A method of elliminating or minimizing the effect of localized cooling on metallurgical articles (B) due to contact with cooled fixed and/or walking beams (1, 2) in a walking beam furnace for heating metalurgical articles (B), such as billets, blooms and the like, characterized by turning each metallurgical article over 180.degree. around its longitudinal axis at least once at a region within the furnace and near the discharge end (18) thereof and thereafter maintaining the metallurgical articles in the furnace for a period of time sufficient to eliminate or substantially reduce areas of such localized cooling.