Superior WRE4542 42" Outdoor Wood Burning Fireplace — White Stacked or Herringbone Refractory
A 42" outdoor wood-burning fireplace with a 30" tall opening and white refractory running to the front edge. The Superior WRE4542 is a UL 127 factory-built firebox: it frames into an outdoor enclosure with 1-1/2" of airspace, sits directly on the floor, hides its ash cleanout in the hearth, and vents on IHP 12" double-wall snap-lock chimney — 9.5 feet of system height minimum outdoors. The interior is a full white refractory set in your choice of stacked or herringbone pattern, and the grate, screens, ash box and ember protector are in the carton. from $5,599.
Choose the WRE4542 if you want the tall-opening Custom-series firebox outdoors at a 42" scale — a 30" opening with the brick running clear to the front edge, a hidden ash cleanout and stainless facing — and you would rather pick the brick pattern than accept a fixed look.
It is not right if there is no route for at least 9.5 feet of vertical chimney above the firebox, or if the fireplace is going inside the house — this manual covers the outdoor WRE4500; the indoor Custom-series firebox is the Superior WRT4500, which shares the same openings and panel patterns. And for a chimney-free outdoor space, look at a vent-free outdoor firebox like Superior's VRE4500 series instead.
Specifications
Frame an opening 51-5/8" wide, 67-1/8" high and 30-1/8" deep, holding 1-1/2" of airspace at the back and sides — not required at the nailing flanges — with 42" to the ceiling, 48" clear in front, and 18" from a perpendicular wall to the opening. The chimney runs 12" IHP snap-lock double-wall pipe: 9.5 feet of system height minimum outdoors with at least 4 feet of pipe sections, 16 feet residential, 50 feet maximum, capped with a listed round or square chase-top termination. In front, a noncombustible hearth extension sized as the manual sets out — see Figure 6 on page 8 of the installation manual — protects a combustible floor, with the provided ember protector under the front edge. The enclosure must allow drainage and fresh-air ventilation. Listed to UL 127 / CAN/ULC-S610.
How the WRE4542 compares to the other WRE4500 sizes
The three WRE4500 sizes share the same 30" tall opening, the same white stacked or herringbone interiors and the same 12" chimney system; they differ in width and hearth size. This 42" starts at from $5,599, against the 36" at from $5,509 and the 50" at from $5,889. The hearth extension size is set by the manual — see Figure 6 on page 8 of the installation manual — and only the 36" relaxes the perpendicular-wall clearance from 18" to 12".
Features
- 42" outdoor wood-burning firebox with a 30" tall opening, panels to the front edge and a hidden ash cleanout
- White refractory interior in a stacked or herringbone brick pattern — the bottom panel arrives factory-installed
- UL 127 factory-built fireplace that also accepts vented or vent-free gas log sets
- Vents on IHP 12" double-wall snap-lock chimney — 9.5 feet minimum outdoors, 16 feet residential
- Ships with the stainless grate, two mesh fire screens, the ash box and the ember protector
Answers to common questions
What’s included, what’s required, and what’s optional?
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Included in the box: 42" x 30" fireplace opening, panels to the front edge; Full white refractory interior panel set — White Stacked or White Herringbone (bottom panel pre-installed); Stainless steel grate, two mesh fire screens with rods, ash box and ember protector; Gas-line knockouts; UL 127 / CAN/ULC-S610 listed (PFS); IHP 20-year limited warranty.
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Required to complete the installation, purchased separately: Venting - IHP 12DM double-wall snap-lock chimney with firestop spacers, flashing and a listed termination; 9.5 feet of system height minimum outdoors, 16 feet residential (12HT stainless and the cold-air kit in Canada); Floor Protection - a site-built noncombustible hearth extension in front of the opening, sized as the manual sets out — see Figure 6 on page 8 of the installation manual; Outdoor Enclosure - an enclosure with adequate drainage and fresh-air ventilation for the outdoor build.
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Optional: Bi-fold glass doors (BDG42, black), outside air kits (AK4 sidewall / AK4F floor), refractory stain kits, and a gas line with a vented or vent-free gas log set — the fireplace burns wood fully without them.
What chimney does it need, and is it in the box?
No — the chimney is sold separately. It runs IHP 12" snap-lock double-wall wood-burning pipe (12DM; the stainless 12HT is required in Canada along with the cold-air kit): outdoors the system must reach at least 9.5 feet from the base of the fireplace to the flue outlet with a minimum of 4 feet of pipe sections, a residential run needs 16 feet, and 50 feet is the maximum, capped with a listed round or square chase-top termination at least 3 feet above the roof. Send us your enclosure height and we will lay out the run with you.
What does the outdoor enclosure need?
The enclosure you build around the firebox must allow adequate drainage and fresh-air ventilation, and Superior recommends a sealed, corrosion-resistant catch pan with provision for drainage under the fireplace inside it. The chase for the termination needs its shortest vertical side at least 30" high with a 19" minimum inside dimension. Hold 1-1/2" of airspace at the back and sides, 48" clear in front, and 42" to any ceiling.
Can I burn gas logs in it instead of wood?
Yes — the fireplace is approved for a vented gas log set (ANSI Z21.60 or Z21.84) with the damper removed or locked fully open and the doors fully open, or for a vent-free set listed to ANSI Z21.11.2. A 1/2" black iron gas line runs in through the knockouts. Never operate an unvented log set with the chimney removed.
What does it need for the floor?
The firebox itself sits at 0" on the floor — over carpet or tile it goes on a metal or wood panel its full width and depth. In front, build a noncombustible hearth extension sized as the manual sets out — see Figure 6 on page 8 of the installation manual — and set the provided ember protector between it and the fireplace.
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 ceramic glass carry a 20-year limited warranty. Keep your invoice and the model number; we hold the rest on file.
