Quarterly Financial Information (Unaudited) (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended																12 Months Ended
	Dec. 27, 2014		Sep. 27, 2014		Jun. 28, 2014		Mar. 29, 2014		Dec. 28, 2013		Sep. 28, 2013		Jun. 29, 2013		Mar. 30, 2013		Dec. 27, 2014	Dec. 28, 2013	Dec. 29, 2012
Quarterly Financial Information (Unaudited) [Abstract]
Net sales	$ 537,342,000	[1]	$ 602,820,000	[1]	$ 649,691,000	[1]	$ 574,374,000	[1]	$ 487,715,000	[1]	$ 528,854,000	[1]	$ 582,282,000	[1]	$ 559,690,000	[1]
Gross profit	68,453,000	[1],[2]	81,542,000	[1],[2]	91,916,000	[1],[2]	78,597,000	[1],[2]	65,903,000	[1],[2]	72,552,000	[1],[2]	81,157,000	[1],[2]	76,840,000	[1],[2]
Consolidated net income	18,049,000	[1],[3],[4]	24,322,000	[1],[3]	35,209,000	[1],[3]	24,954,000	[1],[3]	15,020,000	[1]	39,993,000	[1],[5]	91,842,000	[1],[6]	26,434,000	[1]	102,534,000	173,289,000	83,673,000
Net income attributable to Mueller Industries, Inc.	17,987,000	[1]	23,823,000	[1]	35,045,000	[1]	24,706,000	[1]	15,384,000	[1]	39,864,000	[1]	91,150,000	[1]	26,202,000	[1]	101,560,000	172,600,000	82,395,000
Basic earnings per share (in dollars per share)	$ 0.32	[1]	$ 0.42	[1]	$ 0.63	[1]	$ 0.44	[1]	$ 0.28	[1]	$ 0.71	[1]	$ 1.64	[1]	$ 0.47	[1]	$ 1.81	$ 3.10	$ 1.17
Diluted earnings per share (in dollars per share)	$ 0.32	[1]	$ 0.42	[1]	$ 0.62	[1]	$ 0.44	[1]	$ 0.27	[1]	$ 0.71	[1]	$ 1.62	[1]	$ 0.46	[1]	$ 1.79	$ 3.06	$ 1.15
Dividends per share (in dollars per share)	$ 0.075	[1]	$ 0.075	[1]	$ 0.075	[1]	$ 0.075	[1]	$ 0.0625	[1]	$ 0.0625	[1]	$ 0.0625	[1]	$ 0.0625	[1]	$ 0.3000	$ 0.2500	$ 0.2125
Pre-tax charges related to severance	4,200,000																7,296,000	0	3,369,000
Gain on insurance settlement													106,300,000
Gain on sale of manufacturing assets	4,800,000										39,800,000						6,259,000	39,765,000	0
Pre-tax impairment charges related to real property											$ 4,300,000

[1] The sum of quarterly amounts may not equal the annual amounts reported due to rounding. In addition, the earnings per share amounts are computed independently for each quarter while the full year is based on the weighted average shares outstanding.

[2] Gross profit is net sales less cost of goods sold, which excludes depreciation and amortization.

[3] Includes income earned by Howell, acquired during Q4 2013, and losses incurred by Yorkshire, acquired during Q1 2014

[4] Includes $4.8 million pre-tax gain on sale of assets and $4.2 million of pre-tax charges related to severance

[5] Includes $39.8 million pre-tax gain on sale of manufacturing assets and pre-tax impairment charges of $4.3 million primarily related to real property associated with the aforementioned plastics sale transaction.

[6] Includes $106.3 million pre-tax gain from settlement of insurance claims.