CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN EQUITY - USD ($) $ 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 period 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			(259)			571
Stock-based compensation expense			3,906
Issuance of restricted stock			(245)			245
Net income attributable to Mueller Industries, Inc.	$ 57,310			57,310
Dividends paid or payable to stockholders of Mueller Industries, Inc.				(11,504)
Reclassification of stranded effects of the Act				(556)	556
Total other comprehensive (loss) income attributable to Mueller Industries, Inc.	(7,453)				(7,601)
Repurchase of common stock						(6,833)
Dividends paid to noncontrolling interests	592						(592)
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(916)						916
Foreign currency translation	(6,645)						147
Balance at end of period at Jun. 30, 2018		802	277,987	788,753	(58,101)	(451,740)	14,388
Balance at beginning of period at Mar. 31, 2018		802	276,429	761,319	(47,614)	(452,181)	14,310
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Issuance of shares under incentive stock option plans			(211)			457
Stock-based compensation expense			1,994
Issuance of restricted stock			(225)			225
Net income attributable to Mueller Industries, Inc.	33,182			33,182
Dividends paid or payable to stockholders of Mueller Industries, Inc.				(5,748)
Reclassification of stranded effects of the Act				0	0
Total other comprehensive (loss) income attributable to Mueller Industries, Inc.	(10,516)				(10,487)
Repurchase of common stock						(241)
Dividends paid to noncontrolling interests							(592)
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(700)						700
Foreign currency translation	(11,622)						(30)
Balance at end of period at Jun. 30, 2018		802	277,987	788,753	(58,101)	(451,740)	14,388
Balance at beginning of period 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			(283)			156
Stock-based compensation expense			4,302
Issuance of restricted stock			(242)			323
Net income attributable to Mueller Industries, Inc.	43,709			43,709
Dividends paid or payable to stockholders of Mueller Industries, Inc.				(11,325)
Reclassification of stranded effects of the Act				0	0
Total other comprehensive (loss) income attributable to Mueller Industries, Inc.	4,119				5,038
Repurchase of common stock						(1,763)
Dividends paid to noncontrolling interests	0						0
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(2,106)						2,106
Foreign currency translation	3,080						(919)
Balance at end of period at Jun. 29, 2019	604,362	802	280,626	857,121	(74,754)	(475,524)	16,091
Balance at beginning of period at Mar. 30, 2019		802	278,800	834,798	(72,881)	(476,121)	16,524
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Issuance of shares under incentive stock option plans			(227)			274
Stock-based compensation expense			2,295
Issuance of restricted stock			(242)			323
Net income attributable to Mueller Industries, Inc.	27,986			27,986
Dividends paid or payable to stockholders of Mueller Industries, Inc.				(5,663)
Reclassification of stranded effects of the Act				0	0
Total other comprehensive (loss) income attributable to Mueller Industries, Inc.	(2,996)				(1,873)
Repurchase of common stock						0
Dividends paid to noncontrolling interests							0
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(690)						690
Foreign currency translation	(2,977)						(1,123)
Balance at end of period at Jun. 29, 2019	$ 604,362	$ 802	$ 280,626	$ 857,121	$ (74,754)	$ (475,524)	$ 16,091