Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (Parenthetical) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
Sep. 28, 2019	Sep. 29, 2018	Sep. 28, 2019	Sep. 29, 2018
Statement Of Comprehensive Income [Abstract]
Net unrealized loss on hedging derivatives, tax	$ (1,000)	$ (400)	$ (2,500)	$ (1,000)
Reclassification adjustment for (gain) loss on settlement of hedging derivatives included in net earnings, tax effect	500	100	500	200
Foreign currency translation (loss) gain tax	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0

Statement Of Comprehensive Income [Abstract]

No definition available.

Name:	nue_StatementOfComprehensiveIncomeAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	nue_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of tax expense (benefit), before reclassification adjustments of gain (loss) on foreign currency translation adjustments, foreign currency transactions designated and effective as economic hedges of a net investment in a foreign entity and intra-entity foreign currency transactions that are of a long-term-investment nature.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 220
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 10A
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118930883&loc=SL7669646-108580

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 830
-SubTopic 30
-Section 45
-Paragraph 20
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118261656&loc=d3e32211-110900

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 220
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 12
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118930883&loc=d3e640-108580

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeForeignCurrencyTranslationGainLossArisingDuringPeriodTax
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of tax expense (benefit) of reclassification adjustment from accumulated other comprehensive income of accumulated gain (loss) realized from derivative instruments designated and qualifying as the effective portion of cash flow hedges and an entity's share of an equity investee's deferred hedging gain (loss).

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossReclassificationAdjustmentFromAOCIOnDerivativesTax
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of tax expense (benefit), before reclassification adjustments, related to increase (decrease) in accumulated gain (loss) from derivative instruments designated and qualifying as the effective portion of cash flow hedges and an entity's share of an equity investee's increase (decrease) in deferred hedging gain (loss).

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 220
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 12
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118930883&loc=d3e640-108580

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 220
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 10A
-Subparagraph (d)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118930883&loc=SL7669646-108580

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeUnrealizedGainLossOnDerivativesArisingDuringPeriodTax
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration