CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 26, 2021	Jun. 27, 2020	Jun. 26, 2021	Jun. 27, 2020
Income Statement [Abstract]
Net sales	$ 1,012,592	$ 500,168	$ 1,830,740	$ 1,103,087
Cost of goods sold	799,712	403,159	1,468,130	911,874
Depreciation and amortization	11,134	11,097	22,889	22,136
Selling, general, and administrative expense	43,932	33,616	89,367	76,368
Asset impairments	0	0	0	3,035
Litigation settlement, net	0	0	0	(21,933)
Operating income	157,814	52,296	250,354	111,607
Interest expense	(1,866)	(4,973)	(6,335)	(10,352)
Redemption premium	(5,674)	0	(5,674)	0
Other income, net	683	2,834	1,260	3,112
Income before income taxes	150,957	50,157	239,605	104,367
Income tax expense	(39,006)	(13,029)	(60,767)	(27,173)
Loss from unconsolidated affiliates, net of foreign tax	(1,019)	(8,641)	(2,668)	(14,756)
Consolidated net income	110,932	28,487	176,170	62,438
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(2,100)	(531)	(4,231)	(2,067)
Net income attributable to Mueller Industries, Inc.	$ 108,832	$ 27,956	$ 171,939	$ 60,371
Weighted average shares for basic earnings per share (in shares)	55,946	55,723	55,931	55,799
Effect of dilutive stock-based awards (in shares)	866	471	811	527
Adjusted weighted average shares for diluted earnings per share (in shares)	56,812	56,194	56,742	56,326
Basic earnings per share (in dollars per share)	$ 1.95	$ 0.50	$ 3.07	$ 1.08
Diluted earnings per share (in dollars per share)	1.92	0.50	3.03	1.07
Dividends per share (in dollars per share)	$ 0.13	$ 0.10	$ 0.26	$ 0.20