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			(279)			1,136
Stock-based compensation expense			5,953
Issuance of restricted stock			(5,492)			5,492
Net income attributable to Mueller Industries, Inc.	$ 77,602			77,602
Dividends paid or payable to stockholders of Mueller Industries, Inc.				(17,262)
Reclassification of stranded effects of the Act				(556)	556
Other adjustments				340
Total other comprehensive loss attributable to Mueller Industries, Inc.	(12,848)				(12,457)
Repurchase of common stock						(8,158)
Dividends paid to noncontrolling interests	592						(592)
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(1,487)						1,487
Foreign currency translation	(5,534)						(390)
Balance at end of period at Sep. 29, 2018		802	274,767	803,627	(62,957)	(447,253)	14,422
Balance at beginning of period at Jun. 30, 2018		802	277,987	788,753	(58,101)	(451,740)	14,388
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Issuance of shares under incentive stock option plans			(20)			565
Stock-based compensation expense			2,047
Issuance of restricted stock			(5,247)			5,247
Net income attributable to Mueller Industries, Inc.	20,292			20,292
Dividends paid or payable to stockholders of Mueller Industries, Inc.				(5,758)
Reclassification of stranded effects of the Act				0	0
Other adjustments				340
Total other comprehensive loss attributable to Mueller Industries, Inc.	(5,395)				(4,856)
Repurchase of common stock						(1,325)
Dividends paid to noncontrolling interests							0
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(571)						571
Foreign currency translation	1,111						(537)
Balance at end of period at Sep. 29, 2018		802	274,767	803,627	(62,957)	(447,253)	14,422
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			(624)			(445)
Stock-based compensation expense			6,355
Issuance of restricted stock			(6,382)			6,382
Net income attributable to Mueller Industries, Inc.	72,802			72,802
Dividends paid or payable to stockholders of Mueller Industries, Inc.				(17,002)
Reclassification of stranded effects of the Act				0	0
Other adjustments				0
Total other comprehensive loss attributable to Mueller Industries, Inc.	(1,444)				(31)
Repurchase of common stock						(1,763)
Dividends paid to noncontrolling interests	0						0
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(3,457)						3,457
Foreign currency translation	(3,612)						(1,413)
Balance at end of period at Sep. 28, 2019	624,596	802	276,198	880,537	(79,823)	(470,066)	16,948
Balance at beginning of period at Jun. 29, 2019		802	280,626	857,121	(74,754)	(475,524)	16,091
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Issuance of shares under incentive stock option plans			(341)			(601)
Stock-based compensation expense			2,053
Issuance of restricted stock			(6,140)			6,059
Net income attributable to Mueller Industries, Inc.	29,093			29,093
Dividends paid or payable to stockholders of Mueller Industries, Inc.				(5,677)
Reclassification of stranded effects of the Act				0	0
Other adjustments				0
Total other comprehensive loss attributable to Mueller Industries, Inc.	(5,563)				(5,069)
Repurchase of common stock						0
Dividends paid to noncontrolling interests							0
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(1,351)						1,351
Foreign currency translation	(6,692)						(494)
Balance at end of period at Sep. 28, 2019	$ 624,596	$ 802	$ 276,198	$ 880,537	$ (79,823)	$ (470,066)	$ 16,948