Segment Reporting (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended										12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011		Sep. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2011	Mar. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010		Sep. 30, 2010	Jun. 30, 2010	Mar. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2011		Dec. 31, 2010		Dec. 31, 2009
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	$ 1,378,297	[1]	$ 1,442,512	$ 1,477,854	$ 1,343,595	$ 1,262,198		$ 1,309,552	$ 1,400,086	$ 1,347,236	$ 5,642,258	[2]	$ 5,319,072	[2]	$ 5,344,024	[2]
Intersegment sales											(84,496)		(81,520)		(67,789)
Operating income (loss)											315,542		314,169		43,730
Depreciation and amortization											297,734		296,773		303,004
Capital expenditures (excluding acquisitions)											275,573		156,180		108,925
Assets	6,206,228					6,098,926					6,206,228		6,098,926		6,391,446
Long-lived assets	3,087,329	[3]				3,056,518	[3]				3,087,329	[3]	3,056,518	[3]	3,202,540	[3]
Number of reporting segment											3
Product Categories, Soft Surface [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales											2,722,113	[2]	2,645,952	[2]	2,650,452	[2]
Product Categories, Tile [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales											1,513,210	[2]	1,428,571	[2]	1,491,846	[2]
Product Categories, Wood [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales											1,406,935	[2]	1,244,549	[2]	1,201,726	[2]
North America [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales											4,619,771		4,447,965		4,516,784
Long-lived assets	1,996,517	[3]				1,971,612	[3]				1,996,517	[3]	1,971,612	[3]	2,000,522	[3]
Rest Of World [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales											1,022,487		871,107		827,240
Long-lived assets	1,090,812	[3]				1,084,906	[3]				1,090,812	[3]	1,084,906	[3]	1,202,018	[3]
Mohawk [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales											2,927,674		2,844,876		2,856,741
Operating income (loss)											109,874		122,904		(125,965)
Depreciation and amortization											90,463		91,930		94,134
Capital expenditures (excluding acquisitions)											125,630		84,013		35,149
Assets	1,769,065					1,637,319					1,769,065		1,637,319		1,582,652
Dal-Tile [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales											1,454,316		1,367,442		1,426,757
Operating income (loss)											101,298		97,334		84,154
Depreciation and amortization											42,723		45,578		47,934
Capital expenditures (excluding acquisitions)											66,419		37,344		17,683
Assets	1,732,818					1,644,448					1,732,818		1,644,448		1,546,393
Unilin [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales											1,344,764		1,188,274		1,128,315
Operating income (loss)											127,147		114,298		105,953
Depreciation and amortization											151,884		145,941		151,450
Capital expenditures (excluding acquisitions)											78,615		29,439		45,966
Assets	2,533,070					2,475,049					2,533,070		2,475,049		2,598,182
Corporate And Eliminations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating income (loss)											(22,777)		(20,367)		(20,412)
Corporate [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Depreciation and amortization											12,664		13,324		9,486
Capital expenditures (excluding acquisitions)											4,909		5,384		10,127
Corporate And Intersegment Eliminations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Assets	$ 171,275					$ 342,110					$ 171,275		$ 342,110		$ 664,219

[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 and wood-based panels.

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