Superior VRE3242 42" Outdoor Vent-Free Gas Fireplace
A 42" outdoor vent-free gas fireplace that arrives as a complete fireplace — ceramic fiber log set, stainless grate and burner, hidden battery-operated electronic ignition, wireless remote and the refractory liner all standard. The Superior VRE3242 is open-faced and vent-free, so there is no chimney and no vent run to build; it frames into an outdoor wall, a corner or a screened porch that meets the manual's minimums. Natural gas runs 30,000 to 45,000 BTU/hr on a variable flame; dedicated propane models run 32,000 to 41,000. from $4,249.
Choose the VRE3242 if you want the whole outdoor fireplace in one order — burner, logs, remote and liner included — at the wider 42" size. It runs entirely on batteries, so it needs a gas line and nothing else.
It is not right for any indoor room. This is an outdoor-only appliance — its combustion chamber is open to the outside air, and the manual bars enclosed spaces outright. For an indoor room, Superior's VRT vent-free fireboxes and the VCM3026 vent-free fireplace are the ones to look at; if you want an outdoor firebox where you pick the log set yourself, the VRE4200 firebox is that route.
Specifications
Frame a rough opening 48-3/4" wide by 46-1/2" high — 47-1/4" if you add the drain pan — and 20-1/2" deep to the back wall of the chase including finishing materials, parallel or in a corner. Minimum clearances to combustibles at the sides, back, adjacent wall and ceiling are set by the manual — see Figure 3 on page 5 of the installation manual; siting clearances include 12" to an operable window and 2" above grade or a deck. The builder provides drainage under the firebox — a water collector or the optional drain pan. Listed by PFS to ANSI Z21.97 / CSA 2.41, report F14-020, at elevations to 4,500 feet.
How the VRE3242 compares to the VRE3236
The two VRE3200 sizes share the same equipment — logs, burner, ignition, remote, liner choices and BTU ratings; they differ only in width. This 42" frames 48-3/4" wide at from $4,249, against the 36" at 42-3/4" wide, from $3,899. Framing height and depth are identical, so the choice is the wall you have.
Features
- A complete outdoor fireplace out of the crate — logs, grate, burner, ignition, remote and refractory liner all standard
- Vent-free and open-faced: no chimney and no vent run to build
- 45,000 BTU/hr high / 30,000 low on natural gas, dialed up and down from the remote
- 304 stainless steel on the face and every weather-exposed surface, with stainless grate, burner and screens
- Approved for screened porches and lanais that meet the manual's minimums
- Battery-operated electronic ignition — it runs with no electrical hookup at all
Answers to common questions
Does it need a chimney, a vent, or electricity?
No to all three — every model on this page installs the same way. The VRE3242 is an open-faced outdoor vent-free fireplace: combustion air comes in through the face and exhaust leaves the same way, so there is no flue at all. Ignition is electronic but battery-operated, so no electrical hookup is needed either. The only connection is a 1/2" gas line, run by a qualified installer.
Where can I put it — does a covered patio or screened porch count?
Any location that qualifies as outdoors under ANSI Z21.97 — walls on all sides with no roof, a roof with no more than two side walls, or a roof with three side walls where at least 30% of the perimeter stays permanently open. Screened porches and lanais are approved too when they meet the minimums: 96 sq ft of porch, a 92" ceiling, at least two screened walls open to outside ventilation and 64 sq ft of screen. It can never go indoors. Send us a photo of the spot and we will check it with you.
What’s included, what’s required, and what’s optional?
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Included in the box: 30,000-45,000 BTU/hr manually modulated input on natural gas (32,000-41,000 on propane); Battery-operated electronic ignition — no mains hookup; Wireless remote control; Ceramic fiber log set with stainless steel grate and burner; Refractory interior panels and floor — White Stacked or White Herringbone; Two bags of decorative volcanic stone and stainless fire screens; Factory flexible gas connector with 1/2" shutoff valve; ANSI Z21.97 outdoor-listed (PFS Report F14-020); 20-year limited warranty on body, firebox, and barrier.
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Required to complete the installation, purchased separately: Gas Line - a 1/2" line run to the unit by a qualified installer; natural gas or propane to match the model you order; Drainage - a field-built water collector under the firebox, or the optional drain pan.
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Optional: The stainless weather cover, the brushed stainless hood (it reduces mantel clearances), the drain pan and refractory stain kits — the fireplace operates fully without them.
What about rain and weather?
It is built for it — the face and every weather-exposed surface are 304 stainless steel — but standing water is the thing to plan for: the manual requires the builder to provide drainage under the fireplace, either a field-built water collector or the optional drain pan, and the enclosure around it is treated as an exterior wall. The stainless weather cover is the optional off-season protection for the firebox interior.
Natural gas or propane — can I change my mind later?
Either fuel, on any liner choice — the page sells dedicated natural-gas and propane models at the same price, and certified conversion kits exist for both directions (F4126 natural gas to propane, F4127 propane to natural gas), installed by a qualified service agency. Order the fuel you have; the kit is the safety net if your fuel ever changes.
How close can a mantel or finish material sit?
Combustible mantel height depends on how deep the mantel is — see Figure 11 on page 9 of the installation manual — and the optional brushed stainless hood is offered specifically to reduce those clearances. The band above the face up to the top spacers must be non-combustible, and only non-combustible material — stone, tile, brick, marble — may overlap the top and sides of the front facing. You can also send us your mantel depth. We're here to help!
How does the warranty work if something goes wrong?
Superior warrants the fireplace, and The Torch Guys handles it for you — we register the appliance and, if you ever need to claim, we deal with the manufacturer on your behalf rather than handing you a phone number. The body, firebox and barrier carry a 20-year limited warranty. Keep your invoice and the model number; we hold the rest on file.
