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Segment reporting (Details) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
Segment reporting (Details) $ in Thousands	Sep. 29, 2018 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2017 USD ($)	Sep. 29, 2018 USD ($) segment	Sep. 30, 2017 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($)
Segment Reporting [Abstract]
Number of reportable segments \| segment			3
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	$ 2,545,800	$ 2,448,510	$ 7,535,016	$ 7,122,193
Operating income (loss)	287,244	380,098	881,950	1,010,707
Assets	13,000,926		13,000,926		$ 12,094,853
Global Ceramic segment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	885,773	893,399	2,691,618	2,581,038
Flooring NA segment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	1,047,540	1,031,773	3,055,468	3,011,568
Flooring ROW segment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	612,487	523,338	1,787,930	1,529,587
Operating segments \| Global Ceramic segment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	885,773	893,399	2,691,618	2,581,038
Operating income (loss)	118,716	143,368	366,893	411,961
Assets	4,999,334		4,999,334		4,838,310
Operating segments \| Flooring NA segment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	1,047,540	1,031,773	3,055,468	3,011,568
Operating income (loss)	93,369	163,494	268,779	383,118
Assets	3,989,784		3,989,784		3,702,137
Operating segments \| Flooring ROW segment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	612,487	523,338	1,787,930	1,529,587
Operating income (loss)	84,108	83,042	273,334	245,189
Assets	3,709,623		3,709,623		3,245,424
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)	(8,949)	$ (9,806)	(27,056)	$ (29,561)
Assets	$ 302,185		$ 302,185		$ 308,982