CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME (Unaudited) - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 26, 2022	Mar. 27, 2021
Income Statement [Abstract]
Net sales	$ 1,010,002	$ 818,148
Cost of goods sold	744,511	668,418
Depreciation and amortization	10,841	11,755
Selling, general, and administrative expense	47,456	45,435
Gain on sale of assets	(5,507)	0
Operating income	212,701	92,540
Interest expense	(158)	(4,469)
Other income, net	780	577
Income before income taxes	213,323	88,648
Income tax expense	(54,199)	(21,761)
Income (loss) from unconsolidated affiliates, net of foreign tax	124	(1,649)
Consolidated net income	159,248	65,238
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(932)	(2,131)
Net income attributable to Mueller Industries, Inc.	$ 158,316	$ 63,107
Weighted average shares for basic earnings per share (in shares)	56,100	55,916
Effect of dilutive stock-based awards (in shares)	810	756
Adjusted weighted average shares for diluted earnings per share (in shares)	56,910	56,672
Basic earnings per share (in dollars per share)	$ 2.82	$ 1.13
Diluted earnings per share (in dollars per share)	2.78	1.11
Dividends per share (in dollars per share)	$ 0.25	$ 0.13