CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME (Unaudited) - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
		Sep. 30, 2023	Sep. 24, 2022	Sep. 30, 2023	Sep. 24, 2022
Income Statement [Abstract]
Net sales		$ 819,792	$ 944,830	$ 2,687,968	$ 3,104,874
Cost of goods sold		579,058	678,637	1,897,128	2,244,062
Depreciation and amortization		9,631	10,850	30,704	32,993
Selling, general, and administrative expense		48,295	50,178	156,988	146,590
Gain on sale of assets		0	0	0	(5,507)
Gain on sale of business		(4,137)	0	(4,137)	0
Asset impairments		5,934	0	5,934	0
Gain on insurance settlement		0	0	(19,466)	0
Operating income		181,011	205,165	620,817	686,736
Interest expense		(230)	(361)	(508)	(666)
Interest income		10,599	1,356	24,566	1,619
Unrealized gain on short-term investments		(2,371)	0	18,449	0
Other (expense) income, net		(44)	(326)	4,033	2,394
Income before income taxes		188,965	205,834	667,357	690,083
Income tax expense		(50,843)	(51,035)	(174,322)	(173,524)
(Loss) income from unconsolidated affiliates, net of foreign tax		(2,413)	1,014	(2,682)	6,026
Consolidated net income		135,709	155,813	490,353	522,585
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests		(3,000)	(1,271)	(6,694)	(3,175)
Net income attributable to Mueller Industries, Inc.		$ 132,709	$ 154,542	$ 483,659	$ 519,410
Weighted average shares for basic earnings per share (in shares)	[1]	111,416	111,178	111,374	111,650
Effect of dilutive stock-based awards (in shares)	[1]	2,452	1,670	2,182	1,592
Adjusted weighted average shares for diluted earnings per share (in shares)	[1]	113,868	112,848	113,556	113,242
Basic earnings per share (in dollars per share)	[1]	$ 1.19	$ 1.39	$ 4.34	$ 4.65
Diluted earnings per share (in dollars per share)	[1]	1.17	1.37	4.26	4.59
Dividends per share (in dollars per share)	[1]	$ 0.150	$ 0.125	$ 0.450	$ 0.375

[1] Adjusted retroactively to reflect the two-for-one stock split that occurred on October 20, 2023. Refer to Note 2 - Earnings per Common Share for additional information.