Superior VRE4542 42" Outdoor Vent-Free Firebox — White Stacked or White Herringbone
A 42" outdoor vent-free firebox with a 30" tall, full-width refractory opening and firebrick extending to the front edge. The Superior VRE4542 is the build-your-own route: a fully insulated stainless steel firebox with its refractory panels, mesh fire screens and hood included — and the burner is yours to choose. Outdoors it takes any listed ANSI Z21.97 vent-free log set up to 40,000 BTU/hr, with no chimney and no vent run to build. from $4,939.
Choose the VRE4542 if you want to pick the log set yourself — the firebox takes any listed ANSI Z21.97 outdoor vent-free set up to 40,000 BTU/hr, and Superior names its own Giant Timbers OD and Mossy Oak OD sets as the ones to reach for. It installs built-in or freestanding under an approved cabinet mantel, outdoors or in.
It is not right if you want a fireplace that burns out of the crate. This is a firebox: no burner, no logs and no gas train ship in it — the vent-free log set is a separate purchase with its own manual. For a complete outdoor vent-free fireplace in one order, Superior's VRE4336 and VRE4342 arrive with the log set, burner and ignition already in the box.
Specifications
Frame a rough opening 51-3/8" wide by 54-5/8" high and 30-1/8" deep to the back wall of the chase including finishing materials, in 2 x 4 lumber or heavier, parallel or in a corner. It is zero-clearance rated — framing can sit against the cabinet except at the standoff spacers — with ceiling clearance per the manual — see Figure 6 on page 9 of the installation manual — and 0" floor clearance; on carpet or vinyl tile it sits on a metal or wood panel the full width and depth of the enclosure. Combustible finishes butt to the sides and top but never overlap the front facing. Listed by PFS to ANSI Z21.91, report F09-130.
How the VRE4542 compares to the other VRE4500 sizes
The three VRE4500 sizes share the same construction, panel choices, 30" opening height and 40,000 BTU/hr log-set ceiling; they differ in width. This 42" takes a log set into a 42" x 21-3/4" interior at from $4,939, against the 36" at from $4,809 and the 50" at from $5,299. Frame to the size you pick — rough-opening width grows with the size while height stays 54-5/8" on all three.
Features
- A 30" tall, full-width refractory opening with firebrick to the front edge — firebox proportions sized for a real masonry look
- Vent-free: no chimney, no vent run and no flue to build, outdoors or in
- Takes the vent-free log set you choose — any listed ANSI Z21.97 outdoor set up to 40,000 BTU/hr
- Stainless steel construction with stainless mesh fire screens and the stainless hood, both included
- Fully insulated firebox for increased performance in colder climates
- Zero-clearance rated — framing can sit against the cabinet except at the integral standoff spacers
Answers to common questions
Does it need a chimney, a vent, or electricity?
No — whichever panel you order, the firebox itself needs none of the three. It is a vent-free firebox enclosure: there is no flue at all, and the firebox has no electrical components. What it does need is a 1/2" black iron gas line run through the knockouts on either side by a qualified installer, and the vent-free log set you install brings its own controls and requirements.
What’s included, what’s required, and what’s optional?
-
Included in the box: 30"-tall, full-width refractory opening with stainless steel facing; Refractory panel set with matching hearth refractory — White Stacked or White Herringbone; Stainless steel mesh fire screens and stainless firebox hood (both must be in place during operation); Insulated stainless steel construction; ANSI Z21.91-listed firebox enclosure (PFS Report F09-130); 20-year limited warranty on body, firebox, and barrier.
-
Required to complete the installation, purchased separately: Vent Free Burner/Log Set - ANSI Z21.97 outdoor sets up to 40,000 BTU/hr outdoors, or an ANSI Z21.11.2 unvented room heater indoors; the firebox ships with no burner or logs; Gas Line - 1/2" black iron run to the firebox by a qualified installer, through the knockouts provided on either side.
-
Optional: Refractory stain kits in Creamer, Rust or Cappuccino, and an approved cabinet mantel for freestanding installation — the firebox operates fully without them.
Which log sets fit?
Any listed ANSI Z21.97 outdoor vent-free gas log set up to 40,000 BTU/hr fits the approval; Superior names its Giant Timbers OD and Mossy Oak OD sets as compatible and recommends a Superior set for best results. For physical fit, the interior measures 42" across the front, 26-3/8" across the rear, 21-3/4" deep and 30" tall — check those against the log set's minimum-firebox table, and never let the set touch or extend beyond the fireplace screen. Send us the set you have in mind and we will check the fit with you.
Can it go indoors, or only outdoors?
Both — the same firebox is approved either way, with different log-set rules. Outdoors it takes a Z21.97 set up to 40,000 BTU/hr in an enclosure that stays genuinely open — walls with no roof, a roof with at most two side walls, or a roof with three side walls where 30% of the perimeter stays permanently open. Indoors it takes an ANSI Z21.11.2 unvented room heater with the room's ventilation checked per the National Fuel Gas Code — and never in a bedroom unless the set is rated under 10,000 BTU/hr. It can never go in an RV, a high-traffic spot, or a windy or drafty location.
Can I burn wood in it?
No — on either panel version. The manual is categorical: do not build a wood fire. This is a firebox enclosure for gas log sets only, and even gas-side additions are restricted — no extra logs, pine cones, vermiculite or rock wool beyond what ships with the listed set.
How close can a mantel or finish materials sit?
A mantel shelf above a built-in installation follows the manual's depth chart, measured from the top of the hood opening: a shelf up to 1-1/2" deep sits at least 12" up, up to 6-3/4" deep at least 16", and up to 12" deep at least 20" — and those minimums replace whatever the log set's papers say. Wall board above the firebox may be combustible, and combustible finishes may butt to the sides and top but never overlap the front facing; brick or tile may overlap the facing with noncombustible mortar, so long as no opening is covered.
How does the warranty work if something goes wrong?
Superior warrants the firebox, 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.
