Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income (Unaudited) - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2018	Oct. 01, 2017	Sep. 30, 2018	Oct. 01, 2017
Income Statement [Abstract]
Revenues	$ 655,774	$ 621,745	$ 1,929,978	$ 1,783,759
Cost of sales	(394,917)	(381,896)	(1,180,931)	(1,078,432)
Gross profit	260,857	239,849	749,047	705,327
Selling, general and administrative expenses	(132,716)	(116,129)	(396,430)	(346,786)
Research and development	(33,471)	(35,442)	(107,781)	(105,108)
Amortization of intangibles	(25,533)	(27,162)	(74,990)	(77,944)
Gain from patent litigation	62,141	0	62,141	0
Operating income	131,278	61,116	231,987	175,489
Interest expense, net	(14,472)	(19,385)	(46,538)	(66,424)
Non-operating pension benefit (cost)	1,356	(325)	824	(880)
Loss on debt extinguishment	0	(51,594)	(22,990)	(52,441)
Income (loss) before taxes	118,162	(10,188)	163,283	55,744
Income tax benefit (expense)	(32,304)	11,133	(46,063)	6,673
Net income	85,858	945	117,220	62,417
Less: Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interest	(23)	(82)	(148)	(274)
Net income attributable to Belden	85,881	1,027	117,368	62,691
Less: Preferred stock dividends	8,732	8,732	26,198	26,198
Net income (loss) attributable to Belden common stockholders	$ 77,149	$ (7,705)	$ 91,170	$ 36,493
Weighted average number of common shares and equivalents:
Basic (in shares)	40,510	42,256	40,960	42,251
Diluted (in shares)	47,678	42,256	41,268	42,663
Basic income per share attributable to Belden common stockholders (in usd per share)	$ 1.90	$ (0.18)	$ 2.23	$ 0.86
Diluted income per share attributable to Belden common stockholders (in usd per share)	$ 1.80	$ (0.18)	$ 2.21	$ 0.86
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Belden	$ 68,620	$ (18,127)	$ 129,727	$ 17,416
Common stock dividends declared per share (in usd per share)	$ 0.05	$ 0.05	$ 0.15	$ 0.15