The WRT3538 from Superior
A 38" traditional open wood-burning fireplace with a full-width grey refractory interior and an integrated ash lip. The Superior WRT3538 is a UL 127 factory-built firebox: it frames straight into a 49-1/4" x 50-7/8" wood-stud opening, sits on the floor with the air space at the back and sides the manual specifies, and burns on IHP's 12" snap-lock double-wall chimney. The log grate, retractable mesh screens and an easy-access outside air damper are all built in. from $2,989.
Choose the WRT3538 if you want a real open wood fire in a new build or a remodel without masonry — it installs against wood framing like any factory-built firebox, and the interior comes as stacked or herringbone refractory, your pick above.
It is not right if you are buying a wood fireplace to heat the house. This is an open, natural-draft fireplace — Superior rates it for supplemental heat only, not as a furnace substitute. For serious wood heat from a sealed firebox, the EPA-certified Superior WRT3920 is the one to look at instead. And with no route for a chimney to the roof, no wood fireplace fits — a direct-vent gas or an electric model is the answer there.
Specifications
Frame a rough opening 49-1/4" wide by 50-7/8" high and 26-1/4" deep, calculated for 1/2" drywall, parallel or in a corner. The cabinet is 50" wide, 50-3/4" high and 25-3/4" deep with a 38"-wide opening. Air space at the back and sides, the ceiling clearance, the perpendicular-wall clearance and the combustible-mantel clearance are all listed in the manual — see Minimum Clearance to Combustibles on page 7 and Figure 9 on page 9 of the installation manual. The chimney is IHP's 12" snap-lock double wall — 16 feet minimum from the fireplace base to the flue outlet, 22 feet with two elbow sets, 50 feet maximum — and the floor in front takes a noncombustible hearth extension sized as the manual sets out — see Figure 8 on page 9 of the installation manual. Listed by PFS to UL 127, Report No. F17-136.
How the WRT3538 compares to the WRT3543
The two WRT3500 sizes share the same firebox construction, refractory choices, chimney system and clearances; they differ in width. This 38" frames into a 49-1/4"-wide opening at from $2,989; the 43" opens the fire up another 4-3/4" and frames 54" wide at from $3,209. The framing height, depth and hearth-extension depth do not change — only the width and the door size.
Features
- 38" traditional wood-burning fireplace with a Grey Stacked or Grey Herringbone refractory interior and a grey floor with integrated ash lip
- Heavy-duty log grate and retractable, concealable mesh screens ship factory fitted
- Built-in easy-access outside air damper; AK4 and AK4F kits duct combustion air in from outside
- Burns on IHP 12" snap-lock double-wall chimney, top-vented, 16-foot minimum system height
- Also approved for a vented gas log or an ANSI Z21.11.2 vent-free log heater, with gas line knockouts provided
- UL 127 factory-built — sits on the floor with the air space at back and sides the manual specifies
Answers to common questions
What’s included, what’s required, and what’s optional?
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Included in the box: Grey refractory interior panels — Grey Stacked or Grey Herringbone, with grey floor panel and integrated ash lip; Heavy-duty log grate and retractable mesh screens; Ember protector; Gas-line knockout; UL 127 / CAN/ULC-S610 listed (PFS); 20-year limited warranty.
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Required to complete the installation, purchased separately: Venting - IHP 12" snap-lock chimney (12DM or Hi-Temp 12HT) with firestop spacers, flashing and a listed termination, 16 feet minimum system height; Floor Protection - noncombustible floor protection in front of the opening, sized as the manual sets out — see Figure 8 on page 9 of the installation manual — built to the manual's material spec.
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Optional: The 38LBF black bi-fold glass door, the AK4/AK4F outside air kits, and a gas line for a vented or vent-free log set — the fireplace burns wood fully without any of them.
What chimney does it use, and how tall does it have to be?
IHP's 12" snap-lock double-wall wood-burning chimney — standard 12DM or Hi-Temp 12HT sections, and in Canada the stainless 12HT parts plus the CAK-12 cold air kit are required. Plan a minimum of 16 feet from the fireplace base to the flue outlet for a straight run or one elbow set, 22 feet with two, and 50 feet maximum, with the termination 3 feet above the roof penetration and 2 feet above anything within 10 feet. Send us your ceiling heights and roof pitch and we will size the run with you.
Can I put gas logs in it?
Yes — it is approved for a vented gas log set listed to ANSI Z21.60 or Z21.84, or a vent-free log heater listed to ANSI Z21.11.2, and the firebox has gas-line knockouts with conduit sleeves on both sides for a 1/2" black iron line. A vented set requires the damper removed or locked fully open with any glass doors fully open; a vent-free set additionally requires Superior's GA6050 hood. Gas hook-up is a job for a qualified installer.
What has to go on the floor in front of it?
A noncombustible hearth extension in front of the opening, sized as the manual sets out — see Figure 8 on page 9 of the installation manual — built from material meeting the manual's thermal-conductivity spec and sealed to the fireplace frame. The supplied ember protector sits between the fireplace and the hearth extension; a raised platform install needs a field-made Z-type protector instead. The fireplace itself can sit directly on the floor.
How much heat will it put out?
Treat it as ambiance first — Superior states this fireplace is for supplemental heat only, not a furnace substitute, and publishes no BTU rating for it. It is an open, natural-draft wood fire: most of the pleasure is the flame, the crackle and some radiant warmth in the room. In a tight, well-insulated house the optional outside air kit helps the draft breathe without pulling conditioned room air.
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 and firebox carry a 20-year limited warranty; refractory and screens carry two years. Keep your invoice and the model number; we hold the rest on file.
