CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME (Unaudited) - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 24, 2022	Sep. 25, 2021	Sep. 24, 2022	Sep. 25, 2021
Income Statement [Abstract]
Net sales	$ 944,830	$ 982,248	$ 3,104,874	$ 2,812,988
Cost of goods sold	678,637	744,265	2,244,062	2,212,395
Depreciation and amortization	10,850	10,868	32,993	33,757
Selling, general, and administrative expense	50,178	48,524	146,590	137,891
Gain on sale of assets	0	0	(5,507)	0
Gain on sale of businesses	0	(54,759)	0	(54,759)
Operating income	205,165	233,350	686,736	483,704
Interest expense	(361)	(1,116)	(666)	(7,451)
Redemption premium	0	0	0	(5,674)
Other income (expense), net	1,030	(2,548)	4,013	(1,288)
Income before income taxes	205,834	229,686	690,083	469,291
Income tax expense	(51,035)	(60,229)	(173,524)	(120,996)
Income from unconsolidated affiliates, net of foreign tax	1,014	2,799	6,026	131
Consolidated net income	155,813	172,256	522,585	348,426
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(1,271)	(1,276)	(3,175)	(5,507)
Net income attributable to Mueller Industries, Inc.	$ 154,542	$ 170,980	$ 519,410	$ 342,919
Weighted average shares for basic earnings per share (in shares)	55,589	56,077	55,825	55,979
Effect of dilutive stock-based awards (in shares)	835	731	796	784
Adjusted weighted average shares for diluted earnings per share (in shares)	56,424	56,808	56,621	56,763
Basic earnings per share (in dollars per share)	$ 2.78	$ 3.05	$ 9.30	$ 6.13
Diluted earnings per share (in dollars per share)	2.74	3.01	9.17	6.04
Dividends per share (in dollars per share)	$ 0.25	$ 0.13	$ 0.75	$ 0.39