Stockholders' Equity - Additional Information (Detail) - USD ($)	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 29, 2018	Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 29, 2018	Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 06, 2018
Stockholders' Equity [Line Items]
Dividends declared per share	$ 0.3800	$ 0.3775	$ 1.1400	$ 1.1325
Nucor-Yamato Steel Company [Member]
Stockholders' Equity [Line Items]
Noncontrolling interest, ownership percentage by parent	51.00%		51.00%
Common Stock [Member]
Stockholders' Equity [Line Items]
Share repurchase program authorized amount	$ 2,000,000,000		$ 2,000,000,000
Common Stock [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Stockholders' Equity [Line Items]
Share repurchase program authorized amount					$ 2,000,000,000