The VRT3242 from Superior
A 42" vent-free firebox with a 28"-tall clean-faced opening — no chimney, no vent run. The Superior VRT3242 is the enclosure half of a vent-free fireplace: listed to ANSI Z21.91, it hosts any ANSI Z21.11.2-listed vent-free gas log heater up to 40,000 BTU/hr input, sold separately. The design is radiant and sits low to the floor, the factory hood and mesh screens ship with it, and the interior comes as White Stacked or White Herringbone refractory. from $1,269.
Choose the VRT3242 if you want the tallest opening a 42" vent-free firebox gives — 28" versus the VRT3100's 24" — where a chimney or vent run is impossible. It frames into a 48-1/4" x 40-1/4" rough opening, parallel or corner, and sits directly on an ordinary combustible floor.
It is not right for any sleeping room or bathroom — the manual bars both outright — and it burns room air, so a tightly sealed space that cannot spare combustion air is the wrong home for it. If you want a blower option, the VRT3100 series is the heat-circulating, blower-ready version of this firebox; for a sealed unit that vents outside, look at Superior's DRT3000 direct-vent fireplaces instead.
Specifications
Frame a rough opening 48-1/4" wide by 40-1/4" high, 20-1/2" deep to the back wall of the chase including finishing materials, parallel or in a corner. The cabinet is 42" wide, 37-1/4" high and 20" deep; the interior measures 41" across the front, 17-3/8" deep and 27-7/8" high — the figures Superior publishes for sizing a compatible log set, and the price book pairs this size with most 30" sets. Ceiling, side and mantel clearances to combustible material are all set by the manual charts — see Figure 2a on page 6 and Figures 4A and 4B on page 7 of the installation manual; fitting the optional hood reduces the mantel clearance.
How the VRT3242 compares to the other VRT3200 sizes
The three VRT3200 sizes share the same 28"-tall opening, refractory liner choices and radiant design; they differ in width and in the log set they take. This 42" suits most 30" sets at from $1,269, the 32" takes most 18" sets at from $949, and the 36" takes most 24" sets at from $1,049. The hood is required on the 32"; on the 36" and this 42" it ships standard but installing it is optional.
Features
- 42" firebox with a 28"-tall clean-faced opening in a low, radiant design
- Vent-free — no chimney and no vent run; the room supplies its combustion air
- Hosts any ANSI Z21.11.2-listed vent-free log heater up to 40,000 BTU/hr input, sold separately
- Factory hood and mesh fire screens ship with the firebox — on this model the hood is optional and tightens mantel clearances
- Two all-refractory interiors — White Stacked or White Herringbone liners and floor
Answers to common questions
What’s included, what’s required, and what’s optional?
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Included in the box: 42" x 28" clean-faced firebox opening; Refractory liner panels and floor — White Stacked or White Herringbone; Mesh fire screens, fitted to the opening; Factory hood (optional to install on this model); ANSI Z21.91-listed firebox enclosure; 20-year limited warranty on body, firebox, and barrier.
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Required to complete the installation, purchased separately: Vent Free Burner/Log Set - accepts most 30" vent-free burners and log sets; any ANSI Z21.11.2-listed set up to 40,000 BTU/hr input — the firebox is the enclosure and burns nothing on its own; Gas Line - 1/2" ID approved line run by a qualified installer, connected before the wall is closed.
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Optional: The outside air kit — the firebox operates fully without it.
Does it need a chimney or a vent?
No — this firebox is vent-free and nothing about it vents outside. It uses air from the room it is installed in, so the room must supply adequate combustion and ventilation air; the manual's worksheet classifies your space, and the optional outside air kit ducts combustion air in from outside where a room runs tight.
Where can it go — and where can't it?
Any ordinary living space that can spare combustion air — framed into a wall or a corner, directly on a combustible floor. It cannot go in any sleeping room or bathroom, and not in an RV; Massachusetts additionally requires a licensed gas fitter and a working smoke detector in the area. Over carpet or vinyl it sits on a metal or wood panel covering its full footprint.
Do I have to install the hood — and how close can a mantel sit?
The hood ships with the firebox, but on this model installing it is optional — it is required only on the 32" VRT3232 — and fitting it buys you tighter mantel clearances. How high a mantel must sit above the firebox opening depends on how far it projects, and the hood reduces the clearance — see Figures 4A and 4B on page 7 of the installation manual. Either way, side clearances to combustible material and the ceiling minimum follow Figure 2a on page 6, and nothing combustible may overlap the front painted face. Send us your mantel depth. We're here to help!
Does it use electricity or take a blower?
No — this series has no electrical provisions and no blower option in any configuration; its approved accessories are the outside air kit and touch-up paint. If you want a fan-driven firebox, Superior's VRT3100 series is the heat-circulating, blower-ready version.
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.
