CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 27, 2020	Jun. 29, 2019	Jun. 27, 2020	Jun. 29, 2019
Income Statement [Abstract]
Net sales	$ 500,168	$ 666,394	$ 1,103,087	$ 1,278,175
Cost of goods sold	403,159	563,948	911,874	1,075,341
Depreciation and amortization	11,097	10,478	22,136	21,033
Selling, general, and administrative expense	33,616	40,446	76,368	81,099
Asset impairments	0	0	3,035	0
Litigation settlement, net	0	0	(21,933)	0
Operating income	52,296	51,522	111,607	100,702
Interest expense	(4,973)	(7,033)	(10,352)	(13,987)
Other income, net	2,834	462	3,112	290
Income before income taxes	50,157	44,951	104,367	87,005
Income tax expense	(13,029)	(10,432)	(27,173)	(19,978)
Loss from unconsolidated affiliates, net of foreign tax	(8,641)	(5,843)	(14,756)	(21,212)
Consolidated net income	28,487	28,676	62,438	45,815
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(531)	(690)	(2,067)	(2,106)
Net income attributable to Mueller Industries, Inc.	$ 27,956	$ 27,986	$ 60,371	$ 43,709
Weighted average shares for basic earnings per share (in shares)	55,723	55,753	55,799	55,741
Effect of dilutive stock-based awards (in shares)	471	561	527	543
Adjusted weighted average shares for diluted earnings per share (in shares)	56,194	56,314	56,326	56,284
Basic earnings per share (in dollars per share)	$ 0.50	$ 0.50	$ 1.08	$ 0.78
Diluted earnings per share (in dollars per share)	0.50	0.50	1.07	0.78
Dividends per share (in dollars per share)	$ 0.10	$ 0.10	$ 0.20	$ 0.20