Segment reporting (Details) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jul. 01, 2017 USD ($)	Jul. 02, 2016 USD ($)	Jul. 01, 2017 USD ($) segment	Jul. 02, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)
Segment Reporting [Abstract]
Number of reportable segments | segment			3
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	$ 2,453,038	$ 2,310,336	$ 4,673,683	$ 4,482,382
Operating income (loss)	355,825	350,692	630,609	596,364
Assets	11,589,491		11,589,491		$ 10,230,596
Operating segments | Global Ceramic segment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	902,670	829,794	1,687,639	1,603,520
Operating income (loss)	152,557	140,606	268,593	240,383
Assets	4,736,068		4,736,068		4,024,859
Operating segments | Flooring NA segment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	1,040,299	980,693	1,979,795	1,887,057
Operating income (loss)	127,482	118,946	219,624	194,297
Assets	3,625,350		3,625,350		3,410,856
Operating segments | Flooring ROW segment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	510,069	499,849	1,006,249	991,805
Operating income (loss)	86,052	101,062	162,147	180,599
Assets	2,984,716		2,984,716		2,689,592
Intersegment sales
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	0	0	0	0
Corporate and intersegment eliminations
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating income (loss)	(10,266)	$ (9,922)	(19,755)	$ (18,915)
Assets	$ 243,357		$ 243,357		$ 105,289