CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN EQUITY - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	Total	Common Stock [Member]	Additional Paid-in Capital [Member]	Retained Earnings [Member]	AOCI Attributable to Parent [Member]	Treasury Stock [Member]	Noncontrolling Interest [Member]
Balance at beginning of year (in shares) at Dec. 30, 2017		80,183				22,373
Balance at beginning of year at Dec. 30, 2017		$ 802	$ 274,585	$ 743,503	$ (51,056)	$ (445,723)	$ 13,917
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Issuance of shares under incentive stock option plans (in shares)						(6)
Issuance of shares under incentive stock option plans			(48)			$ 114
Stock-based compensation expense			1,912
Issuance of restricted stock (in shares)						(1)
Issuance of restricted stock			(20)			$ 20
Net income attributable to Mueller Industries, Inc.	$ 24,128			24,128
Dividends paid or payable to stockholders of Mueller Industries, Inc.				(5,756)
Reclassification of stranded effects of the Act				(556)	556
Total other comprehensive income attributable to Mueller Industries, Inc.	3,063				2,886
Repurchase of common stock (in shares)						252
Repurchase of common stock						$ (6,592)
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(216)						216
Foreign currency translation	4,977						177
Balance at end of year (in shares) at Mar. 31, 2018		80,183				22,618
Balance at end of year at Mar. 31, 2018		$ 802	276,429	761,319	(47,614)	$ (452,181)	14,310
Balance at beginning of year (in shares) at Dec. 29, 2018		80,183				23,480
Balance at beginning of year at Dec. 29, 2018	563,260	$ 802	276,849	824,737	(79,792)	$ (474,240)	14,904
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Issuance of shares under incentive stock option plans (in shares)						0
Issuance of shares under incentive stock option plans			(56)			$ (118)
Stock-based compensation expense			2,007
Issuance of restricted stock (in shares)						0
Issuance of restricted stock			0			$ 0
Net income attributable to Mueller Industries, Inc.	15,723			15,723
Dividends paid or payable to stockholders of Mueller Industries, Inc.				(5,662)
Reclassification of stranded effects of the Act				0	0
Total other comprehensive income attributable to Mueller Industries, Inc.	7,115				6,911
Repurchase of common stock (in shares)						77
Repurchase of common stock						$ (1,763)
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(1,416)						1,416
Foreign currency translation	6,057						204
Balance at end of year (in shares) at Mar. 30, 2019		80,183				23,557
Balance at end of year at Mar. 30, 2019	$ 581,922	$ 802	$ 278,800	$ 834,798	$ (72,881)	$ (476,121)	$ 16,524