Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) - Reclassification Adjustments Out of AOCI (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2018	Apr. 01, 2017
Reclassification Adjustment out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Line Items]
Cost of goods sold	$ 545,670	$ 488,427	[1]
Interest expense	5,909	2,531	[1]
Income tax (benefit) expense	7,395	11,929	[1]
Net income attributable to Mueller Industries, Inc.	(24,128)	(29,987)	[1]
Other income, net	(560)	(594)	[1]
Unrealized losses (gains) on derivatives [Member] | Amount Reclassified from AOCI [Member]
Reclassification Adjustment out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Line Items]
Cost of goods sold	(365)	422
Interest expense	0	232
Income tax (benefit) expense	73	(153)
Net income attributable to Mueller Industries, Inc.	(292)	501
Amortization of net loss and prior service cost on employee benefit plans [Member] | Amount Reclassified from AOCI [Member]
Reclassification Adjustment out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Line Items]
Income tax (benefit) expense	(22)	(64)
Net income attributable to Mueller Industries, Inc.	119	262
Other income, net	141	326
Sale of available-for-sale securities [Member] | Amount Reclassified from AOCI [Member]
Reclassification Adjustment out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Line Items]
Income tax (benefit) expense	0	94
Net income attributable to Mueller Industries, Inc.	0	(160)
Other income, net	$ 0	$ (254)

[1] The Condensed Consolidated Statement of Income for the quarter ended April 1, 2017 has been adjusted to reflect the adoption of ASU 2017-07, Compensation - Retirement Benefits (Topic 715): Improving the Presentation of Net Periodic Pension Cost and Net Periodic Postretirement Benefit Cost. The components of net periodic benefit cost (income) other than the service cost component are included in other income, net in the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income. Refer to Note 1 for further discussion.