CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 29, 2018	Dec. 30, 2017		Dec. 31, 2016
Statement of Comprehensive Income [Abstract]
Consolidated net income	$ 106,820	$ 87,011	[1],[2]	$ 99,754	[1],[2]
Other comprehensive (loss) income, net of tax:
Foreign currency translation	(16,876)	13,174		(27,767)
Net change with respect to derivative instruments and hedging activities, net of tax of $318, $(541), and $(917)	(1,173)	1,147		1,709
Net change in pension and postretirement obligation adjustments, net of tax of $670, $(1,071), and $(2,606)	(3,339)	2,436		5,383
Attributable to unconsolidated affiliates, net of tax of $2,522, $(505), and $(3,375)	(8,686)	895		5,975
Other, net	0	(380)		159
Total other comprehensive (loss) income, net	(30,074)	17,272		(14,541)
Consolidated comprehensive income	76,746	104,283		85,213
Comprehensive (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	(1,579)	(2,785)		2,548
Comprehensive income attributable to Mueller Industries, Inc.	$ 75,167	$ 101,498		$ 87,761

[1] The Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for prior periods have been adjusted to reflect the adoption of ASU 2016-18, Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230): Restricted Cash. The Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows reflect 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.

[2] The Consolidated Statements of Income for prior periods 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, net in the Consolidated Statements of Income. Refer to Note 1 for further discussion.