorded, the Company records reserves for the estimated costs of defective products and failure of its products to meet applicable performance standards. The level of reserves the Company establishes is based primarily upon historical experience, including the level of sales and evaluation of pending claims.
Self Insurance Reserve [Policy Text Block]	Self-Insured Benefit Programs The Company records liabilities to reflect an estimate of the ultimate cost of claims related to its self-insured medical and dental benefits and workers' compensation. The amounts of such liabilities are based on an analysis of the Company's historical experience for each type of claim.
Income Tax, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Income Taxes The Company recognizes deferred income tax assets and liabilities for the future tax consequences of the differences between the financial statement carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax bases. The Company recognizes interest and penalties related to uncertain tax positions, if any, in income tax expense.
Derivatives, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Derivative Financial Instruments The Company does not hold speculative financial instruments, nor does it hold or issue financial instruments for trading purposes. The Company uses derivative instruments, currently interest rate swaps, to minimize interest rate volatility. The Company recognizes all derivatives on its Consolidated Balance Sheet at fair value. Derivatives that are designated as cash flow hedges are linked to specific liabilities on the Company's balance sheet. The Company assesses, both at inception and on an ongoing basis, whether the derivatives that are used in hedging transactions are highly effective in offsetting changes in cash flows of the hedged items. When it is determined that a derivative is not highly effective or the derivative expires, is sold, terminated, or exercised, the Company discontinues hedge accounting for that specific hedge instrument. Changes in the fair value of effective cash flow hedges are deferred in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) ("AOCIL") and reclassified to earnings in the same periods during which the hedge transaction affects earnings. Changes in the fair value of derivatives that are not effective cash flow hedges are recognized in income.
Stockholders' Equity, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Treasury Stock The Company classifies treasury stock as a reduction to Common Stock for the par value of such shares acquired and the difference between the par value and the price paid for each share recorded either entirely to retained earnings or to additional paid-in-capital for periods in which the Company does not have retained earnings. This presentation reflects the repurchased shares as authorized but unissued as prescribed by state statute.
Revenue Recognition, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Revenue Recognition Revenues, including shipping and handling amounts, are recognized when the following criteria are met: there is persuasive evidence that a sales agreement exists, delivery has occurred or services have been rendered, the price to the buyer is fixed or determinable, and collectability is reasonably assured. Delivery is not considered to have occurred until the customer takes title to the goods and assumes the risks and rewards of ownership, which is generally on the date of shipment. At the time revenue is recognized, the Company records a provision for the estimated amount of future returns based primarily on historical experience and any known trends or conditions that exist at the time revenue is recognized. Revenues are recorded net of taxes collected from customers.
Advertising Costs, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Advertising Costs and Vendor Consideration The Company engages in promotional and advertising programs that include rebates, discounts, points and cooperative advertising programs. Expenses relating to these programs are charged to earnings during the period of the related benefits. These arrangements do not require significant estimates of costs. Substantially all such expenses are recorded as a deduction from sales. The cost of cooperative advertising programs is recorded as selling and administrative expenses when the Company can identify a tangible benefit associated with the program, and can reasonably estimate that the fair value of the benefit is equal to or greater than its cost. The amount of advertising and promotion expenses included in selling and administrative expenses was not significant for the years 2013, 2012 or 2011.
Cost of Sales, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Cost of Sales Cost of sales includes all costs related to manufacturing the Company's products, including purchasing and receiving costs, inspection costs, warehousing costs, freight costs, internal transfer costs or other costs of the Company's distribution network.
Selling, General and Administrative Expenses, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Selling and Administrative Expenses Selling and administrative expenses include all costs, not included in cost of sales, related to the sale and marketing of the Company's products and general administration of the Company's business.
Lease, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Operating Leases Rent is expensed over the lease period, including the effect of any rent holiday and rent escalation provisions, which effectively amortizes the rent holidays and rent escalations on a straight-line basis over the lease period. Leasehold improvements are amortized over the shorter of their economic lives or the lease term, excluding renewal options. Any leasehold improvement made by the Company and funded by the lessor is treated as a leasehold improvement and amortized over the shorter of its economic life or the lease term. Any funding provided by the lessor for such improvements is treated as deferred costs and amortized over the lease period.
Compensation Related Costs, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Stock-Based Compensation The Company recognizes compensation expense relating to share-based payments based on the fair value of the equity or liability instrument issued. Restricted stock grants with pro-rata vesting are expensed using the straight-line method. (Terms of the Company's awards are specified in Note 15).
New Accounting Pronouncements, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Recent Accounting Pronouncements In February 2013, the FASB issued ASU No. 2013-02, Comprehensive Income (Topic 220): Reporting of Amounts Reclassified Out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income. ASU 2013-02 requires the Company to provide information about the amounts reclassified out of accumulated other comprehensive income by component. In addition, the Company is required to present significant amounts reclassified out of accumulated other comprehensive income by the respective line items of net income. ASU 2013-02 is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2012. Since the new standard did not change the current requirements for reporting net income or other comprehensive income in the financial statements, the adoption of this ASU did not have a material effect on the Company's Consolidated Financial Statements. In December 2011, the FASB issued ASU No. 2011-11, “Balance Sheet (Topic 210): Disclosures about Offsetting Assets and Liabilities.” The amendments in this ASU require an entity to disclose information about offsetting and related arrangements to enable users of its financial statements to understand the effect of those arrangements on its financial position. An entity is required to apply the amendments for annual reporting periods beginning on or after January 1, 2013, and interim periods within those annual periods. An entity should provide the disclosures required by those amendments retrospectively for all comparative periods presented. In January 2013, the FASB issued ASU No. 2013-01, "Balance Sheet (Topic 210)—Clarifying the Scope of Disclosures about Offsetting Assets and Liabilities". The ASU clarifies that ordinary trade receivables and payables are not in the scope of ASU No. 2011-11. ASU No. 2011-11 applies only to derivatives, repurchase agreements and reverse purchase agreements, and securities borrowing and securities lending transactions that are either offset in accordance with specific criteria contained in the Codification or subject to a master netting arrangement or similar agreement. The effective date is the same as the effective date of ASU 2011-11. The Company does not expect that the adoption of these ASUs will have a material effect on the Company's Consolidated Financial Statements. In July 2012, the FASB issued ASU No. 2012-02, "Intangibles--Goodwill and Other (Topic 350): Testing Indefinite-Lived Intangible Assets for Impairment." This ASU states that an entity has the option first to assess qualitative factors to determine whether the existence of events and circumstances indicates that it is more likely than not that the indefinite-lived intangible asset is impaired. If, after assessing the totality of events and circumstances, an entity concludes that it is not more likely than not that the indefinite-lived intangible asset is impaired, then the entity is not required to take further action. However, if an entity concludes otherwise, then it is required to determine the fair value of the indefinite-lived intangible asset and perform the quantitative impairment test by comparing the fair value with the carrying amount in accordance with Codification Subtopic 350-30, "Intangibles--Goodwill and Other, General Intangibles Other than Goodwill." Under the guidance in this ASU, an entity also has the option to bypass the qualitative assessment for any indefinite-lived intangible asset in any period and proceed directly to performing the quantitative impairment test. An entity will be able to resume performing the qualitative assessment in any subsequent period. The amendments in this ASU are effective for annual and interim impairment tests performed for fiscal years beginning after September 15, 2012. The adoption of this ASU did not have a a material effect on the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements. In February 2013, the FASB issued ASU No. 2013-04, "Liabilities (Topic 405): Obligations Resulting from Joint and Several Liability Arrangements for Which the Total Amount of the Obligation Is Fixed at the Reporting Date". This ASU provides guidance for the recognition, measurement, and disclosure of obligations resulting from joint and several liability arrangements for which the total amount of the obligation within the scope of this guidance is fixed at the reporting date, except for obligations addressed within existing guidance in GAAP. For public entities, the ASU is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2013. The ASU shall be applied retrospectively to all prior periods presented for those obligations within the scope of this Subtopic that exist at the beginning of an entity's fiscal year of adoption. Early adoption is permitted. The Company does not expect that the adoption of this ASU will have a material effect on the Company's Consolidated Financial Statements. In July 2013, the FASB issued ASU No. 2013-10, "Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815) - Inclusion of the Fed Funds Effective Swap Rate (or Overnight Index Swap Rate) as a Benchmark Interest Rate for Hedge Accounting Purposes". This ASU allows the use of the Fed Funds Effective Swap Rate (or Overnight Index Swap Rate) as a benchmark interest rate for hedge accounting purposes in addition to interest rates on direct Treasury obligations of the United States government and LIBOR. In addition, the ASU removes the restriction on using different benchmark rates for similar hedges. The ASU became effective on a prospective basis for qualifying new or redesignated hedging relationships entered into on or after July 17, 2013. The adoption of this ASU did not have a material effect on the Company's Consolidated Financial Statements. In July 2013, the FASB issued ASU No. 2013-11, "Income Taxes (Topic 740) - Presentation of an Unrecognized Tax Benefit When a Net Operating Loss Carryforward, a Similar Tax Loss, or a Tax Credit Carryforward Exists". This ASU requires an unrecognized tax benefit, or a portion of an unrecognized tax benefit, to be presented in the financial statements as a reduction to a deferred tax asset for a net operating loss carryforward, a similar tax loss, or a tax credit carryforward, except to the extent that a net operating loss carryforward, a similar tax loss, or a tax credit carryforward is not available at the reporting date, the unrecognized tax benefit should be presented in the financial statements as a liability and not combined with deferred tax assets. This ASU is effective for annual and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2013, with early adoption permitted. The Company does not expect that the adoption of this ASU will have a material effect on the Company's Consolidated Financial Statements.