Commitments and Contingencies (Details)	12 Months Ended				24 Months Ended
	Dec. 26, 2015 USD ($) Party Property ImportEntry	Dec. 27, 2014 USD ($)	Dec. 28, 2013 USD ($) $ / shares	Dec. 31, 2012 USD ($)	Dec. 26, 2015 USD ($) Party	Jun. 21, 2011	Apr. 19, 2010	Dec. 27, 2008 USD ($)
Site Contingency [Line Items]
Environmental expense	$ 100,000	$ 1,200,000	$ 1,000,000
Environmental reserves	21,700,000	22,700,000			$ 21,700,000
Expected environmental expenditures for 2016	600,000				600,000
Expected environmental expenditures for 2017	600,000				600,000
Expected environmental expenditures for 2018	600,000				600,000
Expected environmental expenditures for 2019	700,000				700,000
Expected environmental expenditures for 2020	700,000				700,000
Expected environmental expenditures after 2020	18,500,000				18,500,000
Facilities Vehicles and Equipment [Member]
Operating Leased Assets [Line Items]
Lease payments scheduled for 2016	7,800,000				7,800,000
Lease payments scheduled for 2017	5,700,000				5,700,000
Lease payments scheduled for 2018	4,700,000				4,700,000
Lease payments scheduled for 2019	2,200,000				2,200,000
Lease payments scheduled for 2020	1,600,000				1,600,000
Lease expense	9,700,000	9,800,000	9,100,000
United States Department of Commerce Antidumping Review [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Assignment of antidumping duty rate on U.S. imports by Company subsidiaries						19.80%	48.33%
Payment request for interest and duties	$ 3,000,000
Number of import entries | ImportEntry	795
Reserve established	$ 1,100,000				1,100,000
Anticipated antidumping duty liability with respect to the subject merchandise	0
Operating Properties [Member] | Mueller Copper Tube Products, Inc. [Member]
Site Contingency [Line Items]
Mitigation estimates minimum	700,000
Mitigation estimates maximum	$ 1,100,000
Estimated number of years until mitigation resolution	9 years
Non-Operating Properties [Member] | Southeast Kansas Sites [Member]
Site Contingency [Line Items]
Environmental reserves	$ 5,600,000				$ 5,600,000			$ 9,500,000
Number of parties involved in settlement negotiations | Party	2				2
Lead Refinery Site [Abstract]
Estimated cost of site remediation, percentage of per diluted share after tax	$ 0.04
Non-Operating Properties [Member] | Shasta Area Mine Sites [Member]
Site Contingency [Line Items]
Environmental spending					$ 1,300,000
Period of permit, implementation of Best Management Practices	10 years
Mitigation estimates minimum	$ 13,300,000	$ 10,500,000
Mitigation estimates maximum	$ 20,100,000
Estimated number of years until mitigation resolution	30 years	20 years
Lead Refinery Site [Abstract]
Estimated cost of site remediation, percentage of per diluted share after tax	$ 0.03
Non-Operating Properties [Member] | Lead Refinery Site [Member]
Site Contingency [Line Items]
Environmental expense	$ 200,000	$ 100,000	100,000
Number of parties involved in settlement negotiations | Party	3				3
Mitigation estimates minimum	$ 2,100,000
Mitigation estimates maximum	$ 5,800,000
Estimated number of years until mitigation resolution	21 years
Lead Refinery Site [Abstract]
EPA's estimated cost of site remediation	$ 26,000,000
Number of surrounding properties | Property	300
Insurance Settlement [Member] | Wynne, Arkansas [Member]
Gain Contingencies [Line Items]
Insurance settlement proceeds			127,300,000
Insurance claim deductible amount			500,000
Pre-tax gain from settlement			$ 106,300,000
After tax gain from settlement (in dollars per share) | $ / shares			$ 1.17
Proceeds from insurance company received			$ 62,300,000	$ 55,000,000
Consulting Agreement [Member]
Long-term Purchase Commitment [Line Items]
Consulting agreement term	6 years
Initial period of the consulting agreement	4 years
Initial period rate of pay based on final base compensation	two-thirds
Final period of the consulting agreement	2 years
Final period rate of pay of based on final base compensation	one-third
Remaining amount payable under the Consulting agreement	$ 1,300,000				$ 1,300,000