CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended			9 Months Ended
	Sep. 29, 2018	Sep. 30, 2017	[1]	Sep. 29, 2018	Sep. 30, 2017	[1]
Income Statement [Abstract]
Net sales	$ 645,958	$ 550,363		$ 1,948,791	$ 1,742,549
Cost of goods sold	566,956	471,262		1,676,446	1,484,000
Depreciation and amortization	10,619	8,266		29,081	25,216
Selling, general, and administrative expense	38,889	33,214		112,077	104,676
Asset impairments	0	0		0	411	[2]
(Gain) loss on sale of assets	(2,691)	140		(334)	(1,491)
Insurance recovery	(1,486)	0		(1,486)	0	[2]
Operating income	33,671	37,481		133,007	129,737
Interest expense	(6,746)	(5,237)		(18,728)	(14,210)
Other income (expense), net	411	(380)		1,557	556
Income before income taxes	27,336	31,864		115,836	116,083
Income tax expense	(3,373)	(8,716)		(23,179)	(33,295)
Loss from unconsolidated affiliates, net of foreign tax	(3,100)	(394)		(13,568)	(1,746)	[2]
Consolidated net income	20,863	22,754		79,089	81,042	[2]
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(571)	(496)		(1,487)	(1,164)
Net income attributable to Mueller Industries, Inc.	$ 20,292	$ 22,258		$ 77,602	$ 79,878
Weighted average shares for basic earnings per share (in shares)	56,877	56,987		56,858	56,891
Effect of dilutive stock-based awards (in shares)	540	456		524	542
Adjusted weighted average shares for diluted earnings per share (in shares)	57,417	57,443		57,382	57,433
Basic earnings per share (in dollars per share)	$ 0.36	$ 0.39		$ 1.36	$ 1.40
Diluted earnings per share (in dollars per share)	0.35	0.39		1.35	1.39
Dividends per share (in dollars per share)	$ 0.1	$ 0.1		$ 0.3	$ 8.3

[1] The Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income for the quarter and nine months ended September 30, 2017 have 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 (expense), net in the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income. Refer to Note 1 for further discussion.

[2] The Condensed Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 has been adjusted to reflect the adoption of ASU 2016-18, Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230): Restricted Cash. The Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows reflects the changes during the periods in the total of cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash. Therefore, restricted cash activity is included with cash when reconciling the beginning-of-period and end-of-period total amounts shown. Refer to Note 1 for further discussion.