Segment reporting (Details) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Apr. 01, 2017 USD ($) segment	Apr. 02, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)
Segment Reporting [Abstract]
Number of reportable segments | segment	3
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	$ 2,220,645	$ 2,172,046
Operating income (loss)	274,784	245,672
Assets	10,727,517		$ 10,230,596
Operating segments | Global Ceramic segment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	784,969	773,726
Operating income (loss)	116,036	99,777
Assets	4,229,183		4,024,859
Operating segments | Flooring NA segment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	939,496	906,364
Operating income (loss)	92,142	75,351
Assets	3,528,062		3,410,856
Operating segments | Flooring ROW segment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	496,180	491,956
Operating income (loss)	76,095	79,537
Assets	2,801,782		2,689,592
Intersegment sales
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	0	0
Corporate and intersegment eliminations
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating income (loss)	(9,489)	$ (8,993)
Assets	$ 168,490		$ 105,289