Restructuring, acquisition and integration-related costs - Restructuring Reserve (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	9 Months Ended
	Oct. 01, 2016	Oct. 03, 2015
Restructuring Reserve [Roll Forward]
Balance as of December 31, 2015	$ 10,030
Provision	28,300	$ 18,716
Cash payments	(13,446)
Non-cash items	(12,055)
Balance as of October 1, 2016	12,829
Asset write-downs [Member]
Restructuring Reserve [Roll Forward]
Balance as of December 31, 2015	0
Cash payments	0
Non-cash items	(10,890)
Balance as of October 1, 2016	0
Severance [Member]
Restructuring Reserve [Roll Forward]
Balance as of December 31, 2015	8,965
Cash payments	(9,158)
Non-cash items	68
Balance as of October 1, 2016	5,026
Other restructuring costs [Member]
Restructuring Reserve [Roll Forward]
Balance as of December 31, 2015	1,065
Cash payments	(4,288)
Non-cash items	(1,233)
Balance as of October 1, 2016	7,803
Operating Segments [Member] | Global Ceramic Segment [Member]
Restructuring Reserve [Roll Forward]
Provision	1,205
Operating Segments [Member] | Global Ceramic Segment [Member] | Asset write-downs [Member]
Restructuring Reserve [Roll Forward]
Provision	795
Operating Segments [Member] | Global Ceramic Segment [Member] | Severance [Member]
Restructuring Reserve [Roll Forward]
Provision	331
Operating Segments [Member] | Global Ceramic Segment [Member] | Other restructuring costs [Member]
Restructuring Reserve [Roll Forward]
Provision	79
Operating Segments [Member] | Flooring NA Segment [Member]
Restructuring Reserve [Roll Forward]
Provision	26,332
Operating Segments [Member] | Flooring NA Segment [Member] | Asset write-downs [Member]
Restructuring Reserve [Roll Forward]
Provision	9,852
Operating Segments [Member] | Flooring NA Segment [Member] | Severance [Member]
Restructuring Reserve [Roll Forward]
Provision	3,600
Operating Segments [Member] | Flooring NA Segment [Member] | Other restructuring costs [Member]
Restructuring Reserve [Roll Forward]
Provision	12,880
Operating Segments [Member] | Flooring ROW Segment [Member]
Restructuring Reserve [Roll Forward]
Provision	763
Operating Segments [Member] | Flooring ROW Segment [Member] | Asset write-downs [Member]
Restructuring Reserve [Roll Forward]
Provision	243
Operating Segments [Member] | Flooring ROW Segment [Member] | Severance [Member]
Restructuring Reserve [Roll Forward]
Provision	1,220
Operating Segments [Member] | Flooring ROW Segment [Member] | Other restructuring costs [Member]
Restructuring Reserve [Roll Forward]
Provision	$ (700)