Quarterly Financial Information (Unaudited) (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended																12 Months Ended
		Dec. 31, 2016		Oct. 01, 2016		Jul. 02, 2016		Apr. 02, 2016		Dec. 26, 2015		Sep. 26, 2015		Jun. 27, 2015		Mar. 28, 2015		Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 26, 2015	Dec. 27, 2014
Quarterly Financial Information (Unaudited) [Abstract]
Net sales	[1]	$ 472,158		$ 506,584		$ 544,071		$ 532,809		$ 471,983		$ 535,184		$ 555,593		$ 537,242
Gross profit	[1],[2]	76,029		81,916		88,011		86,167		60,647		68,017		85,228		76,408
Consolidated net income		16,768	[1],[3],[4]	26,062	[1],[4],[5]	28,259	[1],[4]	28,665	[1],[4]	14,110	[1],[6]	18,095	[1],[6],[7]	33,862	[1],[6],[8]	22,340	[1],[6]	$ 99,754	$ 88,407	$ 102,534
Net income attributable to Mueller Industries, Inc.		$ 17,322	[1]	$ 25,978	[1]	$ 27,797	[1]	$ 28,630	[1]	$ 14,435	[1]	$ 17,800	[1]	$ 33,651	[1]	$ 21,978	[1]	$ 99,727	$ 87,864	$ 101,560
Basic earnings per share (in dollars per share)		$ 0.31	[1]	$ 0.46	[1]	$ 0.49	[1]	$ 0.51	[1]	$ 0.26	[1]	$ 0.32	[1]	$ 0.60	[1]	$ 0.39	[1]	$ 1.76	$ 1.56	$ 1.81
Diluted earnings per share (in dollars per share)		0.30	[1]	0.45	[1]	0.49	[1]	0.50	[1]	0.25	[1]	0.31	[1]	0.59	[1]	0.39	[1]	1.74	1.54	1.79
Dividends per share (in dollars per share)		$ 0.100	[1]	$ 0.100	[1]	$ 0.100	[1]	$ 0.075	[1]	$ 0.075	[1]	$ 0.075	[1]	$ 0.075	[1]	$ 0.075	[1]	$ 0.375	$ 0.300	$ 0.300
Gain on sale of manufacturing assets														$ 15,400				$ 0	$ 15,376	$ 6,259
Pre-tax impairment charge		$ 3,800		$ 3,000														6,778	0	0
Pre-tax charges related to severance														$ 3,400				$ 0	$ 3,442	$ 7,296
Permanent adjustment to deferred tax liability												$ 4,200

[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 $3.8 million of pre-tax charges related to asset impairments.

[4] Includes income earned by Jungwoo-Mueller, acquired during Q2 2016.

[5] Includes $3.0 million of pre-tax charges related to asset impairments.

[6] Includes income earned by Turbotec, acquired during Q2 2015, Sherwood, acquired during Q2 2015, and Great Lakes, acquired during Q3 2015.

[7] During Q3 2015, the Company recorded a permanent adjustment to a deferred tax liability of $4.2 million.

[8] Includes $15.4 million pre-tax gain on sale of assets and $3.4 million of pre-tax charges related to severance.