A refractory bottom for a metallurgical vessel comprised of a bottom lining having a bottom surface that is dimensioned to overlay a bottom of a metallurgical vessel and an upper surface. The upper surface is comprised of a plurality of discrete sections that include an uppermost section, an intermediate section and a lowermost section. Each section has an upper surface at a discrete elevation such that the upper surface of the uppermost section has a highest elevation and the upper surface of the lowermost section has a lowest elevation. The upper surface of the uppermost section, the intermediate section and the lowermost section comprise a series of successive stepped sections that define a stepped path from the uppermost section downward to the lowermost section. Each successive section of the upper surface is lower than a preceding section.