CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 26, 2015	Dec. 27, 2014
Operating activities:
Consolidated net income	$ 99,754	$ 88,407	$ 102,534
Reconciliation of net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation	30,827	30,556	30,205
Amortization of intangibles	4,306	4,052	3,530
Amortization of debt issuance costs	569	432	341
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates	(1,861)	0	0
Stock-based compensation expense	6,387	6,244	6,265
Gain on disposal of assets	(651)	(14,815)	(5,405)
Impairment charges	6,778	0	0
Income tax benefit from exercise of stock options	0	(972)	(837)
Deferred income taxes	6,998	(15,818)	(6,495)
Recovery of doubtful accounts receivable	(50)	(130)	(500)
Changes in assets and liabilities, net of businesses acquired and sold:
Receivables	(16,502)	51,660	(21,432)
Inventories	6,662	41,086	1,381
Other assets	5,808	12,449	(23,652)
Current liabilities	5,646	(45,585)	5,849
Other liabilities	1,518	436	(2,223)
Other, net	1,588	1,607	1,044
Net cash provided by operating activities	157,777	159,609	90,605
Investing activities:
Proceeds from sale of assets, net of cash transferred	10,304	5,538	33,788
Acquisition of businesses, net of cash acquired	(20,533)	(105,944)	(30,137)
Capital expenditures	(37,497)	(28,834)	(39,173)
Investment in unconsolidated affiliates	0	(65,900)	0
Net (deposits into) withdrawals from restricted cash balances	(5,331)	4,333	(2,902)
Net cash used in investing activities	(53,057)	(190,807)	(38,424)
Financing activities:
Dividends paid to stockholders of Mueller Industries, Inc.	(21,224)	(16,903)	(16,819)
Dividends paid to noncontrolling interests	(3,765)	0	0
Issuance of long-term debt	3,500	0	0
Repayments of long-term debt	(1,074)	(1,000)	(1,050)
Issuance (repayment) of debt by joint ventures, net	2,265	(23,567)	7,258
Net cash used to settle stock-based awards	(1,306)	(760)	(777)
Income tax benefit from exercise of stock options	0	972	837
Debt issuance costs	(957)	0	0
Net cash used in financing activities	(22,561)	(41,258)	(10,551)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	(5,686)	(4,834)	(1,296)
Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	76,473	(77,290)	40,334
Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of the year	274,844	352,134	311,800
Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the year	$ 351,317	$ 274,844	$ 352,134