CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME (Unaudited) - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 27, 2015	Jun. 28, 2014	Jun. 27, 2015	Jun. 28, 2014
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME (Unaudited) [Abstract]
Net sales	$ 555,593	$ 649,691	$ 1,092,835	$ 1,224,065
Cost of goods sold	470,365	557,775	931,199	1,053,552
Depreciation and amortization	8,188	8,592	16,041	16,699
Selling, general, and administrative expense	33,420	33,367	66,251	66,508
Gain on sale of assets	(15,376)	0	(15,376)	(1,417)
Severance	3,442	1,753	3,442	2,212
Operating income	55,554	48,204	91,278	86,511
Interest expense	(2,219)	(1,457)	(4,295)	(2,483)
Other income, net	265	127	370	215
Income before income taxes	53,600	46,874	87,353	84,243
Income tax expense	(19,738)	(11,665)	(31,151)	(24,080)
Consolidated net income	33,862	35,209	56,202	60,163
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest	(211)	(164)	(573)	(412)
Net income attributable to Mueller Industries, Inc.	$ 33,651	$ 35,045	$ 55,629	$ 59,751
Weighted average shares for basic earnings per share (in shares)	56,247	55,973	56,220	55,946
Effect of dilutive stock-based awards (in shares)	743	747	737	800
Adjusted weighted average shares for diluted earnings per share (in shares)	56,990	56,720	56,957	56,746
Basic earnings per share (in dollars per share)	$ 0.60	$ 0.63	$ 0.99	$ 1.07
Diluted earnings per share (in dollars per share)	0.59	0.62	0.98	1.05
Dividends per share (in dollars per share)	$ 0.075	$ 0.075	$ 0.150	$ 0.150