Commitments and Contingencies (Details) (USD $) In Millions, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended																		12 Months Ended							12 Months Ended
	Oct. 31, 2012	Dec. 28, 2013 Subsidiary Claimant Entity	Dec. 29, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 28, 2013 Consulting Agreement [Member]	Dec. 28, 2013 Facilities Vehicles and Equipment [Member]	Dec. 29, 2012 Facilities Vehicles and Equipment [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Facilities Vehicles and Equipment [Member]	Dec. 28, 2013 United States Department of Commerce and United States International Trade Commission Antidumping Investigation [Member] Subsidiary	Dec. 28, 2013 United States Department of Commerce and United States International Trade Commission Antidumping Investigation [Member] IUSA in Mexico [Member]	Dec. 28, 2013 United States Department of Commerce and United States International Trade Commission Antidumping Investigation [Member] Luvata in Mexico [Member]	Oct. 01, 2010 United States Department of Commerce and United States International Trade Commission Antidumping Investigation [Member] Luvata in Mexico [Member]	Dec. 28, 2013 United States Department of Commerce and United States International Trade Commission Antidumping Investigation [Member] Haliang in China [Member]	Dec. 28, 2013 United States Department of Commerce and United States International Trade Commission Antidumping Investigation [Member] Luvata in China [Member]	Oct. 01, 2010 United States Department of Commerce and United States International Trade Commission Antidumping Investigation [Member] Luvata in China [Member]	Nov. 22, 2010 United States Department of Commerce and United States International Trade Commission Antidumping Investigation [Member] Department of Commerce [Member]	Oct. 01, 2010 United States Department of Commerce and United States International Trade Commission Antidumping Investigation [Member] Department of Commerce [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Insurance Settlement [Member] Fulton, Mississippi [Member]	Dec. 25, 2010 Insurance Settlement [Member] Fulton, Mississippi [Member]	Dec. 28, 2013 Insurance Settlement [Member] Wynne, Arkansas [Member]	Dec. 29, 2012 Insurance Settlement [Member] Wynne, Arkansas [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Insurance Settlement [Member] Wynne, Arkansas [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Litigation Settlement [Member]	Dec. 28, 2013 United States Department of Commerce Antidumping Review [Member]	Apr. 19, 2010 United States Department of Commerce Antidumping Review [Member]	Dec. 27, 2008 United States Department of Commerce Antidumping Review [Member]	Dec. 28, 2013 Operating Properties [Member] Mueller Copper Tube Products, Inc. [Member]	Dec. 28, 2013 Non-Operating Properties [Member] Southeast Kansas Sites [Member] Party	Dec. 28, 2013 Non-Operating Properties [Member] Shasta Area Mine Sites [Member]	Dec. 28, 2013 Non-Operating Properties [Member] Lead Refinery Site [Member]	Dec. 29, 2012 Non-Operating Properties [Member] Lead Refinery Site [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Non-Operating Properties [Member] Lead Refinery Site [Member]
Site Contingency [Line Items]
Environmental expense		$ 1.0	$ 3.1	$ 0.4																										$ 0.1	$ 0.1	$ 0.1
Environmental spending																													1.7
Environmental reserves		23.6	24.6																									9.5
Expected environmental expenditures for 2014		1.4
Expected environmental expenditures for 2015		0.9
Expected environmental expenditures for 2016		0.8
Expected environmental expenditures for 2017		0.8
Expected environmental expenditures for 2018		0.8
Expected environmental expenditures after 2018		9.4
Number of parties involved in settlement negotiations																												2
Period of permit, implementation of Best Management Practices																												9 years 6 months	10 years
Mitigation estimates minimum																											1.9		10.0	2.1
Mitigation estimates maximum																													13.6	2.9
Estimated number of years until mitigation resolution																											10 years		20 years	20 years
Number of entities that received letters from counsel regarding copper tube		5
Number of entities that received letters from counsel regarding copper fittings		3
Number of claimants		21
Lead Refinery Site [Abstract]
EPA's estimated cost of site remediation																														30.0
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Assignment of antidumping duty rate on U.S. imports by Company subsidiaries (in hundredths)																								19.80%	48.30%
Assigned antidumping duty rate (in hundredths)																								40.50%
Reserve established																								1.1		3.1
Gain Contingencies [Line Items]
Number of subsidiaries jointly filed antidumping petitions									2
Final antidumping rates minimum (in hundredths)												24.89%			11.25%
Final antidumping rates maximum (in hundredths)																28.16%	28.16%
Period when DOC conducted a new shipper review									2 years
Cash deposit requirements (in hundredths)										24.89%	28.16%		60.85%	36.05%
Insurance settlement proceeds																				127.3
Insurance claim deductible amount																				0.5
Pre-tax gain from settlement																		1.5	1.5	106.3			10.5
Pre-tax gain from settlement (in dollars per share)																				$ 2.33
Proceeds from insurance company received																				62.3	55.0	10.0
Supplier Litigation [Abstract]
Number of subsidiaries that filed related to supplier litigation		2
Cash payment for litigation settlement amount	5.8
Canadian Dumping and Countervail Investigation [Abstract]
Initial period of potential antidumping duties		5 years
Potential additional antidumping term		5 years
Operating Leased Assets [Line Items]
Lease payments scheduled for 2014						6.7
Lease payments scheduled for 2015						5.7
Lease payments scheduled for 2016						4.5
Lease payments scheduled for 2017						3.3
Lease payments scheduled for 2018						2.3
Lease payments scheduled after 2018						1.5
Lease expense						9.1	8.5	8.8
Long-term Purchase Commitment [Line Items]
Consulting agreement term (in years)					6 years
Initial period of the consulting agreement					4 years
Initial period rate of pay based on final base compensation (in hundredths)					two-thirds
Final period of the consulting agreement					2 years
Final period rate of pay of based on final base compensation (in hundredths)					one-third
Remaining amount payable under the Consulting agreement					$ 4.0