Restructuring, acquisition and integration-related costs - Restructuring Reserve (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2017	Oct. 01, 2016
Restructuring Reserve [Roll Forward]
Balance as of December 31, 2016	$ 11,426
Provision	27,099	$ 28,300
Cash payments	(27,225)
Non-cash items	(7,337)
Balance as of September 30, 2017	3,963
Lease impairments
Restructuring Reserve [Roll Forward]
Balance as of December 31, 2016	0
Cash payments	(333)
Non-cash items	0
Balance as of September 30, 2017	475
Asset write-downs
Restructuring Reserve [Roll Forward]
Balance as of December 31, 2016	0
Cash payments	(190)
Non-cash items	(7,309)
Balance as of September 30, 2017	0
Severance
Restructuring Reserve [Roll Forward]
Balance as of December 31, 2016	5,183
Cash payments	(7,125)
Non-cash items	59
Balance as of September 30, 2017	3,103
Other restructuring costs
Restructuring Reserve [Roll Forward]
Balance as of December 31, 2016	6,243
Cash payments	(19,577)
Non-cash items	(87)
Balance as of September 30, 2017	385
Operating segments | Provision - Global Ceramic segment
Restructuring Reserve [Roll Forward]
Provision	1,530
Operating segments | Provision - Global Ceramic segment | Lease impairments
Restructuring Reserve [Roll Forward]
Provision	492
Operating segments | Provision - Global Ceramic segment | Asset write-downs
Restructuring Reserve [Roll Forward]
Provision	0
Operating segments | Provision - Global Ceramic segment | Severance
Restructuring Reserve [Roll Forward]
Provision	1,027
Operating segments | Provision - Global Ceramic segment | Other restructuring costs
Restructuring Reserve [Roll Forward]
Provision	11
Operating segments | Provision - Flooring NA segment
Restructuring Reserve [Roll Forward]
Provision	22,033
Operating segments | Provision - Flooring NA segment | Lease impairments
Restructuring Reserve [Roll Forward]
Provision	316
Operating segments | Provision - Flooring NA segment | Asset write-downs
Restructuring Reserve [Roll Forward]
Provision	6,849
Operating segments | Provision - Flooring NA segment | Severance
Restructuring Reserve [Roll Forward]
Provision	2,500
Operating segments | Provision - Flooring NA segment | Other restructuring costs
Restructuring Reserve [Roll Forward]
Provision	12,368
Operating segments | Provision - Flooring ROW segment
Restructuring Reserve [Roll Forward]
Provision	3,422
Operating segments | Provision - Flooring ROW segment | Lease impairments
Restructuring Reserve [Roll Forward]
Provision	0
Operating segments | Provision - Flooring ROW segment | Asset write-downs
Restructuring Reserve [Roll Forward]
Provision	650
Operating segments | Provision - Flooring ROW segment | Severance
Restructuring Reserve [Roll Forward]
Provision	1,459
Operating segments | Provision - Flooring ROW segment | Other restructuring costs
Restructuring Reserve [Roll Forward]
Provision	1,313
Operating segments | Provision - Corporate
Restructuring Reserve [Roll Forward]
Provision	114
Operating segments | Provision - Corporate | Lease impairments
Restructuring Reserve [Roll Forward]
Provision	0
Operating segments | Provision - Corporate | Asset write-downs
Restructuring Reserve [Roll Forward]
Provision	0
Operating segments | Provision - Corporate | Severance
Restructuring Reserve [Roll Forward]
Provision	0
Operating segments | Provision - Corporate | Other restructuring costs
Restructuring Reserve [Roll Forward]
Provision	$ 114