CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN EQUITY - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	Total		Common Stock [Member]	Additional Paid-in Capital [Member]	Retained Earnings [Member]	Accumulated other comprehensive loss:	Treasury Stock [Member]	Noncontrolling Interest [Member]
Balance at beginning of year (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2016			80,183				22,788
Balance at beginning of year at Dec. 31, 2016			$ 802	$ 273,345	$ 1,141,831	$ (66,956)	$ (450,338)	$ 37,753
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Issuance of shares under incentive stock option plans (in shares)							(395)
Issuance of shares under incentive stock option plans				(2,118)			$ 7,828
Stock-based compensation expense				7,450
Issuance of restricted stock (in shares)							(208)
Issuance of restricted stock				(4,092)			$ 4,092
Net income attributable to Mueller Industries, Inc.	$ 85,598	[1]			85,598
Dividends paid or payable to stockholders of Mueller Industries, Inc.					(483,926)
Total other comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Mueller Industries, Inc.	17,272					15,900
Repurchase of common stock (in shares)							188
Repurchase of common stock							$ (7,305)
Sale of Mueller-Xingrong								(23,712)
Dividends paid to noncontrolling interests								(2,909)
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(1,413)	[1]						1,413
Foreign currency translation	13,174							1,372
Balance at end of year (in shares) at Dec. 30, 2017			80,183				22,373
Balance at end 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)							(57)
Issuance of shares under incentive stock option plans				(278)			$ 1,136
Stock-based compensation expense				8,035
Issuance of restricted stock (in shares)							(273)
Issuance of restricted stock				(5,493)			$ 5,493
Net income attributable to Mueller Industries, Inc.	104,459				104,459
Dividends paid or payable to stockholders of Mueller Industries, Inc.					(23,009)
Reclassification of stranded effects of the Act					(556)	556
Other adjustments					340
Total other comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Mueller Industries, Inc.	(30,074)					(29,292)
Repurchase of common stock (in shares)							1,437
Repurchase of common stock							$ (35,146)
Dividends paid to noncontrolling interests								(592)
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(2,361)							2,361
Foreign currency translation	(16,876)							(782)
Balance at end of year (in shares) at Dec. 29, 2018			80,183				23,480
Balance at end 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)							(94)
Issuance of shares under incentive stock option plans				(644)			$ 1,908
Stock-based compensation expense				8,744
Issuance of restricted stock (in shares)							(314)
Issuance of restricted stock				(6,340)			$ 6,340
Net income attributable to Mueller Industries, Inc.	100,972				100,972
Dividends paid or payable to stockholders of Mueller Industries, Inc.					(22,639)
Total other comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Mueller Industries, Inc.	10,372					11,022
Repurchase of common stock (in shares)							162
Repurchase of common stock							$ (4,251)
Dividends paid to noncontrolling interests								(846)
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(5,260)							5,260
Foreign currency translation	7,409							(650)
Balance at end of year (in shares) at Dec. 28, 2019			80,183				23,234
Balance at end of year at Dec. 28, 2019	$ 662,136		$ 802	$ 278,609	$ 903,070	$ (68,770)	$ (470,243)	$ 18,668

[1] The Consolidated Statement of Income for 2017 has 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 in 2018. 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.