Industry Segments (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 29, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 25, 2010
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Percentage of net consolidated sales threshold constituting a major customer (in hundredths)	10.00%
Net sales	$ 2,189,938,000	$ 2,417,797,000	$ 2,059,797,000
Summary of segment information [Abstract]
Net sales	2,189,938,000	2,417,797,000	2,059,797,000
Cost of goods sold	1,904,463,000	2,115,677,000	1,774,811,000
Depreciation and amortization	31,495,000	36,865,000	40,364,000
Selling, general, and administrative expense	129,456,000	135,953,000	131,211,000
Litigation settlement	(4,050,000)	(10,500,000)
Insurance settlement	(1,500,000)	0	(22,736,000)
Severance	3,369,000	0	0
Operating income	126,705,000	139,802,000	136,147,000
Interest expense	(6,890,000)	(11,553,000)	(11,647,000)
Other income, net	539,000	1,912,000	(2,650,000)
Income before income taxes	120,354,000	130,161,000	121,850,000
Expenditures for long-lived assets	68,386,000	25,633,000	20,699,000
Segment assets	1,104,155,000	1,347,604,000	1,258,996,000
United Kingdom [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net assets of foreign operations	92,700,000
Mexico [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net assets of foreign operations	48,700,000
Luxembourg [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net assets of foreign operations	57,900,000
China [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net assets of foreign operations	28,800,000
Segment, Geographical, Groups of Countries, Group One [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	2,189,938,000	2,417,797,000	2,059,797,000
Long-lived assets	356,961,000	320,905,000	346,682,000
Summary of segment information [Abstract]
Net sales	2,189,938,000	2,417,797,000	2,059,797,000
Segment, Geographical, Groups of Countries, Group One [Member] | United States [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	1,696,589,000	1,830,001,000	1,567,606,000
Long-lived assets	306,023,000	267,060,000	289,714,000
Summary of segment information [Abstract]
Net sales	1,696,589,000	1,830,001,000	1,567,606,000
Segment, Geographical, Groups of Countries, Group One [Member] | United Kingdom [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	234,684,000	272,809,000	214,643,000
Long-lived assets	23,496,000	23,962,000	24,088,000
Summary of segment information [Abstract]
Net sales	234,684,000	272,809,000	214,643,000
Segment, Geographical, Groups of Countries, Group One [Member] | Other [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	258,665,000	314,987,000	277,548,000
Long-lived assets	27,442,000	29,883,000	32,880,000
Summary of segment information [Abstract]
Net sales	258,665,000	314,987,000	277,548,000
Tube and Fittings [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	986,825,000	1,082,150,000	898,615,000
Summary of segment information [Abstract]
Net sales	986,825,000	1,082,150,000	898,615,000
Brass Rod and Forgings [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	583,940,000	662,369,000	581,660,000
Summary of segment information [Abstract]
Net sales	583,940,000	662,369,000	581,660,000
OEM Components, Tube & Assemblies [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	335,461,000	401,623,000	327,092,000
Summary of segment information [Abstract]
Net sales	335,461,000	401,623,000	327,092,000
Valves and Plumbing Specialties [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	231,278,000	217,985,000	204,074,000
Summary of segment information [Abstract]
Net sales	231,278,000	217,985,000	204,074,000
Other [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	52,434,000	53,670,000	48,356,000
Summary of segment information [Abstract]
Net sales	52,434,000	53,670,000	48,356,000
Plumbing and Refrigeration Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	1,238,230,000	1,330,435,000	1,115,614,000
Summary of segment information [Abstract]
Net sales	1,238,230,000	1,330,435,000	1,115,614,000
Cost of goods sold	1,060,755,000	1,139,932,000	951,170,000
Depreciation and amortization	16,513,000	20,947,000	24,940,000
Selling, general, and administrative expense	75,448,000	84,795,000	78,573,000
Litigation settlement	0	0
Insurance settlement	(1,500,000)		(22,736,000)
Severance	0
Operating income	87,014,000	84,761,000	83,667,000
Expenditures for long-lived assets	24,030,000	12,686,000	13,774,000
Segment assets	531,429,000	532,458,000	574,671,000
OEM Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	974,606,000	1,119,796,000	958,855,000
Summary of segment information [Abstract]
Net sales	974,606,000	1,119,796,000	958,855,000
Cost of goods sold	866,404,000	1,007,654,000	837,649,000
Depreciation and amortization	13,435,000	14,634,000	14,300,000
Selling, general, and administrative expense	27,680,000	24,838,000	26,789,000
Litigation settlement	0	0
Insurance settlement	0		0
Severance	0
Operating income	67,087,000	72,670,000	80,117,000
Expenditures for long-lived assets	27,066,000	12,586,000	6,684,000
Segment assets	290,058,000	296,997,000	296,978,000
Corporate and Eliminations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	(22,898,000)	(32,434,000)	(14,672,000)
Summary of segment information [Abstract]
Net sales	(22,898,000)	(32,434,000)	(14,672,000)
Cost of goods sold	(22,696,000)	(31,909,000)	(14,008,000)
Depreciation and amortization	1,547,000	1,284,000	1,124,000
Selling, general, and administrative expense	26,328,000	26,320,000	25,849,000
Litigation settlement	(4,050,000)	(10,500,000)
Insurance settlement	0		0
Severance	3,369,000
Operating income	(27,396,000)	(17,629,000)	(27,637,000)
General Corporate [Member]
Summary of segment information [Abstract]
Expenditures for long-lived assets	17,290,000	361,000	241,000
Segment assets	$ 282,668,000	$ 518,149,000	$ 387,347,000