Segment reporting (Summary of segment information) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended										12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012		Sep. 29, 2012	Jun. 30, 2012	Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011		Oct. 01, 2011	Jul. 02, 2011	Apr. 02, 2011	Dec. 31, 2012 segment		Dec. 31, 2011		Dec. 31, 2010
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	$ 1,435,659		$ 1,473,493	$ 1,469,793	$ 1,409,035	$ 1,378,297	[1]	$ 1,442,512	$ 1,477,854	$ 1,343,595	$ 5,787,980	[2]	$ 5,642,258	[2]	$ 5,319,072	[2]
Intersegment sales											(90,807)		(84,496)		(81,520)
Operating income (loss)											379,508		315,542		314,169
Depreciation and amortization											280,293		297,734		296,773
Capital expenditures (excluding acquisitions)											208,294		275,573		156,180
Assets	6,303,684					6,206,228					6,303,684		6,206,228		6,098,926
Long-lived assets	3,078,623	[3]				3,087,329	[3]				3,078,623	[3]	3,087,329	[3]	3,056,518	[3]
Number of reporting segments											3
Mohawk [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales											2,912,055		2,927,674		2,844,876
Operating income (loss)											158,196		109,874		122,904
Depreciation and amortization											95,648		90,463		91,930
Capital expenditures (excluding acquisitions)											97,972		125,630		84,013
Assets	1,721,214					1,769,065					1,721,214		1,769,065		1,637,319
Dal-Tile [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales											1,616,383		1,454,316		1,367,442
Operating income (loss)											120,951		101,298		97,334
Depreciation and amortization											41,176		42,723		45,578
Capital expenditures (excluding acquisitions)											49,426		66,419		37,344
Assets	1,731,258					1,732,818					1,731,258		1,732,818		1,644,448
Unilin [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales											1,350,349		1,344,764		1,188,274
Operating income (loss)											126,409		127,147		114,298
Depreciation and amortization											132,183		151,884		145,941
Capital expenditures (excluding acquisitions)											56,605		78,615		29,439
Assets	2,672,389					2,533,070					2,672,389		2,533,070		2,475,049
Corporate [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Depreciation and amortization											11,286		12,664		13,324
Capital expenditures (excluding acquisitions)											4,291		4,909		5,384
Corporate and Intersegment Eliminations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating income (loss)											(26,048)		(22,777)		(20,367)
Assets	178,823					171,275					178,823		171,275		342,110
North America [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales											4,798,804		4,619,771		4,447,965
Long-lived assets	1,968,561	[3]				1,996,517	[3]				1,968,561	[3]	1,996,517	[3]	1,971,612	[3]
Rest Of World [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales											989,176		1,022,487		871,107
Long-lived assets	1,110,062	[3]				1,090,812	[3]				1,110,062	[3]	1,090,812	[3]	1,084,906	[3]
Soft Surface [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales											2,696,462	[2]	2,722,113	[2]	2,645,952	[2]
Tile [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales											1,676,971	[2]	1,513,210	[2]	1,428,571	[2]
Wood [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales											$ 1,414,547	[2]	$ 1,406,935	[2]	$ 1,244,549	[2]

[1] During the fourth quarter of 2011, the Company corrected an immaterial error in its consolidated financial statements. The error related to accounting for operating leases. The correction of $6,035 resulted in an additional charge to selling, general and administrative expense in the Company’s 2011 fourth quarter consolidated statement of operations. The Company believes the correction of this error to be both quantitatively and qualitatively immaterial to its quarterly results for 2011 or to any of its previously issued consolidated financial statements. The correction had no impact on the Company’s cash flows as previously presented.

[2] The Soft surface product category includes carpets, rugs, carpet pad and resilient. The Tile product category includes ceramic tile, porcelain tile and natural stone. The Wood product category includes laminate, hardwood, roofing panels, wood-based panels and licensing.

[3] Long-lived assets are composed of property, plant and equipment, net, and goodwill.