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Segment reporting (Details) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
Segment reporting (Details) $ in Thousands	Sep. 28, 2019 USD ($)	Sep. 29, 2018 USD ($)	Sep. 28, 2019 USD ($) segment	Sep. 29, 2018 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($)
Segment Reporting [Abstract]
Number of reportable segments \| segment			3
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	$ 2,519,185	$ 2,545,800	$ 7,546,160	$ 7,535,016
Operating income (loss)	240,220	287,244	672,410	881,950
Assets	13,392,762		13,392,762		$ 13,099,123
Global Ceramic segment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	916,422	885,773	2,772,805	2,691,618
Flooring NA segment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	1,001,908	1,047,540	2,907,327	3,055,468
Flooring ROW segment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	600,855	612,487	1,866,028	1,787,930
Operating segments \| Global Ceramic segment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	916,422	885,773	2,772,805	2,691,618
Operating income (loss)	84,410	118,716	286,886	366,893
Assets	5,385,279		5,385,279		5,194,030
Operating segments \| Flooring NA segment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	1,001,908	1,047,540	2,907,327	3,055,468
Operating income (loss)	80,223	93,369	140,374	268,779
Assets	4,020,205		4,020,205		3,938,639
Operating segments \| Flooring ROW segment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	600,855	612,487	1,866,028	1,787,930
Operating income (loss)	84,428	84,108	276,392	273,334
Assets	3,736,296		3,736,296		3,666,617
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)	(8,841)	$ (8,949)	(31,242)	$ (27,056)
Assets	$ 250,982		$ 250,982		$ 299,837