CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN EQUITY - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ 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 year (in shares) at Dec. 30, 2017		80,183				22,373
Balance at beginning 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						(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		$ 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						(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
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Issuance of shares under incentive stock option plans (in shares)						(71)
Issuance of shares under incentive stock option plans			(745)			$ 515
Stock-based compensation expense			8,570
Issuance of restricted stock (in shares)						(315)
Issuance of restricted stock			(6,383)			$ 6,383
Net income attributable to Mueller Industries, Inc.	139,493			139,493
Dividends paid or payable to stockholders of Mueller Industries, Inc.				(22,869)
Total other comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Mueller Industries, Inc.	15,378				13,887
Repurchase of common stock (in shares)						248
Repurchase of common stock						$ (5,574)
Dividends paid to noncontrolling interests	0						0
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(4,156)						4,156
Foreign currency translation	10,350						1,491
Balance at end of year (in shares) at Dec. 26, 2020		80,183				23,096
Balance at end of year at Dec. 26, 2020	$ 801,060	$ 802	$ 280,051	$ 1,019,694	$ (54,883)	$ (468,919)	$ 24,315