Segment reporting (Details) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 27, 2020 USD ($)	Jun. 29, 2019 USD ($)	Jun. 27, 2020 USD ($) segment	Jun. 29, 2019 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($)
Segment Reporting [Abstract]
Number of reportable segments | segment			3
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	$ 2,049,800	$ 2,584,485	$ 4,335,563	$ 5,026,975
Operating income (loss)	(60,958)	266,860	90,524	432,190
Assets	13,369,404		13,369,404		$ 13,386,680
Global Ceramic segment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	753,335	958,031	1,601,785	1,856,383
Flooring NA segment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	800,088	983,439	1,648,418	1,905,419
Flooring ROW segment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	496,377	643,015	1,085,360	1,265,173
Operating segments | Global Ceramic segment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	753,335	958,031	1,601,785	1,856,383
Operating income (loss)	(33,809)	117,036	14,168	200,266
Assets	5,112,084		5,112,084		5,419,896
Operating segments | Flooring NA segment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	800,088	983,439	1,648,418	1,905,419
Operating income (loss)	(45,484)	62,047	(9,278)	65,242
Assets	3,682,638		3,682,638		3,823,654
Operating segments | Flooring ROW segment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	496,377	643,015	1,085,360	1,265,173
Operating income (loss)	29,478	100,093	105,294	189,083
Assets	3,770,581		3,770,581		3,925,246
Corporate and intersegment eliminations
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating income (loss)	(11,143)	$ (12,316)	(19,660)	$ (22,401)
Assets	$ 804,101		$ 804,101		$ 217,884