CONDENSED 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. 29, 2018		$ 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)
Total other comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Mueller Industries, Inc.	(1,444)				(31)
Repurchase of common stock						(1,763)
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		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)
Total other comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Mueller Industries, Inc.	(5,563)				(5,069)
Repurchase of common stock						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		802	276,198	880,537	(79,823)	(470,066)	16,948
Balance at beginning of period at Dec. 28, 2019	662,136	802	278,609	903,070	(68,770)	(470,243)	18,668
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Issuance of shares under incentive stock option plans			(896)			719
Stock-based compensation expense			6,332
Issuance of restricted stock			(6,382)			6,382
Net income attributable to Mueller Industries, Inc.	103,073			103,073
Dividends paid or payable to stockholders of Mueller Industries, Inc.				(17,160)
Total other comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Mueller Industries, Inc.	(12,601)				(12,341)
Repurchase of common stock						(5,574)
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(3,322)						3,322
Foreign currency translation	(11,514)						(260)
Balance at end of period at Sep. 26, 2020	739,351	802	277,663	988,983	(81,111)	(468,716)	21,730
Balance at beginning of period at Jun. 27, 2020		802	281,856	951,992	(89,799)	(474,170)	19,523
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Issuance of shares under incentive stock option plans			(229)			(644)
Stock-based compensation expense			2,134
Issuance of restricted stock			(6,098)			6,098
Net income attributable to Mueller Industries, Inc.	42,702			42,702
Dividends paid or payable to stockholders of Mueller Industries, Inc.				(5,711)
Total other comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Mueller Industries, Inc.	9,640				8,688
Repurchase of common stock						0
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(1,255)						1,255
Foreign currency translation	9,320						952
Balance at end of period at Sep. 26, 2020	$ 739,351	$ 802	$ 277,663	$ 988,983	$ (81,111)	$ (468,716)	$ 21,730