Earnings per share (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jul. 04, 2015	Jun. 28, 2014	Jul. 04, 2015	Jun. 28, 2014
Earnings Per Share [Abstract]
Earnings from continuing operations attributable to Mohawk Industries, Inc.	$ 186,492	$ 152,750	$ 208,838	$ 233,831
Accretion of redeemable noncontrolling interest	(160)	0	(160)	0
Net earnings available to common stockholders	$ 186,332	$ 152,750	$ 208,678	$ 233,831
Weighted-average common shares outstanding-basic (in shares)	73,264	72,832	73,123	72,788
Add weighted-average dilutive potential common shares-options and RSU's to purchase common shares, net (in shares)	492	465	521	514
Weighted-average common shares outstanding-diluted (in shares)	73,756	73,297	73,644	73,302
Basic earnings per share from continuing operations attributable to Mohawk Industries, Inc, (in usd per share)	$ 2.54	$ 2.10	$ 2.85	$ 3.21
Diluted earnings per share attributable to Mohawk Industries, Inc. (in usd per share)	$ 2.53	$ 2.08	$ 2.83	$ 3.19