Superior VRT3232 32" Traditional Vent-Free Gas Fireplace With White Stacked Refractory Panels

Superior VRT3232 32" Traditional Vent-Free Gas Fireplace With White Stacked Refractory Panels

The Superior VRT3232WS is the 32" firebox in Superior's VRT3200 series of radiant vent-free fireboxes: a low-to-the-floor masonry look with a 28" tall opening, white stacked refractory brick liners and floor molded from hand-cut firebrick, mesh draw screens and a smooth black face. It is the enclosure only. The fire comes from a vent-free gas log set and burner that you order separately, and with no chimney or vent pipe, the heat stays in the room.

The firebox takes a vent-free log set listed to ANSI Z21.11.2, rated no more than 40,000 Btu/hr, that fits inside it. Superior's Nature-Flame (18") logs fit; they and their burners are listed below. The included hood must stay on, and the only add-on is an outside air kit.

The same firebox comes with white herringbone refractory (VRT3232WH), and the VRT3200 also comes in 36" and 42" (VRT3236WS, VRT3242WS). It can't be installed in a bedroom or bathroom, and the room has to be large enough or ventilated for the log set you choose; see Installation Requirements.

Key Features

• 33" wide, 27-7/8" tall opening; inside, 31" wide at the front, 19-1/4" at the back and 17-3/8" deep
• Low to the floor: the opening starts 1-3/4" above the base
• Vent-free: no chimney or vent pipe
• Takes ANSI Z21.11.2 vent-free log sets up to 40,000 Btu/hr, ordered separately
• White stacked refractory brick liners and floor, molded from hand-cut firebrick
• Radiant, smooth-faced design with a black powder coat finish
• Heat deflection hood included and required
• Mesh draw screens
• Optional outside air kit
• Listed to ANSI Z21.91 as a ventless firebox enclosure
• 20 year limited warranty on the firebox

What's Included

• Firebox with white stacked refractory liners and floor
• Black hood, required in every installation
• Mesh draw screens and rods
• Installation and operation manual

What to Order With It

Required – Vent-free logs, ordered separately (pick one set):

• Nature-Flame Granite Ridge Logs, Concrete, 18" (LNF18GR)
• Nature-Flame Silverstone Timber Logs, High Definition, 18" (LNF18ST)

Required – Burner for the logs (pick one: Nature-Flame 18" logs take the 18" burner):

• Nature-Flame Burner with Ember Bed, 18", Millivolt or Electronic (NF18)

Optional – Outside air and touch-up paint:

• Outside Air Kit with Duct (OAK-UVFRC)
• Touch-Up Paint, Powder Coat Exterior (SCTPSAB)

Specifications

The firebox doesn't make heat on its own. The Btu rating, ignition and remote all come from the log set and burner you choose, and the room size rules under Installation Requirements depend on that input.

Dimensions and Framing

Firebox dimensions

Inside the firebox (for sizing logs)

Framing

Measure the framed depth to the finished surface of the back wall, so allow for drywall or other finish. Nail the firebox to the side framing through the full-length tabs at the top and bottom of the front face with 8d nails, and don't fill the space around it with insulation. The other corner framing dimensions are in the installation manual.

Installation Requirements

• Room air: a vent-free log set uses the air in the room. The space must hold at least 50 cubic feet for every 1,000 Btu/hr of all the gas appliances in it, counting adjoining rooms without doors. A 40,000 Btu/hr log set alone needs 2,000 cubic feet. A smaller space needs ventilation openings to another room or to the outdoors, as set out in NFPA 54 and the log set's manual.
• Bedrooms and bathrooms: the firebox can't be installed in a bedroom, other sleeping room or bathroom, or in a recreational vehicle.
• Log set: use only a vent-free log set listed to ANSI Z21.11.2, rated no more than 40,000 Btu/hr, that fits the firebox. Don't burn wood, a vented gas log set or anything else in it.
• Hood: keep the included hood on; the mantel clearances below depend on it. Don't swap in a hood that comes with a log set.
• Side walls and ceiling: keep a side wall at least 16" from the side of the firebox opening and the ceiling at least 40" above the top of the opening. No combustible material can be closer than 3" to the side of the opening, and anything that sticks out from the wall, such as a mantel leg or bookshelf, needs more room the further it sticks out (5" out needs 6" from the opening; the chart is in the manual).
• Mantel: with the hood on, a combustible mantel or trim up to 3" deep can be 9" above the firebox opening; deeper ones go higher, up to 8" deep at 18" (a 5" mantel needs about 13"). Superior recommends high-temperature paint, rated 175 degrees F or higher, on the underside of a mantel.
• Wall above: the first 3" of wall above the top of the firebox, up to the header, must be non-combustible. A header can touch the top spacers but can't rest on them, and the spacers can't be removed, notched or cut. All framing above the firebox must support itself.
• Front: keep curtains, furniture and other flammable objects at least 42" from the front.
• Facing: no combustible material can overlap or touch the black painted face. Non-combustible materials such as marble, stone, tile or brick can overlap it; seal the joints with non-combustible caulk. Non-combustible materials at least 1/2" thick can go above and beside the opening without restriction.
• Hearth and floor: a hearth extension is optional; non-combustible material at least 1/2" thick can be used for one. The firebox can sit on a combustible floor on a fully supported, level base; on carpet or vinyl, put a metal or wood panel under it.
• Gas: run a 1/2" inside diameter gas line through the access on either side before the wall is closed, with a sediment trap upstream. Propane needs an external regulator that holds tank pressure to 13" WC or less. Seal the holes with high-temperature caulk or unfaced fiberglass.
• Cold climates: seal cracks around the firebox with non-combustible material and insulate outside wall cavities. On a cement slab, a plywood platform under the firebox keeps cold from coming up into the room.
• Drafts: don't let fans blow into the firebox; drafts change the flame.
• Burn-in: the first few fires give off an odor from curing paint. Ventilate the house until it passes.
• Massachusetts: installation and repair must be done by a licensed plumber or gas fitter, following 527 CMR 30. The flexible gas connector can't be longer than 36", the shutoff must be a T-handle valve, the firebox can't go in a bedroom or bathroom, and a working smoke detector is required in the area where it is installed.
• Installation: must be installed by a qualified installer following the installation manual, the log set's manual and local codes. Superior calls for an inspection by a professional service person before first use and once a year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does it come with logs?
No. Order a vent-free log set and a matching burner, both listed above: Nature-Flame 18" logs take the 18" burner. Any vent-free log set listed to ANSI Z21.11.2, rated 40,000 Btu/hr or less, that fits inside (31" wide at the front, 19-1/4" at the back, 17-3/8" deep, 27-7/8" tall) can also be used. Superior's Double-Flame and Triple-Flame 18" sets need a firebox at least 20" wide at the back, so they aren't listed for this size. Superior's Mega-Flame sets need a 28" tall firebox, 1/8" more than this one.

Does it need a chimney?
No. The log set burns room air and the heat stays in the room, so there is no vent pipe to run. In exchange, the room has to be big enough or ventilated for the log set's input.

Can it go in a bedroom or bathroom?
No. It can't be installed in a bedroom, other sleeping room or bathroom.

How much heat will it give?
That depends on the log set. The Superior sets that fit run up to 30,000 Btu/hr on natural gas, and the firebox allows up to 40,000. The VRT3200 is a radiant firebox with no blower option, so the heat comes off the fire and the refractory.

Does it need electricity?
No. The firebox has no blower or other electrical parts. If the burner you choose needs power, that is covered in the burner's own manual.

Can I put a mantel above it?
Yes. With the hood on, a combustible mantel up to 3" deep can sit 9" above the opening, and deeper mantels go higher (8" deep at 18"). A non-combustible mantel can go at any height. Our guide to fireplace heat management explains ways to keep the wall above cooler.

Warranty

Superior's 20 Year Limited Warranty covers the VRT3232WS against defects in materials and workmanship:

• Firebox body: 20 years
• Parts not listed: 90 days
• Labor: paid at IHP rates for the covered part's warranty period, up to five years

Trim and paint are not covered. The warranty is for the original owner of a fireplace installed in the US or Canada. Full terms are in the warranty certificate.

Documents and Downloads

• Installation and Operation Manual
• Specification Sheet
• Smart Sheet
• Brochure
• Vent-Free Gas Log Brochure
• Warranty Certificate