Acquisitions and Dispositions (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands											3 Months Ended					12 Months Ended
		Jul. 31, 2015	Jun. 18, 2015	Jun. 01, 2015	Mar. 30, 2015	Nov. 30, 2014	Nov. 21, 2014	Feb. 28, 2014	Oct. 17, 2013	Aug. 09, 2013	Jun. 27, 2015	Dec. 27, 2014	Jun. 28, 2014	Mar. 29, 2014	Sep. 28, 2013	Dec. 26, 2015	Dec. 27, 2014	Dec. 28, 2013
Allocated to [Abstract]
Goodwill												$ 102,909				$ 120,252	$ 102,909	$ 94,357
Intangible asset type [Abstract]
Severance											$ 3,400	4,200				3,442	7,296	0
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Cash proceeds from sale of property													$ 5,000			5,538	33,788	65,147
Pre-tax gain on sale of property											15,400	$ 4,800				$ 15,376	6,259	$ 39,765
Minimum [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Lease-back term										8 months
Maximum [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Lease-back term										14 months
Customer Relationships [Member]
Intangible asset type [Abstract]
Estimated Useful Life																20 years
Non-compete Agreements [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Intangible asset type [Abstract]
Estimated Useful Life																3 years
Non-compete Agreements [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Intangible asset type [Abstract]
Estimated Useful Life																5 years
Patents and Technology [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Intangible asset type [Abstract]
Estimated Useful Life																10 years
Patents and Technology [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Intangible asset type [Abstract]
Estimated Useful Life																15 years
Trade Names and Licenses [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Intangible asset type [Abstract]
Estimated Useful Life																5 years
Trade Names and Licenses [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Intangible asset type [Abstract]
Estimated Useful Life																10 years
Other [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Intangible asset type [Abstract]
Estimated Useful Life																2 years
Other [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Intangible asset type [Abstract]
Estimated Useful Life																5 years
Land and Building Assets [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Cash proceeds from sale of property														$ 4,700
Pre-tax gain on sale of property														$ 1,400
Impairment charge recognized on fair value of disposed assets															$ 3,200
Manufacturing Assets [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Carrying value of assets disposed										$ 15,900
Cash proceeds from sale of property										61,200
Pre-tax gain on sale of property															$ 39,800
Total sales price of property										66,200
Amount of diluted share after tax															$ 0.41
Goodwill allocated to disposal group										$ 10,500
Mueller Primaflow Limited [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Proceeds from sale of outstanding capital stock of Primaflow							$ 24,900
Net sales																	57,500
After-tax net income																	4,400
Carrying value of the liabilities disposed							7,100
Cumulative translation loss							(6,000)
Carrying value of assets disposed							$ 25,300
ABS [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Carrying value of assets disposed						$ 1,900
Cash proceeds from sale of property						6,000
Pre-tax gain on sale of property						$ 4,100
DWV Ontario Manufacturing Assets [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Carrying value of assets disposed				$ 2,300
Cash proceeds from sale of property				$ 5,000
Deferred revenue - current																$ 5,000
Deferred revenue - noncurrent																10,200
Pre-tax gain on sale of property											$ 15,400
Lease-back term				22 months
Total sales price of property				$ 20,200
Amount of diluted share after tax											$ 0.17
Goodwill allocated to disposal group				$ 2,400
Great Lakes Copper, Inc [Member]
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired, Goodwill, and Liabilities Assumed, Net [Abstract]
Total consideration		$ 70,011
Allocated to [Abstract]
Accounts receivable		26,079
Inventories		15,233
Other current assets		22
Property, plant, and equipment		22,771
Goodwill	[1]	19,087
Intangible assets		27,468
Other assets		1,413
Total assets acquired		112,073
Accounts payable		36,026
Accrued wages & other employee costs		0
Other current liabilities		381
Postretirement benefits other than pensions		5,655
Other noncurrent liabilities		0
Total liabilities assumed		42,062
Net assets acquired		70,011
Intangible asset type [Abstract]
Cost of acquisition, post-closing working capital adjustment		1,500
Great Lakes Copper, Inc [Member] | Customer Relationships [Member]
Allocated to [Abstract]
Intangible assets		20,273
Great Lakes Copper, Inc [Member] | Non-compete Agreements [Member]
Allocated to [Abstract]
Intangible assets		2,269
Great Lakes Copper, Inc [Member] | Patents and Technology [Member]
Allocated to [Abstract]
Intangible assets		3,104
Great Lakes Copper, Inc [Member] | Trade Names and Licenses [Member]
Allocated to [Abstract]
Intangible assets		2,453
Great Lakes Copper, Inc [Member] | Other [Member]
Allocated to [Abstract]
Intangible assets		$ (631)
Sherwood Valve Products, LLC [Member]
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired, Goodwill, and Liabilities Assumed, Net [Abstract]
Total consideration			$ 21,795
Allocated to [Abstract]
Accounts receivable			6,490
Inventories			11,892
Other current assets			260
Property, plant, and equipment			10,327
Goodwill			0
Intangible assets			(38)
Other assets			0
Total assets acquired			28,931
Accounts payable			6,022
Accrued wages & other employee costs			471
Other current liabilities			487
Postretirement benefits other than pensions			0
Other noncurrent liabilities			156
Total liabilities assumed			7,136
Net assets acquired			$ 21,795
Turbotec Products, Inc. [Member]
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired, Goodwill, and Liabilities Assumed, Net [Abstract]
Total consideration					$ 14,138
Allocated to [Abstract]
Accounts receivable					1,936
Inventories					3,247
Other current assets					72
Property, plant, and equipment					9,080
Goodwill					2,088
Intangible assets					880
Other assets					59
Total assets acquired					17,362
Accounts payable					1,603
Accrued wages & other employee costs					356
Other current liabilities					51
Postretirement benefits other than pensions					0
Other noncurrent liabilities					1,214
Total liabilities assumed					3,224
Net assets acquired					14,138
Turbotec Products, Inc. [Member] | Customer Relationships [Member]
Allocated to [Abstract]
Intangible assets					350
Turbotec Products, Inc. [Member] | Non-compete Agreements [Member]
Allocated to [Abstract]
Intangible assets					90
Turbotec Products, Inc. [Member] | Patents and Technology [Member]
Allocated to [Abstract]
Intangible assets					220
Turbotec Products, Inc. [Member] | Trade Names and Licenses [Member]
Allocated to [Abstract]
Intangible assets					220
Turbotec Products, Inc. [Member] | Other [Member]
Allocated to [Abstract]
Intangible assets					$ 0
KME Yorkshire Limited [Member]
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired, Goodwill, and Liabilities Assumed, Net [Abstract]
Total consideration								$ 30,137
Allocated to [Abstract]
Accounts receivable								0
Inventories								17,579
Other current assets								1,034
Property, plant, and equipment								2,103
Goodwill	[1]							8,075
Intangible assets								16,937
Other assets								0
Total assets acquired								45,728
Accounts payable								10,188
Accrued wages & other employee costs								1,167
Other current liabilities								4,236
Postretirement benefits other than pensions								0
Other noncurrent liabilities								0
Total liabilities assumed								15,591
Net assets acquired								30,137
Intangible asset type [Abstract]
Severance																$ 3,400	$ 7,300
KME Yorkshire Limited [Member] | Customer Relationships [Member]
Allocated to [Abstract]
Intangible assets								10,699
KME Yorkshire Limited [Member] | Non-compete Agreements [Member]
Allocated to [Abstract]
Intangible assets								4,504
KME Yorkshire Limited [Member] | Patents and Technology [Member]
Allocated to [Abstract]
Intangible assets								0
KME Yorkshire Limited [Member] | Trade Names and Licenses [Member]
Allocated to [Abstract]
Intangible assets								1,055
KME Yorkshire Limited [Member] | Other [Member]
Allocated to [Abstract]
Intangible assets								$ 679
Howell Metal Company [Member]
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired, Goodwill, and Liabilities Assumed, Net [Abstract]
Total consideration									$ 55,276
Allocated to [Abstract]
Accounts receivable									14,564
Inventories									27,615
Other current assets									571
Property, plant, and equipment									20,293
Goodwill	[1]								1,358
Intangible assets									2,320
Other assets									0
Total assets acquired									66,721
Accounts payable									9,208
Accrued wages & other employee costs									703
Other current liabilities									1,534
Postretirement benefits other than pensions									0
Other noncurrent liabilities									0
Total liabilities assumed									11,445
Net assets acquired									55,276
Howell Metal Company [Member] | Customer Relationships [Member]
Allocated to [Abstract]
Intangible assets									1,910
Howell Metal Company [Member] | Non-compete Agreements [Member]
Allocated to [Abstract]
Intangible assets									0
Howell Metal Company [Member] | Patents and Technology [Member]
Allocated to [Abstract]
Intangible assets									0
Howell Metal Company [Member] | Trade Names and Licenses [Member]
Allocated to [Abstract]
Intangible assets									410
Howell Metal Company [Member] | Other [Member]
Allocated to [Abstract]
Intangible assets									$ 0

[1] Tax-deductible goodwill